Lawmakers in Punjab have sharply criticised the provincial government for failing to allocate funds to restore places of worship and improve infrastructure in minority communities.
During a recent assembly session, Baba Falbous Christopher of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz said the 2025-26 provincial development budget included no money for restoring churches or temples and provided almost nothing for upgrading Christian neighbourhoods. He called on authorities to set aside substantial resources in the forthcoming 2026-27 budget for both restoration work and the provision of basic services to minority areas.
PPP lawmaker Basro Jee highlighted the lack of projects for the sizeable Hindu population in south Punjab, alleging that even the small allocation originally earmarked for Hindu localities in 2025-26 was later withdrawn. He urged the Maryam Nawaz government to pay greater attention to minority welfare.
Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan questioned the performance of the Minority Affairs Ministry, which is headed by Punjab’s first Sikh minister, Ramesh Singh Arora. Khan noted that many minority communities still face acute shortages of drinking water, sanitation and healthcare and said development funds should prioritise these essential needs.
Defending the ministry, Arora said the challenges date back to the creation of Pakistan in 1947 and cannot be resolved immediately. He said the chief minister had increased the Minority Affairs Department budget by 300 percent over the past two years and that the government is working on restoring historic religious sites and increasing development funding across the province.
Rights groups say religious minorities in Pakistan, including Christians, Hindus, Ahmadis, Sikhs and smaller groups such as the Kalasha, often live in marginalised conditions marked by discrimination, economic hardship and security concerns. Although they make up roughly 4 percent of the population, these communities frequently face a sense of insecurity and unequal treatment.
