Ramesh Singh Arora, Punjab’s First Sikh Minister, Takes Oath

The News said that Punjab saw another historic occasion with the nomination of its first Sikh minister in the provincial government, following the historic inauguration of a female chief minister.

In Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s cabinet, Ramesh Singh Arora, a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) member, was appointed as a minister. After three terms as a legislator, Arora, who represents the Narowal district, was given the responsibility of leading the minorities portfolio as a minister. Notably, when Arora took office in 2013, he became the first Sikh lawmaker in Punjab history.

The provincial government now includes Khalil Tahir Sindhu, a Punjabi member of a religious minority group, in addition to Arora. Sindhu has been designated as the Human Rights Minister.

Punjab has been ruled by several political parties since 1970, but the PML-N is unique in that it was the only one to designate the first Sikh member of the provincial legislature and give him a cabinet position.

The Punjab cabinet’s present makeup is a combination of inexperienced and seasoned legislators. Bilal Akhbar Khan, Rana Sikandar, Zeeshan Rafique, and Kazim Pirzada are notable newcomers who have taken on ministerial duties for the first time. Many of them have served in the provincial parliament before, even if they are new to the position of minister.

The cabinet also includes seasoned individuals who have held positions as members of the National Assembly (MNAs), such as Maryam Aurangzeb and Suhail Shaukat Butt. As of 2024, Azma Bokhari has been an MPA for five times. She is now in charge of the Punjabi Ministry of Information.