Punjab Government’s Education Scholarship for Religious Minorities 2020.

Govt. of Punjab announces scholarship for Non-Muslim students i.e. Christians, Hindus, Sikh, Parsi & others studying in Schools from Matric to Higher Education to PHD belonging to minority groups may avail this scholarship. Fixed yearly stipend shall be given to the selected deserving students belonging to Minority Groups. Last date to apply for the scholarship is March 02, 2020. 

Eligibility Criteria for Minorities Scholarships

Minority’s students who are the regular student of the government institute are eligible for the scholarship.

Students who are studying in Government institutes in Punjab or Federal Government institutes in Punjab territory. 

Students having domicile of the Punjab.

Must have scored at least 50% marks in the last examination. 

Family’s Monthly income should not exceed PKR: 29,450/-

Minorities groups Scholarship Stipend:

Degree program	Yearly Stipend
Professional education (MBBS, DVM,BDS,B.Sc, P ham-D, Ph.D)	50,000/-
Postgraduate Level (M.A, M.Sc, M.Com, MCS/MBA, M.Phil, LL.M etc)	35,000/-
B.A/B.Sc/B.B.A/B.Com(2&3 years degree & Honours le. 4 years degree) LLB	30,000/-
F.A/F.Sc/I.Com/A level/ DAE or equivalent	20,000/-
Metric/O Level or Equivalent	10,000/-

This is definitely good news and certainly some relief to the deprived Christian community in Punjab province. On behalf of Christians in Punjab we’re thankful to Govt. of Pakistan & Punjab for realizing this need to uplift deprived communities and addressing the situation of religious minorities especially Christians in Pakistan who are deliberately pushed and steered towards becoming the lowest segment of society.

Similar to this initiative we now expect & demand from Govt. of Pakistan to replicate this education support for religious minorities in other three provinces as well i.e. KPK, Sindh & Balochistan.  Additionally we need practical measures of harmony and suitable working environment for educated Christians serving in Govt. & Private sectors as well.

National & Provincial level Department of Religious Affairs & Harmony must initiate practical measures to eliminate discriminatory hatred against Christians & Hindus who are addressed & believed as untouchables, as well provide suitable social environment to a common citizen belonging to religious minorities during day to day affairs for survival in difficult economic situation.

So far this education support program for religious minorities is more than welcome and much needed. Hopefully other key issues shall be addressed & resolved as well. For this one, Pakistan Zindabaad! 

Kamyab Jawan Programme: 200,000 to 300,000 youth likely to get loans under YES

Christians & Other Religious Minorities Religious & Political representatives must follow up and list down the minority's young candidates who applied & yet to benefit from Government's Youth Loan Scheme to assess the claims of transparency and slogans of equal opportunities for Christians & other Religious Minorities in Pakistan .  

On various news channels and social media sites it is stated that around 200,000 to 300,000 budding entrepreneurs are likely to get benefit under the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES), a component of the government’s flagship Kamyab Jawan project launched to offer soft loan facility to those having workable business ideas.

“Only 15 to 25 per cent of the total applicants may get the concessionary loans under the ‘YES’ as it seems that some 50 to 60 per cent apparently are going to be rejected, ” Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Usman Dar informed while highlighting the current statistics of the loan scheme.

YES was launched under the banner of Kamyab Jawan Programme in October last year under which Rs 100 billion allocated for the youth and loans ranging from Rs 100,000 to Rs 5 million is to be disbursed among the youth coming up with practicable business ideas.

“Some 1.3 million youth applied for the loan scheme in merely 15 days which brings it into international spotlight as a team of the United Nations has discussed this Kamyab Jawan programme for attracting such a large proportion of youth.” 

The scheme is almost in the launching process as the applications are being scrutinized and verified by making phone calls, doing Smart Message Service (SMS) and carrying out a third party verification of the applicants.

Government claims that the allocated money belongs to youth and would be spent on deserving ones. He said the loans would be distributed on equitable basis as Rs. 25 billion had been dedicated for the women under YES exclusively.

Initially, the soft loans would be distributed in Sindh and then extended to the other provinces,“Prime Minister Imran Khan will distribute loan cheques among the successful applicants of the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES) from Sindh on January 27th.”

I'm aware that many young boys & girls belonging to Christians & Other Religious Minorities communities also got excited and applied for loans in this scheme. As per procedure they also received SMS on their cell numbers which stated that soon related banks are going to contact them. But so far none of the ones i know received any phone call from related bank or government's loan officer. 

Therefore i urge Religious & Political representatives belonging to Christians & Other minority communities in Pakistan to gather information and list down total number of minority's youth who applied for loans and received confirmation messages and keep an eye on the  fact that how many are going to be included among the final beneficiaries.   

Let's wait for the outcome and see how Government implements this program. 

