By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: A distinguished delegation from the Embassy of Portugal in Pakistan, led by Manuel Frederico Pinheiro Da Silva, along with David Tomas Pereira Rico de Arcao (Political & Economic Officer), Faisal Kabir, and Iftikhar Firoz (Honorary Consul), called on Punjab’s Provincial Minister for Minorities Affairs, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, at his office in Lahore today.
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The meeting covered a wide range of issues, focusing on the promotion of minority rights, cultural cooperation, education, and technological development.
Minister Arora briefed the delegation on the CM Punjab’s flagship Minority Card Program, under which more than 75,000 minority citizens are benefiting through targeted initiatives designed to uplift marginalized communities. He further highlighted steps taken for capacity building, small businesses, short courses, and e-learning programs that are creating opportunities for minority students and communities across Punjab. The Minister underlined Punjab’s deep respect for Sikh heritage and emphasized the Sikh community’s historic love for Pakistan. He particularly mentioned Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur sb as a spiritual hub for Sikhs worldwide. He also highlighted Punjab’s celebration of Minorities Week, where Muslim, Christian, Hindu, and Sikh leaders participated, symbolizing the province’s strong commitment to religious harmony. The Minister emphasized Punjab’s forward-looking approach in embracing digital transformation, AI tools, e-commerce, and e-governance to ensure inclusion and modernization. He stressed the importance of digital literacy for marginalized communities, particularly through e-learning, capacity building, and engaging local institutions such as churches, gurdwaras, and temples to support education and empowerment.
Secretary Farid Ahmed Tarrar also briefed about departmemt progress and working criteria.
In response, H.E. Manuel Frederico Pinheiro Da Silva appreciated the CM Punjab’s initiatives and acknowledged Punjab’s efforts to safeguard the rights of minorities and promote interfaith harmony. He highlighted the existence of Sikh temples in Portugal as an example of brotherhood and cultural inclusivity. He further noted that Portugal values its strong relations with Pakistan, with thousands of Pakistanis contributing positively to Portuguese society. The Ambassador also expressed keen interest in building partnerships in tourism, heritage conservation, education, digital technology, and socio-economic development. He acknowledged the growing scope for collaboration in AI, digital governance, and e-commerce, noting these as future-oriented areas of engagement. At the end of the meeting, minister Minorities also gave a memorial shield to Ambassador of Portugal.
Secretary HR&MA Farid Ahmed Tarrar, consultant Syed Imran were also present on the occasion.
