Sikhs, Hindus, Christians, Muslims united by quake
13 Oct 2005 07:47:09 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Zahid Hussein
MANSEHRA, Pakistan, Oct 13

(Reuters) - In a country known for religious intolerance, Radesh Singh -- a Sikh -- and his group of Hindu, Christian and Muslim friends have joined forces to help survivors of northern Pakistan's devastating earthquake.

They hope efforts to provide relief and care will send a clear message in conservative, predominantly Muslim Pakistan.

"We are here without any religious bias for people who are in dire need of help and care," Radesh told Reuters in Mansehra, a district in Northwest Frontier Province now in ruins after Saturday's disaster.

"We are also hoping that our efforts will give out a message that people from different religious backgrounds and communities can live peacefully together and help each other."
An estimated 96 percent of Pakistan's population are Muslim, about 1.7 percent are Christian and some 2.0 percent are Hindu, others accounting for less than 0.5 percent. The rest