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Discrimination against Christian students alleged
PESHAWAR, July 25: The Christian community in the United Kingdom has
expressed concern over what they called discriminatory attitude of the Pakistan
government towards Christian students seeking admission to educational
institutes.
This was stated in a letter sent by the Pakistan High
Commission in UK to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad, two months
ago.
The letter circulated to the education departments of the four
provinces by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the High Commissioner
for Pakistan in UK had received several letters in this connection.
A
letter sent to the High Commissioner has been attached with the circular, saying
that the Pakistani law earmarks 20 extra marks to Muslim students, who are Hafiz
Quran.
The law, according to the letter, contradicts not only statements
and claims of equal rights for minorities made by the president, prime minister
and ministers, but is also against the Constitution of Pakistan and
international human rights.
It said that the law distinguished between
Muslim and non-Muslim students and diminished the chances for non-Muslim
students obtaining admission to colleges and universities.
Consequently,
non-Muslim students are deprived of education and employment rights, said the
letter.
"We believe the ordinance should be abolished and every Pakistani
should be treated equally," said the letter, a copy of which had also been sent
to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights, Islamabad.
The letter
said that the abolition of the ordinance and reservation of quota for Christian
students would not only help the Christian community, but it will also improve
the image of Pakistan and the government at the international level.
The
High Commission in UK asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for provision of
appropriate materials to enable it to respond to such letters, which are
frequently sent by members of the Christian community in UK. Dawn
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