2nd May, 2015
The mainly Islamic nation of Pakistan has made history by issuing a commemorative postage stamp in "recognition of the services" of Pakistani Christian Dewan Bahadur SP Singha.
“This is a great news and honor for the Pakistani Christians and also Singha family,” said Nasir Saeed, director of CLAAS-UK. “It is the first time in Pakistani history that any Pakistani Christian’s image has been published on a postage stamp.”
Saeed went on to say that "although the recognition is a bit late, as Mr Singha died in 1948, just a month after the death of Quaid e Azam (the country’s founder), it is never too late for him to be given the respect and honor he deserves.”
"This decision of the Pakistani government is commendable. I am sure it will not just raise Pakistani Christians’ morale, and make them proud, but it will go some way to restoring their trust in the government. It also encourages and inspires them to continue working hard to play a role in Pakistan’s security and prosperity, as their ancestors did.”
According to Saeed, Dewan Bahadur SP Singha was “an important personality in Pakistan’s history". He told ANS that Mr Singha, the then speaker of United Punjab, “played a vital role in the Pakistan’s movement.” Being a speaker, he added, Mr Singha used his decisive “casting vote” in the Assembly of United Punjab in favour of Pakistan and supported the Quaid-e-Azam’s vision of a separate independent country, Pakistan.
Mr Singha, according to Saeed, was “one of the Christian founders of the Pakistan” and had done “great services” on behalf of the country but, for many years, was “hardly recognised". But now, by issuing a postage stamp, Saeed said “the government has done a great job of recognising his services for Pakistan.”
– Dan Wooding, ASSIST News Service
