Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has reiterated that the safety of minorities’ lives and property is a high precedence for her authorities, calling it a “red-line” that might be safeguarded in any respect prices.
In her message on the event of the Hindu competition of Holi, she emphasised the significance of the event as an emblem of affection, peace, and brotherhood, Categorical Information reported.
She famous that Pakistan is a harmonious mix of varied spiritual communities, all of which get pleasure from equal rights and alternatives.
Maryam Nawaz additional acknowledged that Punjab, the land of Sufis, is dedicated to fostering an atmosphere of affection, tolerance, and mutual respect, the place each citizen, regardless of their faith, feels secure and empowered.
The federal government is taking sensible steps to make sure the welfare of minority communities, offering equal entry to schooling, well being, employment, and different important companies.
She highlighted that the introduction of the Minority Card is a vital initiative to help economically deprived members of the minority group. Moreover, the provincial authorities has elevated grants for spiritual festivals and cultural celebrations, and allotted extra funds for minority welfare packages.
Punjab’s authorities can also be working in the direction of celebrating spiritual and cultural festivals on the official degree, making certain that the rights and traditions of all communities are honoured.
Earlier this yr, Punjab Chief Minister elevated the variety of Minority Playing cards to the issued within the province to 75,000 from 50,000.
Launching Pakistan’s first Chief Minister Minority Card in a ceremony attended by men and women from the Hindu, Sikh, Christian and different communities, she stated, “It’s our duty to guard the minority communities and enhance their lives. I’m fulfilling my responsibility to grant safety to the minorities with full duty.”
She added, “We are going to hinder the trail of those that endanger the lives and property of the minority communities with an iron hand. Minorities even have an equal function within the growth of Pakistan. At any time when any harmful state of affairs emerges for the minorities, I personally monitor and oversee it as minorities are an emblem of satisfaction for us.” She distributed the playing cards and noticed the transaction course of through ATM of a beneficiary.
Provincial Minority Affairs Minister Ramesh Singh Arora expressed gratitude to the CM in Punjabi language.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz stated, “The Punjab authorities has launched the Minority Card for the well-being of our sisters, brothers, elders and youngsters in order that they need to realise that also they are Pakistanis and Punjabis. I’m not making a political assertion however everybody ought to realise that the minorities are additionally as a lot part of our beloved homeland as different Pakistanis. The identify ‘minority’ has been given in Pakistan to which I disagree.”
She added, “I’m happy to see that the rightful homeowners are blissful to obtain their proper as all religions are united in a powerful bond.”
She stated messages of felicitation had been obtained from everywhere in the world on the appointment of the primary Sikh minister within the Punjab cupboard. She added, “My father Muhammad Nawaz Sharif at all times forbade me from utilizing the phrase minority for the communities. They could be fewer in quantity, however are a minimum of anybody with regard to patriotism and humanity. I deem it crucial to take part in each festivity of the Sikh, Hindu and Christian communities.”
The chief minister stated all commissioners and DCs had been directed to embellish the minorities’ locations of worship and neighbourhoods for each spiritual competition, together with Holi and Easter.
She stated the PML-N authorities had elevated the funds of the minority affairs division.
She stated 50,000 households in Punjab would obtain Rs10,500 after each three months and the quantity can be elevated within the coming years, whereas variety of beneficiary households can be hiked to 75,000.
She added that Rs10,500 was a meagre quantity however a token reward on behalf of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and the Punjab authorities. She stated the grant issued on the eve of minority festivals had been elevated from Rs10,000 to Rs15,000.
“Neighbourhoods and non secular locations of the minority communities are additionally being developed. A cemetery for the Christian group might be prepared in a couple of months. The annual growth funds for the minority communities has been elevated by 60 per cent,” she added.
Bishop Nadeem Kamran, Sardar Saranjit Singh and Pandit Lal prayed on the event.