National Minorities Day Pakistan, Jinnah Award Winner, Saif-ul-Malook Advocate
11 August 2022
Jinnah Award Winner
By
The APPG for Pakistani Minorities
Press Release
Winner of the Jinnah Award
London, 11 August 2022 – The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Pakistani Minorities, a cross-party parliamentary group, announced today the recipient of the Jinnah Award.
The Jinnah Award, which is named after Pakistan’s founder Muhammad’s Ali Jinnah, was created to pay tribute to Jinnah’s legacy as an ardent champion of religious pluralism and minority rights. The recipient of the award is being announced on Pakistan’s National Minorities Day – the anniversary of Jinnah’s 1947 speech in which he laid the foundation for a Pakistan free of intolerance and prejudice.
The Jinnah Award winner, selected by an international jury of prominent judges, is the renowned Pakistani lawyer Saif-ul-Malook, who has shown exemplary courage, leadership and excellence in promoting the freedom of religion or belief for all in Pakistan.
Lord David Alton, Co-Chair of the APPG for Pakistani Minorities, said: ‘Muhammad Ali Jinnah envisioned and fought for a Pakistan in which all citizens would be treated equally. This award not only memorialises his vision of equality – one which is shared across the world – but also highlights the important work of those who are courageously carrying out his mission in difficult circumstances in Pakistan today.”
“The APPG for Pakistani Minorities was pleased to receive so many outstanding nominations, and the winner Saif-ul-Malook represents a brave and selfless lawyer who has struggled persistently to ensure the release of many victims of Pakistan’s draconian blasphemy laws including Asia Bibi, Shagufta Kausar and her paralysed husband ShafqatEmmanuel, despite receiving many death threats.”
Notes for the Editors
The Jinnah Award was launched by the APPG for Pakistani Minorities in 2021, to highlight the important and necessary work being led by members of civil society on freedom of religion or belief issues in Pakistan.
The winner will be presented this award in the UK’s Parliament later in the year.
For any further information, please contact, Councillor Morris Johns, Secretary, APPG for Pakistani Minorities, c/o Jim Shannon MP, Palace of Westminster, London SW1A 1AA, email: appgpakistan[email protected], Tel: 07910 629864.
Jinnah: Quaid-e-Azam always believed in and stood for human rights. He championed the cause of liberty, freedom of speech and association and other rights. His Fourteen Points formulated by the Quaid-e-Azam included point No.7: relating to liberty, association, education, belief and other fundamental rights and it was demanded that such rights should be guaranteed to all the communities.
https://www.parallelparliament.co.uk/APPG/pakistani-minorities
