Passport represents state not religion: Bhindar

Staff Report

LAHORE: A passport represents the identity of a person’s state not religion, said Chaudhry Shahid Akram Bhindar, the state minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights, while addressing a seminar on human rights on Tuesday.

The seminar ‘Role of the government in promotion and protection of human rights (HR) in the country’ was arranged by the regional directorate of Human Rights (Punjab) under the Federal Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights.

Mr Bhindar said that religious parties were forcing the government to add a religion column in the new machine-readable passports. He said that it was technically not possible, adding that the sate should not discriminate citizens on religion.

Kishwar Shaheen Awan, the regional director of the directorate, spoke about the organisation’s objectives and special monitoring cell. She said the directorate would also grant financial aid of Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 to HR victims.

Ashfa Riaz Fatiyana, the provincial minister for Social Welfare, Human Rights and Women Development, and Qudsia Lodhi, the Punjab minister for Special Education, addressed the seminar. They stressed upon human rights awareness. Peter Jacob, representing the National Commission for Justice and Peace, called for equality in justice.

Dr Ahmad Bilal, the additional secretary of the Health Department, Dr Naeem Tareen, Sarmed Saeed and Aymea Mahmmod also addressed the seminar.

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