LAHORE: The Punjab government will collaborate with the Gilgit Baltistan (GB) government for digitization of land record system and the establishment of medical college there. The Punjab government would also provide 15000 metric tons of wheat to the GB government.

This assurance was given by Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar in a meeting with a delegation led by Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan Barrister Khalid Khursheed, here on Monday. It was agreed to further expand the bilateral cooperation along with promotion of inter-provincial harmony.

“The people of Gilgit Baltistan are our brethren and Punjab would continue to extend every possible support to them,” the Punjab CM said.

Khalid Khursheed thanked Usman Buzdar and invited him to visit Gilgit Baltistan. The Punjab CM assured to visit GB soon.

Talking to a delegation of the National Commission for Minorities Affairs led by its chairman Chela Ram Kwelani, the CM pointed out that one billion rupees were allocated for minorities’ development fund while scholarships were also being given to non-Muslim students to continue studies from matriculation to PhD. About Rs2.5 billion were being spent on different welfare-oriented projects of minority communities in the financial year 2021-22, he added. Alongside, the two percent quota for the non-Muslim students has opened the doors of higher education to them. The Constitution of Pakistan ensures full protection to the rights of the minority communities and they enjoy equal rights in the country, he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022