Measures under way to protect minorities

LAHORE:Provincial Minister for Minorities Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora has said that the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), along with the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), is taking all measures to protect and renovate worship places of minorities, provide them with rights, and solve their problems.

He was speaking at a meeting of members of the Pakistan Sikh Gurudwara Perbandhak Committee at the ETPB office here on Friday. He said that interfaith harmony and equality was need of the hour.

The meeting was attended by Additional Secretary Shrines Saifullah Khokhar, Deputy Pradhan Sardar Mahesh Singh, Secretary General Satwant Kaur, Member Sardar Mampal Singh, Deputy Secretary Abdullah Awais, ASO Asim Chaudhry, along with granthis of gurdwaras, caretakers and other staff. All participants updated the meeting about the renovation work, management and other problems, being faced at gurudwaras.

The PSGPC Pradhan promised solving all those problems at the earliest. Additional Secretary Saifullah Khokhar said that the Shrines Branch was taking all possible measures for security of places of worship to provide equal rights to the minorities.

Meanwhile, meeting was held at the Civil Secretariat on Friday to highlight and appreciate the Punjab government plans and efforts to protect rights of religious minorities in Punjab. Provincial Minister for Minorities Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora, presiding over the meeting, said that the Punjab government was taking all possible steps to protect rights of religious minorities to ensure elimination of the sense of deprivation that emerged in the past among the religious minorities.

Chairperson of Punjab Women Protection Authority Hina Parvez Butt highlighted the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s Digital Punjab and development of the province. She said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the rights of women, especially those belonging to religious minorities, were being safeguarded.

She added that women in Punjab were making significant contribution to development of Pakistan, and they were prominently visible in every field. Chief Executive Officer Amathecode Lady Mariéme, while sharing her life journey, stated, “My purpose is to promote humanity, starting with the most marginalised women and girls in the world. I know where I come from, how far I have come, where I am going, and where I want to be. We must work together for protection of minorities”.