Following the historic inauguration of a female chief minister, Punjab witnessed another groundbreaking moment with the appointment of its first Sikh minister in the provincial cabinet, as reported by The News.
Ramesh Singh Arora, a member of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), assumed the role of a minister in Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s cabinet. Arora, representing the Narowal district, has served as a lawmaker for three terms and has now been entrusted with a ministerial position, overseeing the minorities portfolio. Notably, Arora made history as the first Sikh lawmaker in Punjab upon assuming office in 2013.
In addition to Arora, Khalil Tahir Sindhu, another member of a religious minority group from Punjab, has been included in the provincial cabinet. Sindhu has been appointed as the minister for human rights.
Since 1970, various political parties have governed Punjab, but the PML-N stands out as the sole party to appoint the first Sikh member in the provincial assembly and assign him a ministerial role.
The current composition of the Punjab cabinet reflects a blend of both new faces and seasoned politicians. Noteworthy newcomers include Bilal Akhbar Khan, Rana Sikandar, Zeeshan Rafique, and Kazim Pirzada, who have assumed ministerial responsibilities for the first time. Although they are new to ministerial roles, many of them boast prior experience as members of the provincial assembly.
Experienced figures such as Maryam Aurangzeb and Suhail Shaukat Butt, who have previously served as members of the National Assembly (MNAs), are also part of the cabinet. Azma Bokhari, now serving as an MPA for the fifth time in 2024, has been tasked with overseeing the Information Ministry of Punjab.
