Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Thursday regretted that the opposition has blatantly violated the democratic norms during joint session of the parliament.
“The opposition’s response was undemocratic, unethical and non-parliamentary as it ran away from the session after defeat.
The chief minister said that several opposition members are fed up with their leadership, adding that the PTI has made historic legislation to grant the right of vote to the overseas Pakistanis.
However, the opposition has proved its enmity with expatriates by opposing the bill, he regretted. In fact, the opposition does not want overseas Pakistanis to exercise their right to vote. No one would point a finger at the results with the use of EVM, he said.
Resistance to this bill is opposition to transparent elections while the nation has recognised the dual faces of those opposing the transparent election process through EVMs as the opposition was playing the role of the pot calling the kettle black, concluded the CM.
Meanwhile, Founder of Pakistan Hindu Council and MNA Ramesh Kumar Vankwani called on Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to discuss matters pertaining to the welfare of minority communities.
On the occasion, the CM announced to fill vacant posts for minorities under 5 per cent quota for them.
For this purpose, necessary data from provincial government departments have been collected and the human rights & minorities affairs department has been directed to take early action in this regard.
He regretted that the minority communities were disheartened due to the non-implementation of this job quota in the past.
However, the PTI-led government has ensured 100 per cent implementation on this facility; he stated and pointed out that minorities’ cells have been established in 40 departments along with the nomination of focal persons.
Additionally, minorities’ cells have also been established and focal persons have been nominated in 9 divisions, 36 districts and 144 tehsils in the province to ensure timely solutions to minorities’ related issues.
This has been helping in the prompt solution of minorities problems at the grassroots, the CM repeated and added that Rs2.5 billion were being spent on minority communities’ welfare in 2021-22.
While giving the details of the Punjab government’s efforts for the religious minorities, the CM added that a two per cent quota for students of minority communities in higher education would open the doors of higher education to such students.
Ramesh Kumar appreciated the practical steps taken by the Punjab government for the welfare of the minorities and added that CM Usman Buzdar deserves appreciation for restoring the Hindu temple in Bhong.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar felicitated the Sikh community on the 552nd birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Ji.
The CM welcomed the Sikh community to Punjab, adding that the birthday of Baba Guru Nanak Ji is a festival of joy for the Sikh community.
It’s heartening to receive the Sikh community every year as the Punjab government has provided the best facilities so that the Sikh community could attend the birthday celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak Ji and perform their religious ceremonies, he said.
Attending the celebrations of each other boost the societal norms of friendship, unity and understanding and Baba Guru Nanak Ji has also given the message of peace and harmony, love and brotherhood to the people; he added and maintained that Baba Guru Nanak Ji was the best example of religious tolerance, and interfaith harmony.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar strongly condemned the brutality of the Indian occupied army in the Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu Kashmir and asked the UN to take immediate notice of it.
In a statement, he said occupied Indian armed forces have perpetrated an act of barbarism by martyring four Kashmiris including a trader.
Humanity has hung its head in shame before the cruelty of the Indian occupied forces, he asserted.
No one could even think of such cruelty and these sort of tragic incidents in Indian Occupied Kashmir are enough to open the eyes of the global community, he emphasised.
