News Detail
Event Title: Senator Danesh Kumar, Convener Parliamentary Committee on Minority CAUCUS Presiding over a Meeting of the Committee at Parliament Lodges Islamabad.
Event Date: 2026-06-30
Minority Caucus Directs Halt to Eviction Operations and Constitutes Sub-Committee
The Meeting of the Minority Caucus met today under the convenorship of Senator Danesh Kumar to review issues concerning minority rights, representation, and rehabilitation of affected communities.
The meeting was attended by Senator Gurdeep Singh, Senator Poonjo Bheel, Member of National Assembly (MNA) Mr Ramesh Lal, Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani, MNA, Dr Darshan, MNA, Mr Naveed Aamir, MNA, Ms Neelam, MNA, Mr Ispharyar M. Bhansdara, MNA, Mr Kesco Mal Kheal Das, State Minister for Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony, and other officials from Ministries and CDA.
At the outset of the meeting, the Committee was briefed by officials of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) on the management, maintenance, security, rehabilitation, and facilitation of non-Muslim places of worship in Islamabad. The Committee discussed various aspects of the subject and sought further details on the measures being undertaken to preserve and facilitate these places of worship.
The Convener Committee also directed the concerned officials to ensure that working papers and relevant briefing material are provided to the Committee at least 48 hours prior to each meeting to enable members to effectively review the agenda and prepare for deliberations.
During the briefing, the Committee was informed that the National Highway Authority (NHA) operates under a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework comprising the NHA Act, 1991, NHA Service Rules, 1995, NHA Efficiency & Discipline Rules, 1995, and NHA Appointment & Promotion Rules, 1995. The NHA apprised the Committee that these rules govern appointments, promotions, seniority, disciplinary proceedings, transfers, retirement, and other service-related matters. The Committee was further informed that seniority within a cadre is determined from the date of regular appointment, while seniority in a higher post is counted from the date of promotion. NHA officials also briefed members on the maintenance of cadre-wise seniority lists and the procedures governing promotions and deferred cases in accordance with the applicable service rules.
The Committee was informed that NHA has a total sanctioned strength of 833 posts in BS-16 and above under the Regular Establishment, against which 324 officers are currently working, while a significant number of positions remain vacant. The briefing further highlighted the distribution of posts across various grades, including senior management positions from BS-17 to BS-22. With regard to the Finance Cadre, the Committee was apprised that 88 sanctioned posts exist in BS-16 and above, of which 56 are presently filled. NHA officials informed the Committee that personnel from the Special Services Cadre are also serving against a number of finance-related positions. The Committee was further briefed that the creation and upgradation of finance posts are processed through the Executive Board in accordance with the NHA Service Rules and Appointment and Promotion Rules.
During the discussion, members of the Committee raised concerns regarding the representation of minorities in NHA and questioned why minority candidates were not being selected on open merit. The Convener Committee emphasized the need to ensure equal opportunities and inquired whether any form of discrimination existed against minority communities in recruitment and career progression. NHA officials informed the Committee that no formal complaints of discrimination from minority employees had been reported within the Authority.
The Committee also took up the issue of vacant posts reserved for minorities, particularly in lower grades. Officials from NHA officials stated that a large number of such positions had remained unfilled due to the absence of recruitment since 2017. Members further stressed the need to review the outsourcing policy to assess its impact on employment opportunities for minorities and other reserved categories. The Convener Committee informed the meeting that the matter had already been taken up with the relevant authorities and directed NHA to provide year-wise details of minority quota allocations, vacancies, and appointments to facilitate a comprehensive review of the issue.
The Committee received a detailed briefing from the Chairman, CDA, on the eviction notices issued to various katchi abadis in Islamabad, including Ramsha Colony, Allama Iqbal Colony, Miskeen Musharaf Colony, Dhobi Ghat (G-6), and Isa Nagri (1-10). The briefing covered the legal basis of the notices, the status of the settlements, and the proposed rehabilitation measures for affected residents, with particular focus on minority communities residing in these areas.
Following the briefing, the Convener Committee directed CDA to immediately halt any ongoing eviction operations and refrain from undertaking any further expansion of such actions until the matter is thoroughly reviewed by the Committee. The Convener further instructed CDA to present a comprehensive policy proposal in the next meeting, along with the findings of a detailed survey of Ramsha Colony, including the total number of residential units and commercial establishments. To ensure close oversight of the matter, the Committee also constituted a Sub-Committee to examine the issue in detail and submit its recommendations for safeguarding the rights and rehabilitation of the affected familie