A delegation led by European Union Ambassador Oluf Skog, Special Representative for Human Rights, visited the Department of Human Rights and Minority Affairs and held an important meeting with Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs, Ramesh Singh Arora here in camp office of Human rights on Thursday.
Mr Viktor Velek, Political Advisor to EUSR, Mr Philipp Oliver Gross, Deputy Ambassador of European Union to PakistanMs Rukiye Komurcu, Political Counselor, Ms Marta Ubeda, Cooperation Section were included in Delegation while Secretary HR&MA Ali Bahadur Qazi and AS Rizwana Naveed were also present in the meeting. The discussions focused on the protection of minority rights and the promotion of religious tourism. During the meeting, Minister Ramesh Singh Arora highlighted the initiatives taken by Punjab Government under the leadership of CM Punjab Maryam Nawaz. He talked about the issuance of minority cards, scholarships for minority communities, and the plans to promote religious tourism through religious minority worship places. The Provincial Minister updated the delegation on the ongoing efforts by the Punjab government to integrate minority communities into social and economic development and expressed gratitude for the European Union’s continued support for various development projects. He also highlighted the Punjab government’s efforts to improve the quality of life for minority communities.
The EU delegation commended the Punjab government’s initiatives for the protection of minority rights and the promotion of interfaith harmony, reaffirming their support. Ambassador Oluf Skog emphasized that the European Union will continue to provide support in the areas of human development and religious tolerance. The meeting also included discussions on the promotion of religious tourism, with a focus on increasing the international visibility of religious worship places. Both parties agreed on the importance of ensuring access to educational opportunities for minority communities, enabling them to actively contribute to the province’s development. The meeting concluded with both sides reiterating their shared commitment to promoting investment and enhancing social cohesion. At the conclusion of the meeting, Minister Ramesh Singh Arora presented the commemorative shields to the EU delegation.