ISLAMABAD – Describing Naya Pakistan as “Quaid’s Pakistan,” Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said the government would ensure that their minorities were treated as equal citizens, unlike what was happening in India.
“Quaid envisaged Pakistan as a democratic, just and compassionate nation. Most importantly he wanted our minorities to be equal citizens. It should be remembered that his early political career was as an ambassador for Hindu Muslim unity,” the Prime Minister said in his tweet on the occasion of birth anniversary of the founder of nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
His struggle for a separate nation for Muslims only started when he realised that Muslims would not be treated as equal citizens by the Hindu majority. Naya Pak is Quaid’s Pak & we will ensure that our minorities are treated as equal citizens, unlike what is happening in India. https://t.co/xFPo8ahJnp
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 25, 2018
“His struggle for a separate nation for Muslims only started when he realized that Muslims would not be treated as equal citizens by the Hindu majority. Naya Pakistan is Quaid’s Pakistan and we will ensure that our minorities are treated as equal citizens, unlike what is happening in India,” he said.
Last week, Khan had said that his administration will show the Narendra Modi government “how to treat minorities” after actor Naseeruddin Shah expressed worry over mob violence in India. “Even in India, people are saying that minorities are not being treated as equal citizens,” Khan had said, adding that his government is taking steps to ensure that religious minorities in Pakistan get their rights.
Shah had later hit back at the Pakistani prime minister. “I think Mr Khan should be walking the talk in his own country instead of commenting on issues that don’t concern him,” the actor had said. “We have been a democracy for 70 years and we know how to look after ourselves.”
