By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: high-level meeting on the issuance of Minority Cards was chaired by Provincial Minister for Minorities Affairs, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora at his camp office. The meeting reviewed all phases of the Minority Cards program in detail.
Addressing the meeting, the Provincial Minister said that in line with the special directives and vision of Chief Minister Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, the number of Minority Cards is being increased from 50,000 to 75,000. He added that under the leadership of the Chief Minister, revolutionary steps are being taken across Punjab for the welfare and empowerment of minority communities, and this initiative is a continuation of that vision.
Ramesh Singh Arora emphasized that 100 percent transparency will be ensured at every stage of the process. He directed that canceled cards must be thoroughly reviewed to ensure that no family is treated unfairly. He further instructed that payments must only be made upon presentation of the card, and that beneficiaries should not be simultaneously registered in any other welfare program.
The Provincial Minister directed that all pending cases must be resolved by September 15. He appreciated the improved performance of the department under the leadership of Secretary Human Rights, Farid Ahmed Tarar, and lauded the dedicated efforts of the entire team in ensuring transparency and credibility of the program. He also praised the contribution of his IT expert, Hasnain Haider, for digitizing and streamlining the entire system effectively.
Highlighting the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Ramesh Singh Arora said that the Punjab government is taking concrete steps to provide equal opportunities in education, health, and employment for the minority communities. He said that the Minority Cards are not only a means of financial support but also a symbol of the government’s commitment to ensuring that no community is left behind.
During the briefing, it was shared that more than 93,000 families have been registered for the Minority Cards, out of which 89,000 have been verified while some applications are still in the verification process.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Human Rights, Farid Ahmed Tarar, Deputy Secretary Ayesha Yaseen, Mian Umar Hayat, representatives from the Bank of Punjab, PITB, Punjab Social Protection Authority, and other relevant departments.
