LAHORE(National Times)- Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Monday stated that minorities are the beauty and crown of Pakistani society, and there would be no compromise on their protection, progress, and respect. In her message on National Minorities Day, CM Maryam emphasized that Quaid-e-Azam’s Pakistan belongs to everyone, and all citizens are safe and free to practice their faith. She paid tribute to all minority brothers and sisters who are actively contributing to the country’s development and prosperity. She said that the Punjab government is following a policy of granting minorities full rights to education, development, and welfare. For the first time in history, Punjab has had the honor of introducing a Minority Card for the welfare of minority communities. She added that 50,000 minority individuals are receiving quarterly payments of Rs. 10,500 through the Minority Card, and the number of cards will be increased to 75,000. Punjab has also taken the lead in passing the first Sikh Marriage Act 2024, which has now given legal status to the “Anand Karaj” (Sikh wedding ceremony). The long-pending Hindu Marriage Act 2017 has also been approved in 2025. The CM said that access to education, health, and employment for minority communities in Punjab is being made easier. In the current fiscal year, Rs. 8 billion has been allocated for developmental and non-developmental projects for the minority community. She further stated that grants for religious festivals of minority communities have been increased from Rs. 60 million to Rs. 366 million. A significant budget has been allocated for the restoration of 40 historic Gurdwaras, 25 churches, and 5 temples. Restoration projects include the Samadhi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Lahore, Shri Krishna Mandir in Rawalpindi, and the Church of Pakistan. She said that scholarship funds of Rs. 60 million have been released for minority students, and live vocational courses have been launched in Youhanabad, benefiting 1,000 students in the first phase and 10,000 in the second phase. She highlighted that for the first time, Baisakhi, Holi, Diwali, Christmas, and Easter were celebrated officially at the government level in Punjab. The minority quota system is being fully implemented, and the government is not just protecting minority rights but is also determined to give them their fair share in every field of progress. The CM concluded by saying, “We are moving towards a society where love, tolerance, and brotherhood will be our identity. Minorities are a beautiful part of Pakistan, and we will never let that beauty fade.”