Minority worship places at jails a harbinger of relief

ISLAMABAD—The prisoners belonging to various minority groups in the country will soon get worship places to perform their religious duties at ease. It is the latest and one of the historic steps taken for the collective welfare of the prisoners with different faiths.
Directives for construction of these places of worship have already been issued by the Ministry. Caretaker Minister for Human Rights Ansar Burney told that all the spade work has been done and the construction would start as soon as the funds for the purpose were approved by the Ministry of Finance.
Considering the fundamental right of every citizen to have the liberty of performing religious rites and rituals, irrespective of caste and creed, the major sift was taken by the ministry of Human rights. Among other steps to facilitate the prisoners, the latest initiative came on the heels of whirlwind visits undertaken by Caretaker Minister for Human Rights Ansar Burney to various jails of the country.
“One of the major grievance, I have to confront during my visits to certain jails like Kot Lakhpat and Haripur was that the prisoners belonging to minority groups had no separate worship places inside jails,” said Ansar Burney. He said it is the inalienable right of every citizen residing in the country to have full freedom of religion whether he or she is languishing in jail.
Living a life of seclusion, where the conscience keeps on pricking the majority of prisoners who usually resort to performing religious rituals to find a solace, the latest initiative will also provide the much desired opportunity to the minority groups as well. “It will be a harbinger of comprehensive and compact policy for which we are striving to provide maximum relief to the minority groups, even if they are confined in jails,” Burney emphasised.
Minorities including Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and others form 3 per cent of Pakistan’s population and have been enjoying equal status under the country’s Constitution. Churches, Manadir and other denomination exquisitely embellish the architectural horizons of most of the cities along with mosques which are frequented by the devoted followers.
While on the other hand, ancient Buddhist temples, schools and cities dot the archaeological map besides, many important Sikh temples and shrines including the most famous Nankana Sahib.—APP