By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: The second batch of the month-long Orientation Program for minority CSS aspirants under the National Outreach Program (NOP) was formally inaugurated at the Civil Services Academy (CSA), Lahore. Provincial Minister for Minorities Affairs, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, graced the occasion as Chief Guest, while Secretary for Human Rights and Minorities Affairs, Farid Ahmed Tarrar and Director General CSA, Farhan Aziz Khawaja, along with several bureaucrats, political and social figures were also present.
The ceremony commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran, Bible, Bhagavad Gita, and Guru Granth Sahib, reflecting a strong spirit of interfaith harmony. Verses and poetry of Hazrat Amir Khusro, Baba Guru Nanak, and Mian Muhammad Bakhsh were also presented, receiving great appreciation from the audience.
In his welcome remarks, DG CSA Farhan Aziz Khawaja expressed pride in hosting this historic program aimed at guiding minority students to compete on merit in the CSS examination. He shared that 50 minority aspirants from Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan will undergo residential training at the Walton Campus from September 8 to October 3, 2025. The training includes guidance sessions, mock tests, leadership development, and mentorship by senior civil servants.
Addressing the participants, Provincial Minister Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora highlighted that the program is a vital initiative to empower minority youth and enable them to contribute effectively to national development.
He lauded the visionary leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, under whose government historic steps have been taken for the welfare of minorities. He added that, for the first time, minority students are being provided with a dedicated platform and full government support for CSS preparation.
The Chief Minister has not only significantly increased the budget for minorities’ affairs but also ensured that these resources are directly utilized for education, skills development, and leadership-building initiatives. The Minister further noted that the Punjab Government is committed to providing equal opportunities to minority youth in education, governance, and employment so they may play a meaningful role in the country’s progress.
He was also praised by participants for his role in the enactment of the Sikh Marriage Act and for promoting interfaith harmony.
Secretary HR&MA Farid Ahmed Tarrar, in his address, stated that department utilizing all available resources to eliminate financial barriers and ensure equal opportunities for deserving students. He added that further initiatives such as advanced preparatory programs, scholarships, and career counseling platforms are under consideration to help minority youth excel in various professional fields.
As part of the program’s interfaith harmony module, CSA showcased a documentary highlighting the students’ exposure visits to places of worship, human rights organizations, and hospitals under the Khidmat-e-Insaaniat (Service to Humanity) initiative. The documentary received wide appreciation from the audience. The ceremony was also attended by distinguished guests including Chairman Akhuwat Foundation Dr. Amjad Saqib, former Bishop Irfan Jamil, Mr. Suhail Ahmed Raza from Minhaj-ul-Quran, Mr. Ghulam Jelani from UMT, former bureaucrats Mr. Nelson Azeem, Mr. Khalid Mehmood, Lt. Col. (R) Khakan Mehmood, Mr. Saleem Ranjha, Dr. Uzma Qureshi, among others.
