Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, a notable figure within the minority community, has taken the oath as a provincial minister, marking a significant milestone as the first Sikh to hold a ministerial position in post-partition Punjab.
As a member of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Arora has secured his third term in the Lahore provincial assembly following his victory in the February 8 polls.
Arora, aged 49, was recently elected as the President of the Pakistan Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee and appointed as the ambassador to the Kartarpur Corridor.
He, along with 17 others, was sworn in on Wednesday, assuming his responsibilities as the Minister for Minorities Affairs in the cabinet of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, who notably holds the distinction of being the first woman to hold such a position in the country.
Sources indicate that Arora maintains close ties with the military establishment, and his brother is actively involved in managing the affairs of the Kartarpur Corridor.
Born on October 11, 1974, in Nankana Sahib and originating from the Narowal district, Arora has a background in social enterprise, having pursued post-graduation studies at various prestigious institutions including Government College Lahore, Punjab University Lahore, and Harvard Business School in the United States.
Throughout his career, Arora has been deeply engaged in advocacy for human rights and social welfare, particularly for the Sikh community in Pakistan. He has held various significant positions such as serving as a member of the National Commission for Minorities and as the General Secretary of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee.
Arora's notable contributions include his instrumental role in the passage of 'The Punjab Sikh Anand Karaj Marriage Act 2018,' which led to the enforcement of the Sikh Marriages Registration Act in Pakistan, a significant achievement for the Sikh community.
For his outstanding contributions, Arora was honored with the National Human Rights Award in 2016 by the President of Pakistan.
Additionally, among the 17 individuals inducted into the Punjab cabinet, Khalil Tahir Sindhu, a representative of the Christian minority community, was appointed as the Minister for Human Rights. Sindhu previously served as a minister in the 2013-18 Punjab cabinet under the leadership of Shehbaz Sharif, who currently serves as the prime minister for the second term.
