ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday called on citizens to promote interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence among various sections of society, as the world marks “International Day for Tolerance.”

The world marks Nov. 16 every year as the International Day for Tolerance to shed on growing incidents of intolerance worldwide, despite the international community more connected with each other now than ever before. 

Programs and seminars are held in countries across the world to denounce sectarian tensions, violent extremism, human rights violations and religious discrimination.

“On this day, I call upon all citizens, particularly our youth, to stand firm against prejudice, discrimination, and hate in every form,” Zardari said, according to the Press Information Department (PID).

“I urge all segments of society, including religious scholars, representatives of minorities and the media, to educate the people about the spirit of love, tolerance, brotherhood and unity for making Pakistan into a safe haven with tolerance, unity, and social cohesion being the hallmarks.”

The Pakistani president pointed out that the eradication of the causes that may lead to socio-religious exploitation remain the cornerstone of his government’s policies. 

“The idea is to facilitate all segments of society, particularly our non-Muslim citizens, enabling them to play constructive role in our national life,” he said. 

He pointed out the parliament’s move to pass the National Commission for Minorities’ Rights Bill, 2025 and said that the Minorities Caucus body in the Senate has been recently formed to safeguard constitutional and legal rights of religious minorities.

Pakistan has struggled to ensure interfaith harmony in recent years, with the country reporting dozens of instances of mob violence against religious minorities. An attack on Christians in Jaranwala, a town in Punjab province, saw churches, homes and businesses set ablaze in August 2023. 

Meanwhile, in the southern Sindh province, Hindus have frequently complained about forced conversions, particularly of young girls, and attacks on temples. 

According to the latest digital census conducted in 2023, over 96 percent of Pakistan’s population is Muslim, with the remaining four percent comprising 5.2 million Hindus, 3.3 million Christians, 15,992 Sikhs and others.

Islamabad has vowed to protect religious minorities against discrimination and violence.