District Bar Association Multan's Resolution against Religious Minorities.

Multan Punjab, Pakistan: In yet another example of subjugation of minorities in Pakistan, Multan Bar Association passed a resolution which forbids non-Muslim lawyers including Christians to participate in the Bar council elections in the city, local media reported.

Source: Roznama Jang, Pakistan

The resolution was presented by the lawyers of District Bar Association of Multan. It stated that the lawyers contesting bar elections will also need to submit an affidavit to prove their faith in Islam, District Bar Association of Multan must be questioned and condemned locally and globally for passing this resolution.

This resolution reflects the fruits of the last 50 years education syllabus & social teachings that is now being practiced in Pakistan. It is a reality that Christians, Hindus, Sikhs & Other religious minorities are portrayed as villains and aliens who does not belong here & deserve no development and progress in Pakistan.

It is also a fact that over the years the deliberate distortion of history has eliminated the social respect & overall contribution of Christians community’s role during the independence movement and their role in development in various segments including education, health & defense for Pakistan e.g. the key role of Dewan Bahadur S.P Singhna & Other Christian politicians who casted decisive votes for Punjab to be included in Pakistan is unknown to a common citizen belonging to majority population.

I personally am witness of the fact that at grassroots level no common citizen belonging to majority population knows about the names or role of Christians during Pakistan’s independence & no one knows the names of Christian martyrs who heroically fought and gave their lives for Pakistan during wars against neighbor country, nobody admits or realizes the Christian contribution in the field of health, education and defense of Pakistan.  

This resolution passed by District Bar Association, Multan reflects the religious racism and hatred by well educated group. Imagine how less educated groups treat Christians in Punjab, Pakistan. Christians are considered unclean and are highly discouraged to run any small business such as grocery stores, small food points, vegetable stalls and no one buys from them due to this religious hatred and bias approach and if a Christian tries to establish any selling point it fails miserably.    

Due to similar approach as this passed resolution Christians are deliberately steered towards jobs of sewage workers and the Christians who are educated and skilled serving in sectors such as Lawyers, Doctors, Nurses, Teachers etc. face harsh social & systematic discrimination and are deliberately denied progress opportunities that are announced at Government & Private sector.

In 2019, I Personally am a witness of a complete case study of a well educated, skilled Christian Nurse who was systematically victimized by authorities at Nishtar Hospital Multan during the Nursing BSN deputation opportunity announced by Punjab Government in 2019.

She qualified the merit & passed the entry test and was not included in the final list because in 2018 she stood for her right of Christian faith to conduct memorial service of her late mother, Hospital administration proved their religious hatred by comments such as that,” they don’t allow leave for memorial services” and did not allow her 3 day leave for conducting her late mother’s memorial service prayer meetings. She had positive leave balance in her record as per Government policy but she was marked absent and suffered salary deduction.

She was not allowed leave for memorial service in 2018 because back in 2014 she stood for her right to save her daughter during pregnancy as hospital authority denied her the right to avail leave when her doctor advised her rest for few days due to pregnancy complications. She had positive leave balance in her record as per Government policy but she was marked absent and suffered salary deduction.

That’s how educated and skilled working class Christians are treated by Government authorities in Pakistan targeted with Hatred & systematic Discrimination!

Majority population of Punjab & Multan must step up and condemn this act of District Bar Association Multan’s passed resolution which is based upon religious hatred.

Christians have contributed a great deal in education and health sector of Multan & Southern Punjab with existing examples such as Lasalle School Systems, Christian Hospitals, BHUs and especially during natural disasters of 2010 floods the local and global Christians stormed in & helped majority population through relief, rehab initiatives and monetary aid.

Unfortunately the common person belonging to majority population is never told about the local and global Christian contribution and Christian aid that Pakistan receives on daily basis which needs to be shared officially with common public by Federal & Provincial Governments to enhance the mutual respect among religions.

Common Pakistani citizens must be told what Christians have done for them during last 70 years and what Christians are doing for them to stand on their feet for next 70 years.

If possible the Operation Rud-Al-Fasad must step up against the responsible individuals for passing such resolutions especially in Punjab for damaging the one nation vision & theory that Quaid-E-Azam M.A Jinnah gave Pakistan in his speeches.

Let’s wait and see but let’s not raise our expectations & brainstorm the long term solution for the future of Christian children in subcontinent.

Victim Christian family claims that Punjab Police accompanied and facilitated land mafia group of 50 men to attack their home.

Video: Attackers Firing Bullets

Is Punjab Government going to arrest the Group of more than 50 men under Terrorism charges involved in murder of 18 year Christian girl i.e. Sonia & injured three other family members, accused were heavily armed; firing illegal automatic weapons. 

