Minorities given special attention for their welfare

ISLAMABAD—The government over the last three years has spent an amount of Rs 58,584,297 for the welfare of minorities in the country besides, giving scholarships to the deserving minority students.
Minister for Minorities Affairs Professor Mushtaq Victor told APP that the financial assistance for minorities has seen a steady increase since 2003.
“This is in line with the government policy of minorities’ welfare in Pakistan,” he added.
According to the statistics, the amount of financial assistance during the first six months of 2003 stood at Rs 9,199,600 which reached Rs 19,400,452 during the period July 2005 to June 2006.
The financial assistance is recommended by the parliamentarians, DCO, Nazim, Naib Nazim, councilor, members of National Commission for Minorities, member of church committee, Hindu Panchayat and other religious organizations.
“Since these are special funds therefore they are non-lapsable,” Victor said.
The government gave scholarships worth Rs 23,010,800, to the deserving minority students in various colleges and universities over the last three years.
Minister for Religious Affairs Muhammad Ejazul Haq said some 1100 scholarships were utilized during the current year from which Christian, Hindu and students of other minorities benefitted.
Similarly, development schemes recommended by minority members of parliament, irrespective of their party affiliation were initiated at a cost of Rs 205.091 million.
Victor said that the recommending authority for scholarships is the educational institutions. “Scholarships are granted solely on merit according to the criteria approved in the accounting procedure by Finance Division,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ejazul Haq announced that gifts worth Rs 2.5 million have already been distributed among the Christians on the occasion of Christmas which is only days away.
He said in another move for the welfare of minorities, the widows in `Katchi Abadies’ of the tiwn cities, who cannot afford to pay the electricity bill have been given the option of approaching his ministry.
“Minorities affairs division will examine the case and if found genuine, will pay the bill,” Ejaz elaborated.
It was also learnt that on orders of the prime minister, Rs 10 million has been earmarked for Islamabad’s Katchi Abadies where mostly Christians reside.
The money will be utilized for providing electricity, gas connections and clean drinking water.—APP