Pakistan’s Punjab will get first Sikh minister in Ramesh Singh Arora

Maryam’s uncle Shehbaz Sharif was lately elected because the neighboring nation’s Prime Minister.

Chatting with The Indian Categorical over cellphone, Arora, who was lately additionally elected because the chief of Pakistan Sikh Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), mentioned: “It’s for the primary time since Partition in 1947 {that a} Sikh has been inducted within the cupboard of Punjab province. I received’t simply work for the protection and well-being of Sikhs however all minorities together with Hindus and Christians dwelling in Pakistan.”

Within the lately held elections in Pakistan, Arora was re-elected as MPA from Narowal, additionally his native place and the place the Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib, the ultimate resting place of Guru Nanak is situated. Final 12 months, he was additionally appointed as “Ambassador at massive” for Kartarpur Hall.

A delegation from India facet Punjab led by Gurbhajan Singh additionally attended Arora’s oath-taking ceremony. (Photograph Credit score: Particular Association)

Arora mentioned that in partition in 1947, his household had chosen to remain again in Pakistan as a substitute of migrating to India like majority Sikh/Hindu households. “I used to be born in Nankana Sahib however later we moved to Narowal. My grandfather had chosen to remain again in Pakistan throughout partition on the insistence of his expensive buddy. Only for the sake of friendship, he had chosen to remain again,” mentioned Arora.

Arora is prone to get the cost of minority affairs portfolio. Chatting with The Indian Categorical, he additional mentioned: “There are a number of plans that I have already got for the welfare of minorities in Pakistan, particularly Punjab. Although the Sikh Marriage Act was handed right here, it’s but to be applied. We’ll get it accomplished. We may even deliver a brand new Interfaith Concord Coverage so that every one minorities together with Sikhs, Hindus, Christians and others really feel secure and safe. We may even be certain that the two per cent quota for minority college students in instructional establishments of Pakistan is applied in letter and spirit.”

A postgraduate in entrepreneurship and SME administration from Authorities School College, Lahore, Arora labored for World Financial institution’s Poverty Discount Programme in Pakistan earlier than becoming a member of politics. In 2008, he based Mojaz Basis, a corporation working for the underprivileged and destitute in Pakistan.

Arora mentioned that it was “unlucky” that even after greater than 4 years that Kartarpur Hall was thrown open in November 2019 to facilitate pilgrims from Indian facet to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib, the response has been “lukewarm.”

Through the oath-taking ceremony. (Photograph Credit score: Particular Association)

“We’ll take all potential steps to encourage extra individuals to go to Kartarpur by way of the hall,” he mentioned. He added that the areas the place minorities reside in Punjab province nonetheless lack improvement. “We’ll be certain that minorities get equal standing, alternatives and entry to primary infrastructure. They need to not really feel uncared for,” he mentioned. Arora’s elder brother Bhai Gobind Singh serves as the pinnacle granthi at Kartarpur gurdwara.

Requested in regards to the dwindling Sikh and Hindu inhabitants in Pakistan, Arora mentioned: “The brand new interfaith coverage will kind out these points.” He added that not simply tourism for Sikh pilgrimage locations however that for Hindu and Christian websites may even be promoted.

Arora can also be credited for the implementation of Sikh Marriage Registration Act 2017 in Pakistan. He had launched it as a personal member invoice which was unanimously handed by the Meeting in March 2018.

“I had joined politics because of the steering of Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, a senior PML (N) chief who mentioned that it was necessary to have an individual from Sikh minority neighborhood in Punjab meeting of Pakistan,” says Arora.

Arora mentioned that he had final visited India in December 2014 to attend NRI Sammelan on the invitation of former CM Parkash Singh Badal. “Now we have shut ties with Sukhbir Badal and former Punjab speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal. They’d invited me to India and given quite a lot of respect to me and my household,” mentioned Arora.

On lots of his opponents focusing on him by saying he was a “Hindu transformed Sikh”, Arora says: “I can simply say that such individuals can’t be the true followers of Guru Nanak who acknowledged complete humanity as one.”

In keeping with estimates, there are simply round 17,000-20,000 Sikhs and over 20 lakh Hindus left in Pakistan, based on some reviews. Most Sikhs reside in or round Nankana Sahib, Lahore and Peshawar.

By the way, a delegation of writers and poets from Punjab on Indian facet led by poet Gurbhajan Singh Gill, who’re presently in Lahore to attend World Punjabi Convention, additionally attended Arora’s oath-taking and gifted a “phulkari” dupatta made in Ludhiana to Marriyum Auragzeb, secretary data, PML (N).