Faisalabad: August 3, 2016. (PCP) Professor Anjum James Paul, Chairman of Pakistan Minorities Teachers’ Association PMTA in a letter to Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif has urged to root out violence and extremisms from Textbooks because it is important for internal security of Pakistan. Professor Paul said “Pakistan Minorities Teachers’ Association appreciates what you have said while chairing a meeting to review the state of internal security and implementation of National Action Plan at Prime Minister House on August 1, 2016, “We will make Pakistan secure for every ethnicity and religion; the country has embarked upon a right track and we will enable every citizen to reap the benefits of a secure, stable and prosperous Pakistan. Extremist ideology is a global threat; being the frontline state in war on terror, Pakistan confronted the blowback of terrorists for several years. No other country has suffered to the extent Pakistan has been affected socially and economically while fighting the scourge of terrorism and extremism.” PMTA Chairman has argued that “it is utmost need of the time that our beloved country must be secure, stable and prosperous for the security of every ethnicity and religion. It is needed to root out hatred, intolerance and extremism from the Pakistani textbooks because they are one of the main root causes of the internal security that promote hatred, intolerance and extremism among the citizens of different faiths in Pakistan. Textbooks particularly unprotect and harass non-Muslims violating the Constitution of Pakistan, Pakistan Penal Code and National Action Plan. So, it is requested you to take stern action against the publishers who promote hatred, intolerance and extremism in Pakistan for their nefarious designs and all those who particularly violate the below mentioned articles of the Constitution of Pakistan, sections of Pakistan Penal Code and agenda of the National Action Plan. This is the only way to make a peaceful and prosperous Pakistan” Here are full contents of letter: Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Prime Minister of Pakistan Islamabad Subject: - STATE OF INTERNAL SECURITY AND NEED TO ROOT OUT VIOLENCE AND EXTREMISM FROM TEXTBOOKS Honourable Sir, Greetings and peace from Pakistan Minorities Teachers’ Association (PMTA). PMTA would like to draw your kind attention on the subject cited above. Pakistan Minorities Teachers’ Association appreciates what you have said while chairing a meeting to review the state of internal security and implementation of National Action Plan at Prime Minister House on August 1, 2016, “We will make Pakistan secure for every ethnicity and religion; the country has embarked upon a right track and we will enable every citizen to reap the benefits of a secure, stable and prosperous Pakistan. Extremist ideology is a global threat; being the frontline state in war on terror, Pakistan confronted the blowback of terrorists for several years. No other country has suffered to the extent Pakistan has been affected socially and economically while fighting the scourge of terrorism and extremism.” Sir, it is utmost need of the time that our beloved country must be secure, stable and prosperous for the security of every ethnicity and religion. It is needed to root out hatred, intolerance and extremism from the Pakistani textbooks because they are one of the main root causes of the internal security that promote hatred, intolerance and extremism among the citizens of different faiths in Pakistan. Textbooks particularly unprotect and harass non-Muslims violating the Constitution of Pakistan, Pakistan Penal Code and National Action Plan. So, it is requested you to take stern action against the publishers who promote hatred, intolerance and extremism in Pakistan for their nefarious designs and all those who particularly violate the below mentioned articles of the Constitution of Pakistan, sections of Pakistan Penal Code and agenda of the National Action Plan. This is the only way to make a peaceful and prosperous Pakistan. CONSTITUION OF PAKISTAN 1973 Article 20. Freedom to profess religion and to manage religious institutions Subject to law, public order and morality,— (a) every citizen shall have the right to profess, practice and propagate his religion; and (b) every religious denomination and every sect thereof shall have the right to establish, maintain and manage its religious institutions. Article 22. Safeguards as to educational institutions in respect of religion, etc. (1) No person attending any educational institution shall be required to receive religious instruction, or take part in any religious ceremony, or attend religious worship, if such instruction, ceremony or worship relates to a religion other than his own. Article 25. Equality of citizens (1) All citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of law. (2) There shall be no discrimination on the basis of sex alone. (3) Nothing in this Article shall prevent the State from making any special provision for the protection of women and children. Article 27. Safeguard against discrimination in services (1) No citizen otherwise qualified for appointment in the service of Pakistan shall be discriminated against in respect of any such appointment on the ground only of race religion, caste, sex, residence or place of birth: Article 28. Preservation of language, script and culture Subject to Article 251 any section of citizens having a distinct language, script or culture shall have the right to preserve and promote the same and subject to law, establish institutions for that purpose. Article 33 Parochial and other similar prejudices to be discouraged. The State shall discourage parochial, racial, tribal, sectarian and provincial prejudices among the citizens. Article 35. Protection of family, etc. The State shall protect the marriage, the family, the mother and the child. Article 36. Protection of minorities The State shall safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of minorities, including their due representation in the Federal and Provincial services. PAKISTAN PENAL CODE Section 153- Promoting enmity between different groups, etc: A Whoever (a) by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representations or otherwise, promotes or incites, or attempts to promote or incite, on grounds of religion, race, place of both, residence. language, caste or community or any other ground whatsoever, disharmony or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities; or (b) commits, or incites any other person to commit, any act which is prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities or any group of persons identifiable as such on any ground whatsoever and which disturbs or is likely to disturb public tranquillity; or (c) organizes, or incites any other person to organize, and exercise, movement, drill or other similar activity intending that the participants in any such activity shall use or be trained to use criminal force or violence or knowing it to be likely that the participants in any such activity will use or be trained to use criminal force or violence or participates, or incites any other person to participate, in any such activity intending to use or be trained to use criminal force or violence or knowing it to be likely that the participants in any such activity will use or be trained, to use criminal force or violence, against any religious, racial, language or regional group or caste of community or any group of persons identifiable as such on any ground whatsoever and any such activity for any reason whatsoever cause or is likely to cause fear or alarm or a feeling of insecurity amongst members of such religious, racial, language or regional group or caste or community. shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years and with fine. Explanation: It does not amount to an offence within the meaning of this section to point but, without malicious intention and with an honest view to their removal, matters which are producing, or have a tendency to produce, feelings of enmity or hatred between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities. Section 295 A Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs: Whoever, with deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the 'religious feelings of any class of the citizens of Pakistan, by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representations insults the religion or the religious beliefs of that class, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, or with fine, or with both. Section 297 Trespassing on burial places, etc.: Whoever, with the intention of wounding the feelings of any person, or of insulting the religion of any person, or with the knowledge that the feelings of any person are likely to be wounded, or that the religion of any person is likely to be insulted thereby, commits any trespass in any place of worship or on any place of sculpture, or any place set apart for the performance of funeral rites or as a, depository for the remains of the dead, or offers any indignity to any human corpse or causes disturbance to any persons assembled for the performance of funeral ceremonies, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both. Section 298 Uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings: Whoever, with the deliberate intention of wounding the religious feelings of any person, utters any word or makes any sound in the hearing of that person or makes any gesture in the sight of that person or places any object in the sight of that person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year or with fine, or with both. NATIONAL ACTION PLAN The material promoting hate and extremism will be considered crime under Anti-Terrorism Act and strict action would be taken against the printers and publishers who will publish such material. Effective steps would be taken to stop religious persecution. With best regards. PROF. ANJUM JAMES PAUL, CHAIRMAN Copy to: 1. Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Chief Justice Supreme Court of Pakistan, Islamabad 2. Ch. Nisar Ali Khan, Interior Minister, Govt. of Pakistan, Islamabad Dated: August 2, 2016.