Islamabad, At the Justice A.R. Cornelius Conference on Saturday, Federal Minister for Law, Justice, and Human Rights, Senator Azam Nazir Tarar, called for the inclusion of judges from minority communities in Pakistan’s higher judiciary. He highlighted the constitutional commitment to religious freedom and the importance of minority rights during the event at a local hotel.
According to Press Information Department, the conference was organized by the Bright Future Society and the Implementation Minority Rights Forum Pakistan. Senator Tarar emphasized Pakistan’s constitutional guarantees for religious freedom, consistent with Islamic teachings, and lamented the decline in religious tolerance in the region following the Afghan war. He reiterated the vision of Pakistan’s founder, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, for a united and tolerant society.
The minister outlined ongoing efforts to establish a Minority Rights Commission and suggested quotas for minority law officers and legal advisors. He also praised retired Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani for his landmark decisions that have benefited minority groups and lauded the legacy of Justice A.R. Cornelius for championing equal justice.
Supreme Court Judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, who also spoke at the event, supported the call for appointing minority judges, underscoring the constitution’s role in protecting minority rights. The conference featured tributes to Justice Cornelius and discussions on the constitutional protections for minorities, highlighting his influential career and the 2014 Supreme Court guidelines under Justice Jillani that aimed to enhance minority rights.
The conference concluded with a certificate distribution ceremony attended by notable figures, including Supreme Court Judge Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Dr. Syed Muhammad Anwar, Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, and retired Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, among others.