Job quota for minorities in govt depts being fully implemented, says CS

Sindh chief secretary Syed Asif Hyder Shah on Thursday chaired a meeting with the chairman of the One-Man commission on minority rights and their welfare and said the Sindh government had installed CCTV cameras at 253 religious sites of minority communities, while the job quota for minorities in government departments was being fully implemented.

CS Shah and Chairman One-Man Commission on Minorities Rights Dr Shoaib Suddle jointly chaired a meeting at the Sindh Secretariat to review the ongoing initiatives for the protection of minorities' rights and their socio-economic uplift in the province. The meeting was held in line with the directives of the Supreme Court and focused on assessing the performance of relevant departments in ensuring the protection of religious sites, properties, and constitutional rights of minority communities.

The meeting was attended by Commissioner Karachi Hassan Naqvi, Senior Member Board of Revenue Baqaullah Unnar, Secretary Local Government Waseem Shamshad, Secretary Implementation and Coordination Abid Saleem Qureshi, Secretary Land Utilisation, officers from the Evacuee Trust Property Board, and other senior officials of the Sindh government.

CS Sindh reiterated the provincial government’s commitment to the welfare and protection of minorities. He stated that the Sindh government has taken robust steps for the socio-economic development of minority communities, including strict implementation of the reserved job quota for minorities in public sector employment.

During the briefing, it was informed that the government has so far installed CCTV cameras at 253 religious sites of minority communities across the province. This step has been taken to ensure security and prevent any untoward incidents at places of worship. The meeting also reviewed the implementation of directives related to the removal of illegal encroachments and unlawful occupation from properties and religious sites belonging to minority communities.

It was emphasized that concerned departments must take prompt action against such violations and ensure restoration of minority rights.

Dr Shoaib Suddle appreciated the efforts of the Sindh government and remarked that the province has shown significant dedication in promoting religious harmony, safeguarding the rights of minorities, and improving their overall welfare. He highlighted that the One-Man Commission was constituted in January 2019 following the orders of the Supreme Court, with a mandate to monitor the implementation of minority rights across the country.