Minority Rights Protection Amendment Bill 2020 introduced by Senator Javed Abbasi in the Senate session on August 24, 2020, Muslim Family Laws Amendment Bill 2020 introduced by Senator Javed Abbasi in the Senate session on October 26, 2020, Senator Javed Abbasi In addition to the Guardian and Words Amendment Bill 2021 introduced in the Senate session on January 25, 2021, the issue of public importance raised by Senator Fida Muhammad in the Senate session on January 25, 2021 to review the mechanism for preservation of printed Quranic verses were discussed.

The Standing Committee reviewed in detail the Minority Rights Protection Amendment Bill 2020 introduced by Senator Javed Abbasi in the Senate session on August 24, 2020. Senator Javed Abbasi said that this bill has been discussed before. He said that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in his numerous speeches had talked about complete religious freedom for minorities and the Constitution of Pakistan also provides complete religious freedom to all minorities living in the country. He said that Article 20 has been included in the constitution under which no legislation has been enacted in which punishments and fines are imposed in this regard and a decision of the court was also taken in this regard.

“Forced conversions are not allowed in our religion, and there have been cases of forced conversions by marrying young girls,” he said. “Punishment should be fixed for these people. This law has been proposed by the federation and provinces can also adopt it.”

The Secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony informed the committee that after the 18th amendment many things have been transferred to the provinces. The provinces themselves look after the issues of protection of minorities, welfare and other minorities.

However, a committee headed by Senator Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar has been constituted comprising members of both the houses to review and redress the issue of forced conversion. He said that hate speech against any religion can be punished with three years imprisonment and a fine of more than Rs 50,000. He said that the provinces are doing their job in this regard and many things in the bill were already in the law.

On this the chairman of the committee said that the religious freedom enjoyed by the minorities in Pakistan is unmatched in any other country in the world. The present government is providing minorities with places of worship. There are no restrictions. The Qadianis who deny the end of prophethood and are also declared non-Muslims in the 1973 constitution do not accept the decision of the parliament. If they recognize themselves as non-Muslims, they will be treated like other minorities. The quarrel will end.

Senator Siraj-ul-Haq said that no complaint regarding minorities has come up in the curriculum till date. The word minority should be removed from the constitution and written Pakistani community. Senator Kashu Bai and Brigadier (retd) John Kenneth Williams said the bill is good and should be passed. Minorities will get more protection. The standing committee rejected the bill by a majority vote and the opinion of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

The Muslim Family Laws Amendment Bill 2020, introduced in the Senate session on October 26, 2020 by Senator Javed Abbasi, after a detailed review, was unanimously passed.

The Guardian and Words Amendment Bill 2021 presented by Senator Javed Abbasi in the Senate session on January 25, 2021 was approved by the Standing Committee after a detailed review.

The issue of public importance for the preservation of Quranic verses raised by Senator Fida Mohammad in the Senate session on January 25, 2021 was reviewed in detail. The Secretary, Ministry of Religious Affairs said that a mechanism has been proposed which will soon be approved by the Cabinet. A recycling plant will be set up in the federal capital for old copies of the Quran. The provinces have also been informed.

Senator Fida Mohammad said that the paper used in the Quran should also be of a standard. He said that Quranic verses are written in newspapers and they can be seen on the streets and in drains. Quranic verses, Kaaba and pictures of Quran should not even be in the newspapers. It is the duty of all Muslims to keep their sanctity in mind. The committee was informed that desecration of the Holy Quran is punishable by life imprisonment. Senator Fida Mohammad said that In Lahore, a recycling project was planned in 2013 at a cost of Rs 40 million, but it has not yet been implemented.

Chairman Committee Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said that there should be an effective mechanism for monitoring the printing of Holy Quran and ensure it is error free. He said that keeping in view this sacred purpose, the Ministry of Religious Affairs should visit all the four provinces and hold joint meetings with the provincial governments and take steps to preserve the rotten Holy Quran and verses of the Holy Quran. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting should be informed to oblige newspapers to respect Quranic verses in newspapers. He said that an amendment bill has been drafted regarding the Holy Quran in which a board has been proposed which will also monitor all these matters and printing of Holy Quran and standard paper will also be ensured.

Senator Fida Mohammad Said In Balochistan province, two brothers have built a 3.5 km tunnel to preserve about 40 million old copies of the Quran. They receive the Holy Quran from all over the world. If two brothers can do that, then the Ministry of Religious Affairs can do a better job.

In today’s meeting of the Standing Committee, Senators Sirajul Haq, Haji Momin Khan Afridi, Kashu Bai, Brigadier (retd) John Kenneth Williams, Muhammad Javed Abbasi and Fida Muhammad besides Secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs, DG Ministry of Religious Affairs and officials of Ministry of Law attended.