Country is committed to ensure equal rights for all minorities: Zardari

Islamabad, Aug.11 (ANI): Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has said the country is committed to ensuring equal rights to all minorities as per the Constitution.

In a message delivered on Minorities Day, Zardari said all measures will be taken to ensure complete freedom and security to people belonging to minority communities.

"Minorities are a sacred trust for Pakistan," Zardari said.

Zardari said the present government has taken a 'historical step' by reserving 0.5 percent quota in government jobs and services for minorities to ensure their due representation at all levels.

Commenting on the Gojra incident, in which eight Christians were burnt alive by a rioting mob, Zardari said masterminds of the incident would be brought to book soon.

"Unfortunately, some extremist elements with a view to advancing their own narrow and bigoted agenda have targeted the minorities, as happened recently to members of the Christian Minority in Gojra. The perpetrators of the crime against the minority community in Gojra, indeed anywhere in Pakistan, must be brought to justice; they will be," The News quoted Zardari, as saying.

It may be recalled that on August 1 around 1,000 people had gathered in Gojra and marched towards the Christian Colony.

A police contingent was present in the neighbourhood, but it did stop the mob, which included a number of masked men.

According to witnesses, the attackers appeared trained for arson. The protesters carried inflammable substances and torched more than 40 houses of Christian families in less than half an hour. (ANI)