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Call for joint efforts to safeguard minorities' rights worldwide

LAHORE: The participants of a rally 'Khyber to Karachi Peace journey', have called for united efforts to safeguard the rights of minorities throughout the world and to make the 21st century a stronghold of peace and harmony.

Addressing a rally here in front of the Lahore Press Club they said that minorities are worst hit by the Hindus majority in India.

While addressing on the occasion Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Secretary General Syed Munawar Hassan said that on the first day of new millennium we should make a promise that we will use all of our energies for positive and constructive activities for this purpose.

He said that peace is desire of everyone and being a Muslims. It is our religious duty to work for peace.

The JI leader said that if United States of America is sincere in its claim that it wants to bring peace in South Asian region it should use its influence for resolving the Kashmir issue and to end Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir.

Arch Bishop of Catholic Church Romando said that Christian and Muslim communities deserve congratulation for launching efforts for peace in the new millennium and other religions should also follow the same.

Various religions should be united on the name of God who is creator of all, for the larger interest of mankind he said and added that followers of various religions can do so without leaving their own religion.

The leaders of various religion also stressed to adopt a policy of non-interference in each others religious affairs.

Moulana Abdul Qadir Azad, JI leader Mian Maqsood Ahmed and Father James Chunan also addressed the rally.

The participants of peace journey will leave here for Islamabad on January 2, and it will terminate at Khyber Pass on January 3.

The journey was started from Karachi on December 25 last organised by the National Christian Muslim Rabita Commission to celebrate new millennium as a millennium of peace and harmony among different religions. APP