Bilawal wants equal rights for Pakistan's minorities

Karachi, March 24: PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Friday, March 25 called for equal rights for all citizens in Pakistan, irrespective of their religion, and said the minorities must have the opportunity to hold important government positions.

"If a Muslim can become the President of India, then why can't a person belonging to the minority community hold an important official position in Pakistan," Bilawal told a large gathering of Hindu supporters in Umarkot district. Umarkot houses the largest population of Hindus in the southern Sindh province which has been a traditional hold of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

The only son of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto visited Umarkot to take part in the Holi celebrations with the Hindu community.

"I want a Pakistan where every citizen no matter from which community has equal rights," Bilawal said. "It cannot be that Pakistan for Muslims is different from Pakistan for the minorities. It cannot be that Pakistan for men is different from Pakistan for women," he said.

The Hindu community leaders presented a traditional Rajasthani headgear and smeared colour on his face to celebrate the festival as Bilawal also tossed powder colors in the air to kickoff the function. The PPP chief vowed to fight for the rights of minorities and insisted law should be equal for everyone.

"We can't have a country where Muslims and minorities, rich and poor, labourers and businessmen, farmers and landlord, men and women live with separate statuses." "I do not want one kind of Pakistan for Pervez Musharraf and a different Pakistan for Benazir Bhutto," he added.

He said the Pakistan dreamt off by Quaid-e-Azam envisioned a country where the state didn't have to do anything with the religion of individuals and where everyone was free to go to their own places of worship.

PTI