LAHORE - Punjab government has issued notification of reserving 5 per cent quota of the total number of posts in government departments for minorities in the province. The Provincial Minister for Minorities Affairs and Human Rights Kamran Miachel announced this here on Sunday. He said that this quota would be reserved for minorities (non-Muslims) as defined in the Article-260 (3)(b) of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973. Giving details, he said that this quota would not apply to vacancies reserved for recruitment on the basis of competitive examination to be conducted by the Punjab Public Service Commission, recruitment made by promotion or transfer in accordance with relevant rules, short term vacancies likely to last for less than six months, isolated posts in which vacancies occur only occasionally and vacancies reserved for minorities for which qualified candidates are not available. These vacancies shall be treated as unreserved and filled on merit. Kamran Miachael said that due to equal rights to the minorities result in establishment of a democratic society and minorities can play their role in national progress. He said that the minorities had not only played their role in creation of Pakistan but are also performing an important role for strengthening the country. In the past, the Christian educational institutions were nationalized which affected the performance. He said that credit goes to Chief Minister Punjab, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif who fulfilling his promise to give equal rights to the minorities, has allocated five percent quota in government jobs for minorities in Punjab which will result in decreasing economic problems of the minorities. He said that this quota is a hope for the youth of minorities which are unemployed despite having educational degrees. He said that PML-N leadership is supporting minorities as per the sayings of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He disclosed that Punjab government had given scholarship of Rs.1.5 crore to the students of minorities. He said that for the first time in the history with the cooperation of TEVTA, five percent quota has been allocated in technical institutions for minorities and initially, Punjab government has allocated budget of Rs.1.25 crore which will further be increased in future. Provincial Parliamentary Secretary for Human Rights Punjab, Khalil Tahir Sindhu informed that this five percent quota would be in addition to those applicants who will be selected on open merit on any government vacancy. He said that according to 5% quota, the number of Christian teachers in 34 thousand educators to be recruited come to 1750. He said that Christian community has always played positive role in promotion of education in Pakistan and appointment of Christian youth in such a large number will help in improving the standard of education in Punjab.