Parties urged to issue tickets to minority candidates

Updated on 1/30/2002 9:37:06 AM

LAHORE (APP): The Minority Advisory Council Punjab in a meeting here Tuesday at the Aiwan e Auqaf, unanimosuly approved a resolution supporting the government decision of implementing joint electorate in the country.The MACP further urged upon the national political parties to issue tickets to minority persons for contesting the up-coming general elections, so that minorities could play a pro-active role in national development by joining the political mainstream.

Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Law and Minorities Affairs Minister Dr Khalid Ranjha maintained that the present regime intends to include the whole nation is the process of national development by eliminating the division of .majority and minority..

He observed that the joint-electorate system would not only bring the religious minorities into the national political arena, this cohesion would also strenghen the country.

The government is adopting that will help inclucate a spirit of religious, political and social harmony, tolerance and brotherhood in the nation, said Dr Ranjha.

He asked MACP members to give proposals which could help further improve the socio economic conditions of the religious minorities, besides fulfilling the objectives of community uplift.

The Council unanimously elected Gp Capt (Retd) Cecil Chaudhry as its vice chairman, and discussed in detail the prospects of setting up of District Minority Boards under the chairmanship of District Nazims across the province.

The meeting also decided to issue a newsletter to apprise the general public of its activities.

The Christian, Sikh, Parsi, Hindu and Bahai members of MACP lauded the policies of the present regime for minority development, and said their communities stand shoulder to shoulder with the whole nation.

for protecting the sacred homeland.

The meeting also appreciated the funds issued by the government for special development schemes for the maintenance and renovation of sacred places of the minorities.