Punjab CM Maryam launches ‘Minority Card’ scheme to support minorities in Pakistan

LAHORE: In a ground breaking move, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has launched a groundbreaking initiative, the “Chief Minister Minority Card“, which aims to provide financial support to minority families in the province. 

The program will benefit 50,000 minority families, who will receive Rs10,500 quarterly, with plans for the expansion of beneficiaries to 75,000 in the next two years.

Festival grants for minorities have been increased from Rs10,000 to Rs15,000, and the increase for the annual development budget for minority communities is said to be 60%.

The Chief Minister also announced the rise of minority card issuing from 50,000 to 75,000 to provide various opportunities to the minority communities. Various members of minorities, Hindu, Sikh, Christian, and others gave a warm welcome to the Chief Minister with slogans of the popular support,” Pakistan Zindabad”.

The event was marked with the Chief Minister himself befriending the people present, distributing minority cards, and overseeing the usage thereof. At one moment, she looked on as Sonia Bibi withdrew cash from an ATM using her minority card.

The function was blessed with the presence of religious heads such as Bishop Nadeem Kamran, Sardar Saranjit Singh, and baboo Lal, who prayed for the ultimate success of the scheme.

The Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs, Ramesh Singh Arora, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to her for the care she has shown regarding minority welfare.

Maryam Nawaz said this provincial government would work toward the security and betterment of minorities, making it the right of minorities to participate equally in the reconstruction and development of Pakistan. She expressed her deep ignobility of using the word “minority.”

She called attention to the white stripe of the Pakistani flag as representing the unifying and integrating fabric of Pakistan, comprising of all communities.