ICC Note:

The leader of Pakistan’s Minorities Teachers Association delivered a speech during the festival of Holi and contended that no one religion should take precedence in Pakistan’s education system. Textbooks should not indoctrinate, which can lead to extremism among students. PMTA’s leader called on Pakistan’s prime minister to allow greater toleration in the education system for minority religions, like Christianity.

3/18/2017 Pakistan (Pakistan Christian Post) – Professor Anjum James Paul, Chairman Pakistan Minorities Teachers Association PMTA have paid homage to Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Nawaz Sharif on his speech delivered in Karachi on occasion of the festival of Holi on March 14, 2017.

Mian Nawaz Sharif said in his speech “No one can force others to adopt a certain religion”. There was sense of inclusiveness and tolerance in his address which drew the attention of the participants. He added “My foremost duty as a ruler is to serve followers of all religions and not one in particular….God will not ask a ruler what he did for followers of a certain religion. He will ask people such as me: what did we do for God’s creation?…. Some people wear a turban. Some wear a chogha. Others wear a suit and tie, and some wear shalwar kameez….These are all creations of God. And that’s fine. This is a freedom given to us by God. Who are we to take it away?” quoted Professor Paul

Pakistan Minorities Teachers’ Association (PMTA) is making efforts since 2004 for education reforms in Pakistan. Pakistani education system and particularly textbooks violate fundamental human rights of religious minority students. Besides this, textbooks promote extremism, violence and intolerance against non-Muslims and non-Islamic religions. PMTA has prepared 18 research based documents on the textbooks of Pakistan identifying biases against non-Muslims and non-Islamic religions. There are some positive changes as well by the efforts of PMTA. PMTA is also making efforts to address the violation of human rights and raises voices through different means.

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