YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SF-1 0 E M P RE SS T O WE R, 4 6 E M P RE SS RO A D LA H O RE -P A KI ST A N , 5 4 0 0 0 P H O N E : +9 2 -4 2 -3 7 5 5 6 8 1 0 , E M A I L: Y DF.P A KI ST A N @GM A I L.C O M Inte rve ntion For the 6th Se ssion of the Forum on Minority Issue s 26 - 27 lye mbe r 2013 Age nda, Inte rfaith dialogue s, consultation and e xchange s Speaker: Shahid Rehmat Thank you Mr/Mdm. Chairperson Youth Development Foundation and ICMICA Asia would like to draw the attention of the Forum to the situation of the religious minorities in Pakistan. Currently, the religious minority groups are confronted with challenges to live peacefully in Pakistani society. This year, there have been several incidents which target religious minorities. On February 17, 2013, a bomb exploded and killed least 84 people in Quetta, Baluchistan; on March 09, 2013 an angry mob set fire to over 100 homes in the Joseph Colony Christian settlement, near Badami Bah (Lahore). Residents were forced to flee and at least 35 people were injured. And On 22nd September 2013, two suicide bombers killed themselves in All Saints Church in Peshawar, during a religious service. It killed at least 78 persons, including 34 women and 7 children, and wounded hundreds; It was one of the deadliest attacks against Christian in Pakistan. The Christians and other religious minorities are frequently targeted by members of the majority because of misconceptions, isolation and a lack of platforms for interaction, dialogues and exchanges. It is alleged that they are targeted due to their faith. Pakistan has increasingly become a society whereby means and platforms for interaction and dialogue among different religious and ethnic entities seem to have been ignored, if not systematically discarded. This situation is exacerbated by the lack of opportunities for inter-faith dialogue, which has increased the myths about the history of different faiths and misconceptions about other religions, cultural beliefs, values, and traditions. Most of the perceptions and knowledge about other persons' faith is based on hearsay or second-hand information, which is often biased and incorrect. Almost all of the recent interfaith conflict has roots in lack of understanding about others' faith due to lack of inter-faith platforms. This inter-faith conflict, which has its root cause in lack of exposure and tolerance, fuels violent extremism because much of extremist activity is supported by hatred of the "other" and a narrow interpretation of religious mandates. http ://www.as ianews .itin ews-eniliab o re -more-th an-100-t kris ti an-h o me s-b urne -charae27347.htm1 See the report of Amnesty International at http://wvvw.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releas es/pakistana utho ri ties-must- d o-more-p rote c t- hazara- c ommuni ty- dealt y- attae ks -2. See the report of the Asian Human Rights Commission at littp://wvirw.humanrights.asialnews/ahre-news/AHRC-STM-129- 2013 See the report of asianews.it htt-p://www.asianewsltinews-en/Lahore -more:-than-•100-Christian-homes-burned-overblas e-27347.html