E/CN.4/1995/91/Add.1 page 59 (b) No citizen shall be denied admission to any educational institution receiving aid from public revenues on the ground only of race, religion, caste or place of birth. Article 27 No citizen otherwise qualified for appointment in the service of Pakistan shall be discriminated against in respect of any such appointment on the ground only of race, religion, caste, sex, residence or place of birth. Article 36 The State shall safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of minorities, including their due representation in the Federal and Provisional services. 2. These provisions clearly indicate that the Constitution provides full protection and equal treatment to the minorities and there is no bias, for or against, on the basis of colour, race or religion. 3. The Ahmadiyya issue has a century-old history. The problem arose when a group of persons led by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad denied the finality of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) which, after the unity of God, is a fundamental tenet of Islam. Its denial led to violent agitations against the Ahmadiyya community in 1953 and in 1974. The matter was deliberated upon in the legislature and the consensus of the nation was arrived at in the shape of an amendment in the Constitution through a unanimous vote of the National Assembly in 1974. This amendment had two objectives, viz.: (a) To safeguard the religious sentiments of Muslims (the overwhelming majority of the population); (b) To protect the Ahmadis from any adverse reaction arising from what had historically been regarded as a repudiation of a fundamental belief of the Muslims. 4. Undoubtedly, the controversy between the Ahmadis and Muslims continues to be emotive, but strong statements made by individuals in a religious context are not to be taken as the policy of the Government of Pakistan. The complaints and concerns of the Ahmadiyya community are based evidently on presumption rather than fact. The allegation concerning persecution of Ahmadis is totally baseless. 5. The Ahmadis, as a non-Muslim minority, have been accorded all the rights and privileges guaranteed to minorities under the Constitution and laws of Pakistan. The Government has taken the necessary legislative and administrative measures so as to maintain sectarian peace.