Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Senator Azam NazeerTarar said on Monday that articles enshrined in Pakistan’s 1973 Constitution were not merely symbolic but also guarantees of equality, freedom, and fundamental rights. Talking to the inaugural ceremony of National Outreach Programme for Minorities at the Civil Services Academy here, he particularly cited Article 36, which pertains to the protection of minority rights, as part of the state’s ethical and social responsibilities.

Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar said: "I am here today as the Minister for Human Rights to remind young officers that the country must be steered collectively, just like carriages of a train moving in the same direction. Unfortunately, our train has fallen behind, and it is now our responsibility to set it back on the right track". He stressed the need for building an inclusive society, stating, "Pakistan needs people who could spread love, not command from above.

We are all Pakistanis, whether part of a majority or a minority, and that singular identity must prevail." He said: "On the instructions of the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, I’m here to reaffirm that the dream envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and embedded in our Constitution is not just an aspiration, it is a living reality. Every citizen, regardless of religion, deserves equal rights and recognition under the law", he added.

Highlighting social responsibility, he said: "We must also turn our attention to the underprivileged, the children playing in the dirt and the brick kiln laborers. These are the segments of Pakistan that need our compassion and focus." He also spoke about the Civil Services Academy, calling it a vital institution for nurturing future nation-builders. "This is no longer the era of colonial command-and-control. What we need now is love, empathy, and dialogue, not hatred," he emphasized.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)