PESHAWAR: The representatives of different minority groups have demanded of the government to replace the subject of Islamic studies compulsory (Islamiat) with theology (dinyat) to provide an option to non-Muslim students in the educationalinstitutions.

The demand was made during a consultative meeting titled `Religious freedom and minority rights`, organised by South Asia Partnership Pakistan (SAP-Pk) at a local hotel here on Monday.

The representatives of minorities said that they were also citizens of the country and they should be treated on the basis of equality and justice.

The meeting was addressed byAll Pakistan Hindu Rights Movement (APHRM) chairman Haroon Sarb Diyal, Sikh Community of Pakistan chairman Radish Singh Tony, Christian community representative Augustan Jacob, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) secretary information Haji Jalil Jan, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MPA Shaukat Yousafzai, Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Sardar Hussain and senior journalist Shamim Shahid.

Mr Diyal said that the Constitution of Pakistan had defined rights of the non-Muslim communities but still they were facing different problems only due to non-implementation of the relevant laws.

The properties owned by the minority groups, he said, were grabbed either by influential people and different government departments in the name of archaeology and for commercial purposes.

He said that it was injustice with the minorities because a large number of Hindus were living in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other areas.

Mr Diyal said that the Hinduswere not migrated from India but they were citizens of the country and supported the Pakistan movement as well but still they were fighting for their rights.

The representative of Hindu community said that policy makers were least bothered to take them on board while framing policies about minorities. The laws had loopholes to ensure provision of justice, he said.

Lauding the provincial government for increasing the job quota for minorities to three per cent, Mr Diyal said that it needed to be increased to five per cent. He also stressed the need for holding direct elections on minority seats instead of their nomination by political parties.

Mr Tony also shared his views with the participants of the meeting about the issues of Sikh community. He said that people of his community were being targeted and several of them migrated to other provinces.

He alleged that Sardar Suran Singh, a representative of Silchs in the provincial assembly, was asilent spectator of the ordeal of his community.

He said that the provincial government should take steps to resolve problems of Sikhs on emergency basis.

Endorsing the demands of the non-Muslims, Augustan Jacob said that they were also Pakistanis and had the right to live, worship and freedom of expression.

MPA Sardar Hussain said that there was no option of forced marriage and conversion in Islam. He said that the legislators of the minorities did not raise voice for the rights of their communities in the assembly and usually remained silent.

MPA Shaukat Ali Yousufzai condemned the incidents of targeted killings and said that terrorism in any form was condemnable. He added that Muslims were also faced with the worst situation during the past 68 years.

Mr Yousafzai said that people were closely watching the performance of the government and if it failed to deliver the voters would also reject the ruling clique.