May 12, 1998
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Beneficent
WE, THE PAKISTANI MUSLIMS, UPHOLD
That the humanity was once a single nation (The Holy Quran, 2:213). Hence, we believe that every individual, whether Hindu, Jew, Christian, Parsee, or Qadiani (Ahmadi), is a descendant of Adam and our brother;
That the person who saves the life of a single innocent individual has performed a righteous deed equivalent to saving the entire humanity and anyone who unjustly takes a life has committed a sin equal to destroying mankind (The Holy Quran, 5:32);
That tumult and oppression of peace loving individuals is a more grievous crime than murder (The Holy Quran, 2:191);
That all human beings should have the right to practice their faith freely (The Holy Quran, 2:256), without maligning or interfering in the faith, belief, and practices of other individuals;
That the holy Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of God be upon Him), declared that any Muslim who inflicts cruelty upon a non-Muslim, desecrates him, submits him to unreasonable demands, or unjustly takes his property will find the prophet(pbuh) a plaintiff against him on the Day of Judgment and will be among those who have lost.
WE CONFIRM
That the minorities in Pakistan, be they Christians, Hindus, Parsees, or Qadianis (Ahmadis), enjoy carefree and fearless life, as compared to the vast majority of Muslims who face severe difficulties and uncertainties on a daily basis;
To wit: Daily newspapers show a large number of criminal acts perpetrated on the majority community, while not even one percent of the minority population has been affected. Members of the minority groups generally are much more affluent and influential than the Muslim majority and hold a disproportionately large number of government positions;
That the influence of the minorities in the political system can be shown by the easy with which they blocked a census entry of religion in the National Identity Card. This was done in opposition to the will of the 97% Muslim majority and after they had themselves spearheaded and passed the inclusion of the same information on international passports! No doubt the few individuals who drum up false allegations of systemic abuse to gain sympathy and material support from abroad see the benefit of including their religious adherence on international passports;
That recently Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif made a free grant of Rs. 6 million to the sister of madam mother Teresa to acquire a mansion in Islamabad, notwithstanding her being a Christian missionary. Government routinely constructs new Churches and Hindu Temples in factories, alongside Mosques, which often have to be built by private donations;
That the proof of the tolerance in Islamic Pakistan is evident from the data gathered by the 1961 Census of Pakistan. According to the statistics, in 60 years, the number of Christian citizens of Pakistan has increased about 23 times and their proportion to the total population has increased about ten times. Similarly, Hindu population has increased six times during 1961 to 1981, while the Muslim population has increased only by a factor of two. Certainly, Christians and Hindus would not be immigrating into and residing in Pakistan in such increasing large numbers, if the allegations of abuse made by a small minority of opportunists were accurate;
That the Constitution has allotted seats for representatives of minority groups in all levels of the Government and that on the occasion of Christian and Hindu festivals, government Grants are regularly presented to their ministers, legislators, and representatives;
That under the rule of practicing Christian and Hindu government, religious minorities, scientists, and dissenters have historically been subjected to mass abuse, torture, and annihilation. Even today, in secular non-Muslim majority nations, devote Muslim citizens are routinely subjected to harassment, bias, discrimination, deportation, and falsehood imprisonment and are not guaranteed representation in the legislatures. Most are even barred by law from sending financial aid to their needy loved ones or Islamic causes in foreign lands;
That the avowed aim of the few Christian and Qadiani (Ahmadi) missionaries and their institutions are subversion of the Nation’s Constitution, weakening of Pakistan, and destruction of the Islamic state. To this end, they strive to raise tensions in the country by breaking the democratically instituted Laws, inciting violence, offending the beliefs of peaceful citizens, and seeking economic and political pressures from the international community, while hiding behind a worthless masquerade of allegations of abuse put forth by “human-rights” organizations they and their collaborators have founded and are staffing;
These are unflinching truths and proofs of magnanimity of the Muslim majority, even in the face of the anti-Islamic hatred and false propaganda apparent all over the world. As Muslims, we do not resort to the same strategy employed by missionaries and do not allow personal hatred to become the driving force behind all our activities; we simply answer to a Higher Authority.
WE URGE all brothers and sisters here and abroad to think and ponder on the above incontrovertible facts. Let not a ripple injected by the selfish pursuit of a small group of opportunists, driven by their desire to obtain material support, worldly success, or political asylum cause an uncalled for deluge in the rapport enjoyed by all peace loving and tolerant citizens of Pakistan.
Respectfully Submitted
Pakistani Muslims