‘Provinces will be asked to fix 5% job quota for minorities’

By Zulfiqar Ghuman

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Thursday he would ask the provinces to fix a five percent quota in government jobs for minorities.

“I will ensure the implementation of 5 percent of jobs quota for minorities in the federal government departments in letter and spirit. I will also advise the semi-government departments and provinces to allocate and ensure a five percent quota of jobs for minorities,” while addressing the Minorities’ Solidarity Convention at the Convention Centre.

Gilani on Thursday urged the religious minorities to express solidarity and support the government in defeat terrorists and extremists who wanted to destabilise the country.

“The situation demands the display of unity and solidarity that was displayed at the time of the Partition to defeat the terrorists and extremists and thwart their nefarious designs of destabilising Pakistan,” he said.

The prime minister also announced that August 11 would be observed as the minorities’ day, and that the government would establish an interfaith complex in Islamabad and form a Minorities’ Commission at federal level and committees at provincial level to promote interfaith harmony and protect the rights of the minorities as enshrined in the constitution.

Prime Minister Gilani said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) led government followed the ideology of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and believe in the equality of all citizens irrespective of cast, colour and creed.

(Daily Times, Pakistan)