(June 09, Islamabad, Sri Lanka Guardian) Kamran Micheal the Provincial minister for the Human Rights was given the additional portfolio of finance ministry after PML-N ( Pakistan Muslim league Nawaz group) broke it`s coalition with PPP in the Punjab Assembly. Being the finance minister legislator Kamran Micheal is authorized to present the budget in the Punjab Assembly.
Several members of the PML-N have objected that Kamran Micheal being a Christian, although holding a prominent position should not be allowed to deliver the annual budget speech, as this some be done by a Muslim. Sources revealed that Sardar Zulfiqar Khan Khosa, senior adviser to the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had been attending the meetings with the provincial ministers, finance secretary, chairman of the planning and development department and financial institutions. Punjab government rules prohibit an adviser from heading any departmental business, even those at a department to which he or she has been assigned. Micheal was forbidden to attend the meetings or talk to the concerned people because of his faith. Several members of the PML-N have objected and talked to the Chief Minister for forbidding Micheal from presenting the budget speech and they advised the CM to present the budget himself.
PML-N has already been criticized for discrimination against the minorities in Punjab and for supporting the extremists groups which have been promoting hatred against the minorities. This act has raised the concerns for the minorities, it has also revealed the extremist school of thought of the party.
PPP has also criticized PML-N for forbidding the Provincial Finance Minister for delivering the annual budget speech. The PPP Punjab members have also criticized the Chief Minister for holding 20 portfolios in Punjab. MPA ( Member Provincial Assembly) Pervaiz Rafique a Christian Legislator from PPP ( Pakistan Peoples Party) said, " We strongly condemn the CM for his extremist views, he holds 20 port folios, the CM wants to become a king, he has already created his kingdom in Punjab, constitutionally the finance minister presents the annual budget every year, forbidding a person from presenting the budget because of his religious belief is the worst kind of discrimination by PML-N. We Christians are also Pakistanis, we are entitled to the same rights as any other person of any religious belief. PML-N is also responsible for Shanti Nagar, Gojra and Sialkot incidents. We will walk out of the assembly and boycott the session if Kamran Micheal doesnt present the budget."
Bishop of Rawalpindi / Islamabad Rufin Anthony said, " Every citizen of this country, be he or she of any religious belief, has an equal claim to it, and its legislature. The PML-N needs to decide what sort of message it wants to send to the world community, and show that they are capable of rising above the petty mindset of some of their supporters. Condoning such bigotry and intolerance will only confirm the worst impressions about Pakistanis in general and the PML-N in specific that the world already harbors. There is no constitutional bar on Mr. Michael presenting a budget. He is an equal citizen of Pakistan. Such an act of a political Party can lead to its disqualification on charges of breaking the constitutional Law. Micheal would not have faced such an ignominy even if he had joined a religious party. Such acts tarnish the name of country and speaks volumes about the statehood"
Chairman Masihi Foundation Mr. Haroon Barkat Masih has also condemned the act of forbidding a Christian for presenting the budget speech because of his religious views. Mr. Masih said, "What i find incredible is the fact that PML-N waste no time crying “discrimination” when internal policies of western and eastern nations rub against the grain of their “culture” and “religion”, yet they refuse to acknowledge that discrimination in their home country is not only socially rampant, but in fact institutionalized by our constitution. PML-N panders to the right-wing religious hate-lobby by discriminating against one of their own party members on account of his religious affiliation. Mosques and Madrassas are responsible primarily for the spread of the kind of perverted mentality that prevents a non-muslim from presenting the budget.The Province of Punjab has led the religious discrimination specially towards Christians. Most of the Blasphemy cases has taken place in the Pubjab Province, most of the Christians killed in the name of blasphemy laws in Punjab. The Pubjab Government specially Mr.Shahbaz Sharif has totally failed to protect the lives and properties of Christians and now it is the turn of his own Party Christian MPA to face the religious discrimination by the so called people’s representatives. The international community has still not come out of the shock of innocent killings of Salman Taseer, ex-governor Pubjab and Shahbaz Bhatti, a well known christian leader in the name of religion. "
The Anglican Bishop of Lahore Alexander John Malik said, "It`s a shameful hypocrisy!! if the Americans would have done the same thing to a muslim legislator in America ,the beards would have been out on the streets demanding the blood of the “infidels”. This is a new angle to discrimination practiced in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. When the Punjab Assembly voted for an independent Pakistan, there was a christian speaker presiding. He honoured and supported the idea of an independent Pakistan by voting in favour and by collecting his ballot rather than waiting for it to be brought to him, a privilege bestowed on the speaker at the time. Why was a christian vote for Pakistan not refused at the time? It would have been a very useful inductor of the treatment this community would face in the coming years."
Vice President Mr. Rizwan Paul from Life for All said, " Did the Christians make a mistake in joining Pakistan? Were the Sikhs smart in rejecting inclusion in Pakistan? Did the Ahmadis bring upon themselves the punishment by working for Pakistan? These Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and other minorities contribute to the GDP equally, pay taxes and have all the rights a Muslim Pakistani has. So why this discrimination?"
PPP Senior Member Raja Riaz said, " The Chief Minister Punjab reacted on the term Punjabi Taliban, but this act of forbidding a Christian for delivering the budget speech because of his religion shows the extremist views. We strongly condemn PML-N for their discrimination. We will walk out if the CM delivers the budget speech, we will not accept this discrimination. PML-N is has lost all credibility to be affiliated with PML brand. This was the party of MA Jinnah – the most pluralistic of them all. The Chief Minister must apologize to the Christian community for his discrimination."
Maulana Mehfooz Ahmed Khan a religious scholar from Lahore also condemned the Punjab government. He said, " This is unjust to forbid a Christian from presenting the budget because of his faith. We condemn this discrimination. Kamran Michael is also the Provincial Minister for Human Rights, a minister for human rights is himself being discriminated. We urge the Lahore High Court to take action against the discrimination, such acts defame Islam, Islam is a peaceful religion and stresses on protecting the rights, life and property of the minorities. Every citizen of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan has equal rights and must not be discriminated on religious grounds."
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