Minorities integral to Pakistan's identity, says Sharjeel

Sharjeel Inam Memon, Sindh's Senior Minister, who holds the portfolios of Information, Transport and Mass Transit, has said all citizens are equal in the Pakistan envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, stressing that minority communities are an important part of the country's strength and national identity.

In a message on National Minorities Day, Sharjeel said Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis and members of all other minority communities were a source of pride for Pakistan. "Whether it is Diwali, Christmas, Baisakhi or Easter, Sindh's beauty lies in the colours of different religions and cultures," he said, adding that protecting minority rights was not an act of favour but a constitutional right of every Pakistani.

Sharjeel said the Sindh government had always considered the protection of the constitutional, religious, social and economic rights of minority communities its responsibility. He said PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the Sindh government were clear that all citizens of Pakistan were entitled to equal rights. There was no room for discrimination on the basis of religion or faith in Sindh, he added.

According to Sharjeel, the provincial government had taken several practical measures for the welfare, education and social protection of minority communities and the security of their places of worship. A scholarship programme for minority students was ongoing, with more than 6,000 students receiving scholarships between 2020 and 2025, he said.

The government wanted minority youth to play a greater role in the country's and province's development through education and skills, while ensuring equal opportunities for advancement, Sharjeel added. He said the Sindh government also provided financial assistance ranging from Rs25,000 to Rs50,000 for the marriage of daughters from deserving minority families.