Lahore, Barki Road, Village Noor Baksh Challar Punjab, Pakistan.  Since 2016 a land dispute was going on among Christian Family representative Saddique Masih and Muhammad Arshad. Court decision was favoring Saddique Masih to be the lawful owner of the property but Muhammad Arshad ego was hurt as he was not ready to accept defeat by a Christian and decided to use force for what he believe should be in his possession instead of Christian family. 

At night a group of approximately 50 men (claimed by affected family), heavily armed with automatic weapons (which by law are illegal and prohibited to carry or use) launched a massacre targeting vulnerable Christian family of Saddique Masih, As seen in the video shared above Christians were unarmed, holding few sticks in hands hoping to defend their home and family which proved of no use against guns and direct firing.

Discrimination based upon Christophobia, mostly Christians in Pakistan are deliberately refused by related authorities to apply and obtain gun license for self defense which leads to the situation of Christian population as sitting ducks in Pakistan. Please watch the video (shared above) for an example.    

In result of this brutality and 18 year old girl Sonia was killed (She was to get married after three months and our heart is deeply saddened to see her end up like this) and 3 other family members are injured. Now Let’s wait and see if the Punjab government acts accordingly against this group and as claimed by the victims the involvement of Punjab Police officials who accompanied the attackers should be equally weighted and responsible facilitators should be arrested and charged as well.

Secondly, The key point is going to be the effort and skill that Punjab Government is going to use to arrest this group of culprits. As we do remember that few years back when a Church was targeted by suicide bombers and many Christians were killed and injured at Youhanabad, Lahore. After the suicide blasts the outraged crowd captured two of the alleged facilitators (belonging to majority population) of suicide bombers and killed them (Which was a completely wrong act to take law into own hands and murder of two human being cannot be justified by no means what so ever).  

After that incident Punjab government acted accordingly and used all tactical and technical tools including the footages of the passing by Christian spectators which were also arrested and are behind bars for almost four years and all sort of tactics are still being applied on them to accept and take responsibility of the murder of those two alleged facilitators. We must expect similar efforts by Punjab government to use all tactical and technical efforts to arrest accused Muhammad Arshad and all men in that group(approx. 50 men) who were involved in attacking Christian family and murder of Sonia.        

Let’s wait and see.  

Edwards College Peshawar, Pakistan’s Judicial and Political Perspective.

PESHAWAR: Regretting the ‘declining’ educational standards at the Edwards College, Peshawar, the Peshawar High Court has directed the government to take corrective measures to restore the glory of the province’s oldest college.

“The authorities at the helm of affairs are directed to seriously look into the matter and make strenuous efforts to restore the trust of students and their parents and revive the past glory of the oldest college of the province,” a bench observed in the detailed verdict of the case regarding the status of the college.

Justice Qaiser Rasheed and Justice Ahmad Ali declared that the Edwards College was nationalized through the Privately Managed School and Colleges (Taking Over) Regulation, 1972, which was endorsed by parliament through the 1973 Constitution.

The bench had pronounced a short order on the two petitions on Oct 1 dismissing a petition filed by Peshawar Diocese Bishop Humphrey Sarfraz Peter and accepting another filed by the college’s faculty members over its administrative status.

Bishop Humphrey Sarfaraz had requested the court to declare the college set up in 1900 a private educational institution in light of an earlier court judgment delivered in 2016 and to stop the government from interfering in its affairs.

The college’s faculty members, including vice principal Shakil Ahmad Nisar, had challenged the stand of the bishop saying all privately-managed schools and colleges were taken over by the government in 1972.

They had requested the court to declare the college an autonomous institution governed by the board of governors (BoG) notified in 1974.

The provincial governor had headed the BoG until Mar this year when the Diocese committee abolished it and formed a new board headed by the bishop.

The bench observed that the Edwardes College stood out as the oldest educational institution of the province and remained the cradle of knowledge and learning for over a century having produced generations of luminaries who had served the country at the highest and important posts.

It added that students used to be vying eagerly to get admission in this college due to its highest standard and merit but suddenly, things had come to such an abysmal state, where the students had opted to migrate to other colleges to save their future in view of its deteriorating educational standards and poor results in the board and university exams.

The bench ruled that as the record unfolds, pursuant to Para-4 of the Privately Managed Schools and Colleges (Taking Over) Regulation 1972 (Regulation no 118) from Sep 1, 1972, all private-managed colleges, together with all property attached to them should vest in the Central Government, if they were situated in Islamabad Capital territory and in the provincial government, if they were situated in a province.

The court observed that admittedly, the provincial government of the erstwhile NWFP through a notification in Jan 1974 constituted the BoG for Edwardes College, Peshawar headed by the Governor as its chairman and all the administrative powers to be vested in the Board. The said notification as published in official Gazette on Apr 2, 1976.

