Provincial Minister for Minorities and Human Rights Khalil Tahir distributed educational scholarships amounting to Rs 30 million among as many 658 talented students from Pakistan’s minorities in a ceremony held at the Rawalpindi District Commissioner’s Office here on Friday.
The minister said that minorities were an integral part of the country’s progress.
Sindhu congratulated the recipients of the scholarships and said the same amount had been set aside for scholarships for minorities for the next year. He asked the students to focus on their education and for their own as well as national prosperity.
He announced that the Punjab government had established more scholarship programmes for minority students to which they could apply by February 28. The minister said that the policy of a 5% quota for minorities for government jobs had been implemented in letter and spirit and that the minorities were serving in the police, judiciary, civil services, and other departments on key posts through this policy.
Religious leaders from minority communities, parents and the students expressed their gratitude and said that the minorities were serving the nation as much as the majority, as proud Pakistanis.
Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Talat Mehmood greeted the students who had been selected for educational scholarships and said that promising and capable students were a valuable asset for the country, adding that they would be given the chance for higher education.
MPA Iftikhar Ahmad, Additional Commissioner Tariq Mehmood, Deputy Commissioner Talat Mehmood Gondal, and representatives of the district administration and minority communities were also present.