Minority prayer leaders to get monthly stipend as well, says Khattak

NOWSHERA: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said on Monday that prayer leaders belonging to the minority communities would get monthly stipend as well.

He was speaking at an event organised in connection with the Diwali, Lohri and Shivratri festivals of the minority Hindu and Sikh communities in his native Nowshera.The provincial government has already announced that Muslim peshimams in the province would receive Rs10,000 monthly stipend.

The Department of Auqaf, Hajj, Religious Affairs and Minorities had organised the event to celebrate the religious festivals of Hindu and Sikh communities.Coordinator to Chief Minister for Minorities Affairs Ravi Kumar, Secretary Auqaf Hidayat Khan and a large number of members of Christian, Hindu and Sikh communities were also present on the occasion.

The chief minister said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had increased the funds for welfare of minorities from Rs20 million to Rs187 million.He said the PTI would raise the funds meant for welfare of minorities to Rs1 billion if given another term in government in the coming general election.

The chief minister felicitated the members of the minority communities on the occasion of celebration of their religious festivals.He said the PTI would stand by the minorities and work for the welfare of the members of marginalised groups.

The chief minister said that minority members were patriotic citizens and contributing to the development and peace of the country. He said the government would provide funds for treatment and stipend to minorities.

He directed Ravi Kumar to enlist the places of worship of the minorities so that the government could process the data for payment of monthly salaries to those engaged as prayer leaders.

Pervez Khattak directed the district administration of Nowshera to make arrangements for shifting of a school established in a temple in Risalpur.He said that successive governments ignored the minorities but the PTI gave rights to marginalised groups in the province.

The chief minister mentioned the reforms the provincial government had introduced in the health, education, police, revenue and other departments. He claimed the PTI-led government had restored the trust of the people in public offices.

Describing Kashmir as the jugular vein of Pakistan, he said the people would continue to support the struggle of people of India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir until they get their right to self-determination.

He said that it was deplorable that India was trying to suppress the struggle of the people of Kashmir.He made the references to Kashmir as February 5 is observed as the solidarity day with the Kashniri people in Pakistan.

Ravi Kumar welcomed and thanked Pervez Khattak for allocating Rs7 million for organising events for minorities to celebrate their religious festivals.He said the provincial government allocated Rs60 million for repair and construction of religious and worship places of minorities and Rs20 million for other welfare projects.

Presenting the charter of demands, Ravi Kumar demanded cancelation of transfer orders of sanitary workers belonging to the minority communities. He asked the chief minister to ban the transfers from native districts to other districts and prisons.