Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Thursday reaffirmed her government’s commitment to protecting the rights of minorities, declaring that no compromise would be made on their safety, dignity or welfare across the province.
Read More: Role of the New Minorities‘ Rights Commission
Addressing a Christmas ceremony at the Cathedral Church in Lahore, the chief minister said she would stand “like a wall” against any injustice faced by minority communities as long as she remained in office. She directed the authorities to immediately resolve all issues related to minority graveyards in Punjab and ensure proper maintenance of such facilities.
Punjab is that province which has truly made its minorities the crown of its head. And not just the crown of its head. I have made minorities a part of my heart. pic.twitter.com/k5LnQbPACV
— PMLN (@pmln_org) December 25, 2025
The CM instructed Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora to submit detailed budgetary requirements for minority welfare programmes, assuring that the government would provide the necessary funds. She emphasised that minorities had an equal share in the provincial budget and said a government that failed to protect minority rights had no moral justification to remain in power.
“We are not Muslims, Sikhs, Christians or Hindus first — we are Pakistanis,” she said, adding that Punjab was a safer and more inclusive province where no one would be allowed to trample upon minority rights. She stressed that the protection of minorities was not a favour but a constitutional obligation of the state.
Maryam Nawaz praised workers of the Suthra Punjab initiative for cleaning churches during Christmas celebrations and said similar efforts were being made to maintain places of worship of all faiths. She also announced that the Minority Card amount would be increased from Rs75,000 to Rs100,000 to further strengthen social support for minority families.
Calling for Punjab to be presented as a role model before the world, the CM said the province must reflect unity, tolerance and equal citizenship. “Punjab has truly made its minorities a crown on its head and a part of its heart,” she said.
Read More: Parliament approves law for protection of minority rights
During the ceremony, Minority Cards were distributed among members of the Christian community, while Christmas grant cheques were handed over to deserving beneficiaries. Religious leaders from different faiths and diplomats from several countries attended the event, which concluded with choir performances and a documentary highlighting the government’s minority-focused initiatives.