Ministers propose 5% minorities’ quota

Say there is a need for it at educational, professional institutions

LAHORE: Human Rights and Minority Affairs Provincial Minister Khalil Tahir Sandhu and Higher Education Minister Syed Raza Ali Gilani met to discuss the possibility of fixing a 5% quota for minority students in public universities and colleges across the province on Thursday.

HRMA minister said that the Punjab chief minister had taken a lot of revolutionary steps to promote and protect the fundamental rights of religious minorities. Due to special educational initiatives, minority students are being provided laptops, scholarships, and IT and skills training. It is the current need of the hour to allocate 5% reserved seats for minority students in all professional and educational courses in Punjab, he added.

Minority students have made significant contributions for the development of Pakistan, said the education minister. Including minority students in major universities and colleges will prove to be a valuable step, he expressed.

He directed HEC, PHEC and Direcotr Colleges to submit a detailed report regarding a possible quota for minorities within a week’s time.

MPA Kanji Ram, PHEC chairman, HEC secretary including representatives from Punjab University, Government College, Lahore College for Women University and University of Engineering and Technology were also present.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 13^th, 2018.