Minority senator protests job 'discrimination'

Danesh Kumar says only 17 officers belong to minorities employed at over 122 embassies

ISLAMABAD:

Senator Danesh Kumar on Tuesday bemoaned the discrimination against minorities in the hiring for posts in foreign missions, lamenting that only 17 officers employed at over 122 embassies were members of minorities.

Broaching the matter during a session of the upper house held under the chairmanship of Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, the senator said it was “humiliating” for him that out of those scant jobs, six khakrob posts have been given to religious minorities.

Federal Minister Sherry Rehman agreed that a proper representation of minorities was necessary and the job quota reserved for them was respected. These posts are from Federal Public Service Commission (FBSC), she said.

“This is Quaid-e-Azam's Pakistan, every citizen has equal status,” the federal minister stressed.

Meanwhile, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar said that the minister has prepared a joint law with the Establishment Division and quota seats have been approved as a special case while a special exam will be conducted in future for the purpose.

Subsequently, chairman Sanjrani sent the issue of the minority quota to the relevant committee.

However, Senator Danesh Kumar went on to ask Federal Minister for Education Rana Tanveer Hussain to explain whether he had consulted priests of religious minorities while holding consultations for the curriculum reforms.

“Instead, the government has appointed a maulana saheb to head the ministry for religious affairs,” he protested.

As Rana Tanveer lashed out at the minority senator asserting he would only answer the latter's question if the minority senator sat down, the opposition hit back at the education minister for “bullying” them into silence.

At this point, Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani intervened to defuse the heated exchange.

Meanwhile, Federal Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel brought up the matter of seats in medical and dental colleges and ‘discrimination’ against smaller provinces.

“In 2020, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) was made Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) through an act. Small provinces were sure to be left behind by this act and more than 16 thousand children left the country.”

In medical and dental colleges, 6% of seats are vacant, not 28%, he pointed out.

“If the PMC bill is passed then the problem of admissions of many students will be solved, I request you to pass the PMC act,” he added.