PESHAWAR (Nazrana Times) Ali Imran Chattha

Dr Sahib Singh, a member of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) and the Human Rights Committee, met Maulana Tayyab Qureshi, Adviser to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government on Minority Religious Affairs, to discuss issues confronting religious minorities, particularly the Sikh community, across the province.

The meeting covered a range of concerns, including the security of religious places, restoration and reconstruction of historical Gurdwaras, scholarships for minority students, implementation of minority employment quotas, financial assistance for deserving families, and the political and social participation of minority communities.

Dr Sahib Singh stressed the need to protect, renovate and reconstruct Gurdwaras and other places of worship, with particular attention to the restoration of historical Gurdwaras. He also called for stronger security arrangements around religious sites, including CCTV surveillance, fire safety measures and the provision of essential facilities.

He highlighted the importance of expanding scholarship programmes for minority students, ensuring merit-based educational opportunities and providing vocational training and better employment prospects for minority youth. He also called for the transparent implementation of reserved job quotas for minorities in government departments. Financial assistance for deserving minority families was another issue raised during the meeting.

Other matters discussed included security arrangements during religious festivals, simplifying permission procedures, traffic management and the timely release of development funds allocated for minority affairs.

The meeting also addressed the need for effective representation of minority communities in government committees and official forums, along with improved access to financial assistance and loan facilities for minority-owned businesses.

Healthcare and educational facilities, as well as broader social protection measures for minority communities, were also part of the discussions.

Dr Sahib Singh said minority communities were playing a constructive role in the development of Pakistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He emphasised that their legitimate concerns required timely attention and practical solutions.

Maulana Tayyab Qureshi expressed keen interest in the issues raised and assured Dr Sahib Singh that efforts would be made to address them at the earliest. He stated that religious minorities in Pakistan enjoyed religious freedom and that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government was committed to ensuring equal citizenship rights for all communities in accordance with the Constitution of Pakistan.

The provincial adviser also acknowledged the valuable contributions of minority communities, particularly the Sikh community, to the development of the province and the country. He assured that the relevant government departments would be approached to facilitate the resolution of the issues discussed.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Dr Sahib Singh thanked the provincial adviser for his time and attention. He expressed hope that the assurances given during the meeting would translate into concrete measures to address the concerns of minority communities.