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LAHORE, Apr 28 (APP):An oath-taking ceremony of the newly established Minority Advisory Council Punjab (MACP) was held on Monday in the Committee Room of the New Ministers’ Block, marking a significant milestone for the government of Punjab in ensuring representation, protection and empowerment for minority communities.
The event was attended by leaders and representatives from the Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and other minority communities, as well as government officials and dignitaries.
At the ceremony, Ramesh Singh Arora was sworn in as the Chairman of the MACP. Alongside him, Kamran Masih Bhatti was appointed Vice Chairman and Aqib Alam assumed the role of Convenor. The establishment of the Council was formally approved by the chief minister of Punjab and officially notified by the Department of Human Rights and Minorities Affairs. The council is set to serve a term of three years, though the government retains the right to dissolve it at any time. The oath was administered by Secretary of Human Rights and Minority Affairs, Rai Ali Bahadur Qazi.
In his address, Chairman Ramesh Singh Arora expressed his honor in leading such a vital initiative and reaffirmed his commitment to working closely with the government of Punjab. He emphasised the Council’s mission to promote interfaith harmony, safeguard minority rights, and enhance the socio-economic and political empowerment of minority communities. Arora also highlighted that the MACP will act as a platform to address the challenges faced by religious minorities and ensure their voices are heard.
Further commenting on regional affairs, Arora spoke on the importance of national unity, in contrast to the divisive atmosphere in neighboring India. He stressed that all citizens of Pakistan, regardless of their religion, are integral to the nation. Addressing false accusations from the Indian government, Arora assured the audience that any conspiracy against Pakistan would be met with a strong response.
On a positive note, he also announced to the Sikh community that there are no restrictions on their travel to Pakistan, citing the recent successful Baisakhi celebrations as an example of continued bilateral cooperation.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, a special prayer was offered for the late Pope Francis.
Council Members Include: Suhail Akram, Shahid Javed Rehmat, Karamat Masih, Nadeem Masih, Ashiq Masih, Aneel Parvez, Suhail Anwar, Shakeel Chaman, Saleem Shakir, Waseem Raja, Mushtaq Yaqoob Sandhu, Shehzad Arif, Mushtaq Gul, Dr. Shahid Shoukat, Inder Yaas Masih, Waseem Masih, Adnan Shehzad, Sumbal Munir, Priyanka, Surkha Shakir, Zobia Nazir, Saneen, Kanji Ram, Sajan Bhatia, Ratan Lal, Lala Akmal Bheel, Sardar Jaskaran Singh, Sardar Surjeet Singh, Sardar Palwinder Singh, Sardar Dilawar Singh, Mufti Syed Ashiq Hussain, and Maulana Shakeel ur Rehman Nasir.