Relief for Pakistani Christians as govt sanctions 5% job quota for minorities

In a major relief to Christians in Pakistan, the Federal Cabinet has sanctioned a job quota of five per cent for minorities in all government departments.

With Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani in chair, the Cabinet on Wednesday ratified the quota and also agreed the representation of the minorities in Senate.

Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs, Shahbaz Bhatti, called it a remarkable decision and said "this is a big leap in the history of the country and go a long way in the welfare of the minorities."

Bhatti, a Christian, noted that despite the role of minorities in the development and economic progress, they have been "neglected due to indifferent policies of previous governments."

He bemoans that minorities are suffering from backwardness, illiteracy, social marginalization, religious discrimination, financial deprivation and political incapacity due to under employment and poverty. Christians form the largest religious minority in the country.

Bhatti earlier citing August 11, 1947 speech of the Founder of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the Legislate Assembly of Pakistan, said Jinnah wanted equal rights for all minorities. He added that minorities have a representation even in the Pakistani flag, where the white color represents the minuscule groups.

In addition, he also apprised that August 11, 2009 will be declared as Minorities Day, recognising the services of minorities during freedom movement.

Meanwhile, Nazir S Bhatti, Chief of Pakistan Christian Congress (PCC), criticized the quota sanction and said the 5% announced does not cover admission for Christian youths in Engineering, Medical and higher educational institutions.

"Our Christian students deserve admission on quota system in universities for higher education but if there is no such quota for them then this 5% quota is joke with our youth because we want share in jobs of pay scale 17-22, not in pay scale 4-10 which is already imposed on us in shape of sanitary workers and sanitary inspectors," said Dr. Nazir Bhatti.

"We shall decide to reject or accept 5% quota by government after due and detailed notification because it is not a quota proportional to our population," he added.

According to him, Christians form 13% of total population in the country and therefore "we want 13% quota in employment, education and resources of state."

"We do not want to share 13% quota with other religious minorities," he adds.