According to press reports, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who likes to get himself printed and broadcasted as “Khadim-e-Aala” in print and electronic media, has said that an “Aashiyana City” consisting of more than 20,000 houses will be established on Burki Road, Lahore for the poor people.
After launching “Aashyiana” housing scheme in Saroba Atari, this is the second time that Khadim-e-Aala has ignored the poor minorities of the province, in spite of fixing quota for the widows and orphans. It is beyond understanding that the Chief Executive of the country’s largest province is unaware of the fact that minorities are the poorest segment of the society.
On the other hand our so-called representative in the Punjab Assembly as well as Minister of Human rights and Minorities Mr Kamran Michael, who is also holding the additional charge of other three ministries, did not bother to inform the worthy Chief Minister regarding the poor condition of the minorities. As these so-called representatives of minorities are not answerable to the minorities, they are not interested to mention and solve the problems of the minorities, but are keen to prove themselves more loyal than everybody else to their respective parties.
According to present procedure, there are rare chances for minorities to benefit from this scheme. So, keeping in view of the fact that the minorities are the poorest segment of the society, the Chief Minister should immediately include the minority’s quota in all the Aashiyana schemes throughout the province, if he thinks that he is also the Chief Minister of the minorities as well.
EMMANUEL YOUSAF
Lahore
