Lahore, Pakistan – The Human Rights & Minorities Affairs Department of the Government of the Punjab has announced the formation of the Minority Advisory Council, Punjab (MACP) to address the needs and concerns of minority communities in the province.

The notification, issued on March 27, 2025, details the council's composition, showcasing a diverse representation from various religious communities.

The MACP will be led by the Minister for Minorities Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora as Chairman, Kamran Masih-Bhatti as Vice Chairman, and Aqab Alam as Convener.

The council's members include:

• Suhail Alam

• Javed Shahid

• Karamat Masih

• Nadeem Masih

• Ashiq Masih

• Aneel Pervaiz

• Suhail Anwar

• Shakeel Chaman

• Saleem Shakir

• Waseem Raja

• Mushtaq Yaqub Sindhu

• Shahzad Arif

• Mushtaq Gill

• Shahid Rehmat

• Dr. Shahid Shoukat

• Indrias Masih

• Waseem Masih

• Dr. Azeem

• Adnan Shahzad

• Ms. Sumbal Muneer

• Ms. Priyanka

• Dr. Surakhsa Shakir

• Ms. Zobia Nazir

• Ms. Sunain

• Kanji Ram

• Sajan Bhattia

• Rattan Lal

• Lala Akmal Bheel

• Sardar Jaskaran Singh

• Sardar Surjeet Singh

• Babu Lila Ram

• Sardar Palvinder Singh

• Sadar Dilawar Singh

• Mufti Syed Ashiq Hussain

• Maulana Shakeel-ur-Rehman Nasir

The council's core functions include advising the Punjab government on resolving issues faced by minority communities, promoting tolerance and inter-religious harmony, and ensuring the protection of their human rights and freedoms. The MACP will also work with the government to improve the living standards of minority communities, focusing on education, employment, and social and economic opportunities.

The notification also states that the positions within the MACP are honorary, with no emoluments for any member. The tenure of the council is set for three years, unless dissolved earlier by the government, and the Chief Minister of Punjab retains the authority to make changes to the council's membership.