The bench ruled that since then for four decades, all the decisions regarding the college had been taken by the said Board including the appointment of its principals from time-to-time. “Such power and authority of the BoG was never called in question before any forum,” the bench ruled adding that the government also sanctioned and released Rs 300 million as one time grant-in-aid for the up gradation of the college to the status of a full-fledged university.

The bench observed that the incumbent principal of the college was also appointed by that board.

It accepted an application of the government to set aside the earlier court judgment through which the college was declared a private institution and ruled that a petition filed by educationist Malik Naz on the matter would be decided afresh on its own merit.

Husband, Wife held in Lahore for filming Sexual assault of Women & Blackmailing

Lahore, Pakistan: The Investigations police have arrested a couple for filming the sexual assault of women and blackmailing them.

Lahore, Pakistan: The Investigations police have arrested a couple for filming the sexual assault of women and blackmailing them.

During investigation, the suspects confessed to police that they sexually assaulted many women and filmed their ordeal for blackmailing.

The arrested suspects were identified as Salamat Ali and his wife Razia Sultana.

According to details, Razia would lure women through different means and her husband would rape them while she would make the videos. Afterwards, they would blackmail them on the pretext that they would make these videos viral.

Police came to know about the heinous crime after a complainant, a resident of Mohlanwal, told police that Razia is her neighbor and she was on good terms with her.

“A few days ago, Razia’s husband assaulted me while Razia filmed it,” she told police.

The suspects later started blackmailing and demanding money on pretext of making videos viral on refusal, she added.

An FIR was registered against the couple and the case was referred to Anti-Gender Based Violence Cell Cantonment Division. The cell investigated the case and arrested the suspects.

Police officials said that they were investigating the matter further.

Christian Head Mistress Victim of Christophobia based Systematic Discrimination in Pakistan.

A Christian woman, Rubina Anjum serving as Government School's Head Mistress at  Bngali, Pakistan requests and demands for justice through a video message claiming to be victim of Christophobia based systematic discrimination that exists against Christians in Pakistan.

In her statement Rubina Anjum stated that,” I am serving this school for last 15 years as Head Mistress,  I had a wonderful time, my all staff are Muslim, all surrounding population is Muslim, my all students are Muslim. I am only Christian but I had a wonderful time, I received so much love over the years. I am the wife of a Pastor of Cathedral system, they offered me to join them but I refused, I started this school from scratches.

Especially after Disaster 2005 earthquake, I’ve passed its construction design myself, after 2005 earthquake there were no funds I engaged and mobilized local community to initiate construction of this school, they offered me funds but I requested them and to help in rehabilitation of this school practically and I love every single brick laid in this school’s foundation. With the passage of time our school flourished with 100 % results. All my senior officials who visited our school appreciated me and my team’s efforts.

To prove that there is a log book present in all government’s schools and there is one in our school as well. Anyone can see the comments on that.

2018 Maria Rasheed joined as AEO. She visited my school, I introduced myself. She came again next day and demanded expense record of previous years from 2015 to 2017. There is a consistent electricity load shedding problem in bangali defence phase one. 

I told her that I’ll make backup copies and handover the official reports but she pressurized and insisted to be delivered instantly and she deliberately buried my official expense record,  I asked her to return my expense details to which she replied make new (fake) receipts. I said how is this possible?

On each visit she strengthened a plot against me by pressurizing me to apply for retirement, and in front of my staff she address me using derogatory term Chouri specifically used against Christian faith in Pakistan.

She tried to influence my staff to write a complaint against me and she even nominated Ms. Nargis to become head mistress  in my place but Ms. Narigis refused stating that (Rubina Anjum) is very nice to us I won’t do it.

This is my official stamp and my designation of Head Mistress is engraved on it , Maria Rasheed told me that You are not Head Mistress, Your are S.S.T &  officially should have  derogatory term Chouri engraved on my stamp. 

I was stunned by her remarks and questioned myself what is this?

One day she came and I offered her a cold drink, she refused stating that she can’t drink water in my school because it is a sin for her to drink from my school.

She has mentally abused and tortured me so much that I’m suffering from high stress and due to my disgrace I was not able to share this situation with my husband and children. Quietly I decided to apply for retirement. She came with a clerk and said I can’t apply for retirement because she wants to make an example of me by making false accusation of mismanagement which will ruin my service.

She has insulted me so much & I am so tense that my sugar level is far more high than normal due to this tension. If I don’t get justice I’ll commit suicide, I’ll commit suicide.

I asked (Maria Rasheed) her why you are doing this to me what is my fault? She replied,” Your biggest fault is that (as a Christian) you don’t deserve to be serving at this higher position”.

Yes this is a reality in Pakistan. In government sector Christian men and women are treated like this. Systematic discrimination and persecution is planted against Christians in Pakistan, especially in Education and Health sector. 

Please watch the Video for Rubina Anjum’s complete statement shared above.