Sindh to include Quaid's August 11 speech in school curriculum

Quaid’s historic speech centers around religious freedom and non-suppression of minorities rights. In the speech, the founder of Pakistan clearly outlines the rights and privileges every member of society has, as regards to religion.

“You are free, you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or cast or creed — that has nothing to do with the business of the State … Now I think we should keep that in front of us as our ideal and you will find that in course of time Hindus would cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense, because that is the personal faith of each individual, but in the political sense as citizens of the State”.

The move comes amid the recent spate of religious violence that has gripped Sindh. In January of this year, a fateful blast at an Imambargah in Shikarpur claimed the lives of atleast 60 Shia devotees. The decision to include this speech in the curriculum was undertaken by Sindh Education Minister Nisar Khuhro on the directives of ex-President of Pakistan and PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari. Commenting on the situation, the education minister said:-

” This move, besides spreading awareness among the youth, would help our young generation to face and fight the mindset of intolerance found in many people of today. They should be made aware that Pakistan was meant to be a secular nation where everyone has the right to follow their religion.”

Pakistan Peoples Party as a liberal political entity has opposed religious intolerance, extremism and terrorism in the country. Ever since losing their iconic leader Benazir Bhutto in a militant attack in 2007, PPP and Benazir’s son Bilawal have decried the senseless violence and barbarism which have consumed countless lives in Pakistan.

Schoolbooks including the speech will be distributed free among children in order to ensure maximum circulation of the positive message.