An Unfulfilled Vision.

Christmas, a holiday rich in Christian traditions, and December 25 - a day reminiscent of our Quaid Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The convergence of both these days into one signifies a very strong ideology found in the speeches of Jinnah - one of religious freedom and plurality. Pakistan was formed on the premise that every citizen would be allowed to practice their religion and their religious identity, however, a vast majority of the population lives on the narrative that not just sidelines the minorities of this country but also consider them a notch beneath equal citizens. Pakistan may be home to a significant minority population, but that population neither finds representation in the parliament nor has the capacity to live openly in a society where anything other than the majority is unacceptable.

While successive governments, particularly Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), have made efforts to restore the worship places of several minorities, the social situation for many is still very bleak. Minorities tend to live out in specific communities away from the majority in order to be able to get a sense of collectiveness along with a sense of security. The economic opportunities for them are also very limited since their induction into the mainstream society is extremely slow and lacks the backing of any political vision.

Pakistan was formed on the...