Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Supreme Court judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah have expressed their wish to have judges from the minority community in the judiciary.

They said this in their separate speechers at the Justice AR Cornelius Conference held at a local hotel on Saturday. The event was organised by the Bright Future Society and Implementation Minority Rights Forum Pakistan.

The law minister emphasised the importance of religious freedom and minority rights in Pakistan. He highlighted that Pakistan’s Constitution guaranteed complete religious freedom, aligning with Islamic teachings on the rights of minorities.

He lamented the decline in religious tolerance post-Afghan war but reiterated Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s vision of a united, tolerant society.

He mentioned ongoing efforts to establish a Minority Rights Commission and proposed reserving quotas for minority law officers and legal advisors.

He praised retired Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani for his landmark decisions benefiting minorities and lauded Justice Cornelius for his legacy of equal justice.

Supreme Court Judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah echoed Tarar’s sentiments, noting the Constitution’s protection of minority rights and advocating for the appointment of minority judges to the higher judiciary.

“There is only one flag in the world where you [minorities] are reflected,” Justice Shah said while addressing the moot.

“This white colour represents you. I also say that crescent and star are also white. All these things represent you. We must understand that you are recognised in the national flag.”

The senior pusine judge mentioned that Pakistan’s population comprises 96% Muslims, 1.6% Hindus and Christians each, and one per cent Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians.

He lamented that the country ranked at the bottom of the religious segment in the Freedoms House Report by the European Union in 2023.

“It was observed that despite prosecutorial religious freedom guarantees, religious minorities have not been provided an effective safeguard against discriminatory legislation, social prejudice, and sectarian violence. Pakistan’s religious freedom conditions remain on a negative trajectory with religious minorities subject to frequent attacks and threats including the accusation of blasphemy, targeted killings, lynching, mob violence, forced conversions, desecration of houses of worship, and cemeteries,” the apex court judge said while quoting the report.

Justice Shah called for changing such situations and work according to the Constitution. He reiterated that Muslims and minorities have the same rights. “We need to protect them [minorities]. We need to come out positively and do something about it.”

While mentioning a verse from the Holy Quran, he interpreted that the freedom of belief and religious faith should be a matter of personal conviction without coercion.

He also spoke about the Constitution of Madina, which called for a pluralistic society.

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The senior pusine judge also mentioned the thoughts of a contemporary Islamic thought leader, Tariq Ramadan.

“The true strength of pluralism lies not in discussion where we agree but in how we manage our disagreements,” Justice Shah quoted the Swiss scholar as saying.

“It’s the way we disagree which shows our character,” Justice Shah said and added that space would have to be created for pluralism as mere statements would not make it happen.