Dera Ismail Khan: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has formally handed over four kanals of land for the establishment of cremation grounds for the Hindu and Sikh communities. Of the total land, two kanals have been allocated to the Hindu community and two kanals to the Sikh community.
Provincial Minister for Auqaf and Religious Affairs Sahibzada Muhammad Adnan Qadri officially handed over the land and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting religious freedom and the rights of minorities.
Addressing the ceremony, the minister said minorities are a respected and equal part of Pakistani society, adding that the provincial government is promoting justice, equality, and religious harmony in line with the principles of the State of Madinah.
He said millions of rupees are being spent on minority places of worship, religious festivals, and welfare initiatives. He also highlighted ongoing educational scholarships for minority students, financial assistance for widows, orphans, and persons with disabilities, and other welfare programmes.
The minister announced that a Rs200 million endowment fund has been established for minority communities affected by terrorism, while a separate Rs100 million special fund has been created for the development of the Kalash community.
He further stated that the government is continuing to provide land for minority cemeteries, cremation grounds, and places of worship, while projects for the solarization and rehabilitation of minority religious sites are also underway. Provincial and district interfaith harmony committees are actively working to promote religious coexistence across the province.
The minister pledged that additional measures would be taken to safeguard the social, educational, economic, and religious rights of minority communities.
Representatives of the Hindu and Sikh communities welcomed the initiative, describing it as a historic step and a positive milestone for the protection of minority rights and the promotion of interfaith harmony in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
