LAHORE:At the historic building of the Punjab Assembly, the Punjab Inclusive Governance summit 2025 was organised under the auspices of the Youth Development Foundation (YDF) on Wednesday.
The event was aimed at promoting transparent, accountable, and inclusive governance while ensuring the effective participation of minority communities in decision-making processes. Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmad Khan, attended the event as the chief guest. The summit saw enthusiastic participation from government officials, civil society representatives, minority leaders, and youth advocates for social change. The programmw began with welcome remarks by Urooj Jahangir, Project Manager of the M-CAP Project, followed by prayers offered by Bishop Nadeem Kamran of the Church of Pakistan, Lahore.
Distinguished guests included Asiya Gul, Special Secretary for Local Government, Ali Bahadur Qazi, Secretary for Human Rights and Minority Affairs, and Dr. Shoaib Akbar, Chief Instructor at MPDD. A progress report was presented on the NED-funded project, "Strengthening Civic Participation and Governance in Minority Communities." The project trained over 300 minority representatives across 46 union councils in Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, and Sargodha. Additionally, 80 Union Council Forums and four District Governance Forums were established to address local issues effectively.
In his address, the PA Speaker highlighted Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s appreciation for the contributions of minorities to Pakistan’s creation and development. He emphasised that the white portion of the national flag represents minorities, stating, “Without it, both the flag and Pakistan are incomplete.” He expressed concern over the challenges faced by minorities, noting that he had personally witnessed their struggles in villages, where fear has driven some to leave the country. He stressed that the time has come to address these issues and that a successful state cannot exist without treating minorities equally. Reflecting on national unity, the Speaker remarked, “After the 1965 war, we are united once again.”