A minority refers to any group within a state or society that differs from the majority in terms of religion, belief, ethnicity, or language. The identity of a minority is not determined solely by numbers, but also by whether its members are allowed to freely practice their religious and cultural traditions. The Constitution of Pakistan guarantees minorities the same rights as every citizen. Article 20 ensures religious freedom, Article 25 guarantees equality of rights, and Article 36 explicitly instructs the state to protect minorities. This framework ensures that every citizen, regardless of religion or sect, has the right to live with dignity and respect.
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the Punjab Government has taken practical measures to address the long-standing sense of deprivation among minorities. Both at the policy and public levels, initiatives have been introduced to send a clear message: minorities are an essential and equal part of Pakistan’s national mainstream.
For the first time in 2024, the Punjab Government officially celebrated minority religious festivals, including Baisakhi, Holi, Diwali, Christmas, and Easter.
One of the landmark steps was the official celebration of Minority Day for the first time last year. The Punjab Assembly dedicated a day to minorities, paying tribute to their heroes for their contributions to the province’s development. This was not merely symbolic; it was a practical step towards promoting interfaith harmony.
Continuing this tradition, for the first time in Punjab’s history, Minority Week was celebrated from August 7 to August 11 this year. It began with a grand and historic procession that started from the Cathedral Church, Mall Road, Lahore. The procession included Provincial Minister for Minorities Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, minority members of the Punjab Assembly, Bishop Nadeem Kamran, various pastors, Hindu, Sikh, Christian, and Muslim leaders. This procession was a living example of interfaith harmony. The double-decker bus convoy visited Krishna Mandir, Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Badshahi Mosque, and the Mausoleum of Allama Iqbal, finally concluding at Minar-e-Pakistan. At each place of worship, religious rites were performed, and special prayers were offered for Pakistan’s development, prosperity, and global peace.
The Punjab Government, under the leadership of Maryam Nawaz, has introduced record-breaking initiatives for the rights, welfare, economic empowerment, and religious freedom of minorities. Special allocations have been made, including PKR 3.7 billion for the Minority Social Security Net (Minority Card) and PKR 4 billion for development schemes. In the new fiscal year, it has been decided that churches, temples, and gurdwaras will live-stream various skill courses from a central facility in Youhanabad. The first phase will benefit 1,000 students, and the second phase will expand to 10,000.
The Punjab Government increased the budget for religious tourism and heritage preservation by 70%, reaching PKR 1.5 billion. Restoration work has begun on 40 gurdwaras (over 100 years old), 25 churches, and 5 temples, including the Samadhi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Lahore, Shri Krishna Mandir in Rawalpindi, and the Church of Pakistan.
Official Celebration of Religious Festivals
For the first time in 2024, the Punjab Government officially celebrated minority religious festivals, including Baisakhi, Holi, Diwali, Christmas, and Easter. Grants for these occasions were increased to PKR 366 million. New grants were introduced for Easter, Diwali, and Baisakhi, with each family receiving PKR 10,000 to PKR 15,000.
The Sikh Marriage Act 2024 was passed by the Punjab Assembly, making Punjab the first province in the world to legally recognise “Anand Karaj.” The Hindu Marriage Act 2017 was fully implemented in 2025 after years of delay.
The Modern Locality Scheme was launched with PKR 350 million – PKR 150 million allocated for Sheikhupura and PKR 200 million for Kasur – to improve housing and basic services in minority-majority areas.
5% quota has been reserved for minorities in government jobs. For the first time, 15 young men and women from religious minorities have been enrolled in the Civil Services Academy for CSS preparation, with all expenses covered by the Department of Human Rights and Minorities Affairs. Scholarships worth PKR 60 million have been allocated for minority students.
Under the leadership of Provincial Minister for Minorities Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora, the department has made history in policy-making, legislation, budget expansion, and field-level development work. A five-year strategic action plan has been prepared to promote minority education, employment, religious freedom, and cultural preservation in an integrated manner.
The minority community has high hopes – not only politically but also practically from Ramesh Singh Arora’s leadership. His vision and determination have proven that Pakistan’s minorities can be not only “protected” but also “empowered.” The Punjab Government’s commitment is commendable: rather than confining minorities to paper rights, it is ensuring their active participation in all spheres of life.
“Minority Week” was not just a festival; it was a message – a message that Pakistan belongs to everyone, all are equal here, and each citizen’s role in the nation’s progress is equally important.
The writer is a freelance columnist