Minister for Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti ensured the committee that the matter would be taken up at an appropriate level, adding that an implementation cell in the ministry was being set up to monitor observation of 5 per cent job quota reserved for the minorities in the federal and provincial departments.

The committee which met here with Dr Mahesh Kumar Maland in the chair discussed the agenda of mechanism and province-wise breakup of scholarships provided to the needy and poor students.

The committee was briefed on the scholarships given to the needy students of the minorities and the criteria of eligibility were strictly followed with no exception.

The committee was informed that on its recommendations, it had been approved that students from the minorities studying in private institutions registered with different boards would also be given scholarships.

The committee members also offered Fateha and observed silence in honour of late Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, who was killed by his own security guard last year and lauded his efforts for protecting the rights of minorities.

MNAs Nafisa Shah, Asiya Nasir, Ramesh Lal, Dr Darshan, Araish Kumar, Imtiaz Sultan Bukhari, Muhammed Nawaz Ali, Jamila Gillani, Federal Minister for Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti, Secretary Ministry of Minorities and other officials attended the meeting.