Faisalabad: Professor Anjum Paul Chairman of Pakistan Minorities Teachers Association PMTA writes letter to Chairman National Commission for Minorities about Teaching of Quran to minority Students.      

Ref.No.PMTA/9-13/22-KPR                                                               Dated: January 14, 2022 

To

Mr. Chela Ram Kelwani

Chairman

National Commission for Minorities

Islamabad

Subject:        TEACHING OF QURAN MAJEED AS COMPULSORY SEPARATE SUBJECT AND THE STUDENTS OF RELIGIOUS MINORITIES 

Your Excellency,

Greetings and peace from Pakistan Minorities Teachers’ Association (PMTA).

PMTA would like to draw your kind attention on the subject cited above.

Sir, Punjab Higher Education Department has introduced “Teaching of Quran Majeed as compulsory separate subject” for the session 2021-2022 in all the public and private sector colleges and universities for Muslim students containing one credit hour.

PMTA has been raising her voice but in vain. There is discrimination with the religious minority students as they are suffering due to the discrimination and disparity of subject and marks. Religious minority students have not been treated equally  according to article 20 and article 25 of the constitution of Pakistan 1973 which guarantee religious freedom and equal citizenship to all citizens.

So, it is requested you to kindly take prompt action as the mid-term examination of the BS examinations commencing soon.

With best regards.                                                                        

PROF. ANJUM JAMES PAUL

CHAIRMAN

 Copy to;

i.              Dr. Arif Alvi, President of Pakistan, President’s Secretariat, Islamabad

ii.            Mr. Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan, PM Secretariat, Islamabad

iii.           Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Pakistan, Islamabad

iv.           Dr. Muhammad Shoaib Suddle, Chairman One Man Commission, Islamabad

PMTA is making efforts since 2004 for education reforms through advocacy, lobbying and analyses on the textbooks of Pakistan to promote diversity and peaceful coexistence through the Pakistani education system.. Pakistani religious minorities are not enjoying fully constitutionally their civil and political rights and they are  facing challenges of equal citizenship, equal rights and equal opportunities. Due to religious persecution lives, beliefs, families and properties of religious minorities are always at risk. Pakistani public sector education system  promotes violence, intolerance, hatred and extremism through the language and images of the textbooks against non-Islamic religions, non-Muslims  and non-Islamic Civilizations. Thus Pakistani religious minorities become the direct target of the intolerance and extremism that Pakistani education system promotes.