In connection with international Human rights day, Rawadari Movement Pakistan organized a grand event on the theme of Punjab Rawadari Festival at Ali Education Institute in Lahore. Addressing the ceremony, former Provincial Human Rights Minister Ijaz Alam Augustine said that today we can proudly say that religious minorities in Pakistan are much safer and completely free to go their religious places or worship as compared to India while end of discriminatory laws, all political parties should be included in their agenda.
For the promotion of peace and tolerance in Pakistan, all the stakeholders have to play their fully active role. He said that for the end of terrorism, along with the government, the society also has to fulfill their responsibilities. Former MNA Dr Fozia Hameed, former MPA Raheela Khadim, well-known social scholar Johnny Chandio, Professor Dr Abida Ashraf, chair of human rights at Punjab University, columnist Rana Mehboob Akhtar, barrister Amir Hassan, Samson Salamat also expressed their views, emphasized on the promotion of tolerance and peace and paid tribute to the efforts of Samson Salamat for organizing the Punjab Tolerance Festival.
In the festival, Bhangra was played on the beat of Punjabi dhol, while renowned singer Fariha Nawaz graced the festival and received a standing ovation from the fans. At the festival, a declaration was issued by the Tolerance Movement of Pakistan, in which the peaceful struggle for peace under the Tolerance Movement, the end of intolerance and the collective responsibility of all were reiterated. The participants of the Punjab Rawadri Festival unanimously decided that they will play their role in eradicating intolerance, violent extremism and terrorism in the society.
A panel discussion was also organized at the event, in which the participants put forward various suggestions, urging the government to strictly implement the legislation and making legal action against those inciting violence mandatory. the government should take concrete and proactive measures to ensure the protection of every citizen and devise strategic strategies to prevent the abuse of blasphemy laws, thereby protecting religious minorities.
The participants appealed to hold such a festival to promote the culture of mutual love and tolerance. At the end of the festival, the participants also cut the Christmas cake.
