Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Khawaja Asif, who is facing a severe backlash for saying all religions are equal, has clarified that his remarks were made in the light of the 1973 Constitution, which provides equal rights to the followers of all religions.
In a statement, the veteran politician said that he believes that Islam is a complete code of life, a belief that is a fundamental part of every Muslim's faith. "My speech [regarding the minorities] was taken out of context for political reasons or due to simple understanding," said Asif.
He said the 'poor treatment' of Muslims in the subcontinent led to the conception of the two-nation theory. He said the teachings of Mohammad Ali Jinnah were a 'beacon of light' for the nation and it was imperative upon the lawmakers to speak for the rights of the minority communities.
He said Islam also teaches Muslims to fight for the rights of all communities without any discrimination, and "as Muslims, it is incumbent upon us to speak for justice without any fear or compulsion".
The PML-N lawmaker also thanked the social media users for supporting him when he was a target of hate speech for speaking against extremism.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Zafarwal tehsil, Qamar Riaz Sulehri, had also filed a blasphemy complaint against Asif for saying that all religions are equal in the light of the constitution.
In a statement, the veteran politician said that he believes that Islam is a complete code of life, a belief that is a fundamental part of every Muslim's faith. "My speech [regarding the minorities] was taken out of context for political reasons or due to simple understanding," said Asif.
He said the 'poor treatment' of Muslims in the subcontinent led to the conception of the two-nation theory. He said the teachings of Mohammad Ali Jinnah were a 'beacon of light' for the nation and it was imperative upon the lawmakers to speak for the rights of the minority communities.
He said Islam also teaches Muslims to fight for the rights of all communities without any discrimination, and "as Muslims, it is incumbent upon us to speak for justice without any fear or compulsion".
The PML-N lawmaker also thanked the social media users for supporting him when he was a target of hate speech for speaking against extremism.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Zafarwal tehsil, Qamar Riaz Sulehri, had also filed a blasphemy complaint against Asif for saying that all religions are equal in the light of the constitution.