Islamabad: Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, a three-time member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) in Pakistan, became the first member of the Sikh community to take oath as a minister in the Punjab province, representing the minority in the provincial assembly. The cabinet in the province was formed by the newly elected Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) government led by chief minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Ramesh Singh Arora, 48, is a legislator from the Pakistani district of Narowal. In a phone call, Ramesh Singh said, “It is for the first time since Partition in 1947 that a Sikh has been inducted in the cabinet of Punjab province. I won’t just work for the safety and well-being of Sikhs but all minorities, including Hindus and Christians living in Pakistan.”
Who is Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora?
- Ramesh Singh Arora, born in Nankana Sahib, holds a postgraduate degree in entrepreneurship and SME management from Government College University, Lahore. Before entering politics, he contributed to the World Bank's Poverty Reduction Programme in Pakistan. In 2008, he established the Mojaz Foundation, dedicated to assisting the underprivileged in Pakistan.
In the recent Pakistani elections, he was re-elected as MPA from Narowal, his hometown and the location of Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib, Guru Nanak's final resting place. He was also appointed as “Ambassador at Large” for the Kartarpur Corridor last year.
He played a significant role in implementing the Sikh Marriage Registration Act 2017 in Pakistan. He introduced the bill as a private member and unanimously passed by the Assembly in March 2018. Recently, he was unanimously elected as the president of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) for a three-year term.