News Detail
Event Title: Senator Danesh Kumar, Convener Parliamentary Committee on Minority CAUCUS Presiding over a Meeting of the Committee at Parliament House Islamabad
Event Date: 2025-12-02
An Introductory session of the Parliamentary Committee on Minority Caucus was held today under the convenorship of Senator Danesh Kumar, with the participation of Senator Poonjo Bheel, Senator Khalil Tahir Sandhu, Dr. Mahesh Kumar Malani MNA , Kesoo Mal Kheal Das, MNA, Nelson Azeem, MNA, Ramesh Lal, MNA, Naveed Aamir, MNA, Mr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, MNA and Sanjay Perwani, MNA
The meeting opened with members unanimously congratulating Senator Danesh Kumar on his election as convenor. Members expressed confidence that the forum will ensure that the rights of minorities are effectively tabled, discussed, and resolved.”
In his address, Senator Danesh Kumar thanked the participants, stating “As per the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the rights of minorities are reiterated again and again. This Caucus will work to ensure those constitutional guarantees translate into practical safeguards and policy reforms.”
Each member introduced themselves and presented their respective agendas, focusing on justice, policy revision and equal rights for minority communities. The committee adopted a structured review of issues, highlighting urgent policy gaps and areas needing reform:
During discussing revision of educational policies to ensure scholarships for minority students , removal of hate speech and discriminatory content from English and Urdu curricula and limiting religious viewpoints to relevant religious syllabus only. It was also discussed that extension of the existing 20-mark quota for students of Hifz-e-Quran to minority students in an equivalent form may be introduced.
It was also presented to strengthen the employment quota for minorities.
Recommendation was made that the Chairman of the Evacuee Trust Property (ETP) Board must be a Minority ensuring representation aligned with custodial responsibilities over minority heritage sites.
The committee also stressed that that senior officials, not below the rank of Additional Secretary, must attend Caucus meetings. It was discused that all rules applicable to Senate Standing Committee must also apply to the Minority Caucus for procedural integrity.
The committee reviewed critical data presented during the session according to which Pakistan has 1,285 Hindu worship sites and 532 Gurdwaras out of which only 37 of these sites are currently functional. Members emphasized the urgent need for restoration and activation of all worship sites to safeguard religious heritage and ensure equitable access for minority communities.
The Caucus adopted the TROs’ unanimously and reaffirmed its commitment to advancing minority rights in accordance with constitutional mandates and national values of equality, justice, and religious freedom. The convenor noted that the committee’s recommendations would form the basis of a comprehensive reform agenda to be presented in upcoming sessions.