Christian woman files petition in court seeking allocation of 5% job quota for minorities in Pak Army

A Christian woman on Thursday filed a petition in a Pakistani court requesting it to direct the government to ensure the allocation of 5 per cent job quota for minorities in the armed forces in the country.

Faiza Mushtaq Gill filed the petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) through her counsel and also sought 'contempt proceedings' against the secretary establishment division, Inamullah Khan, for not ''fulfilling his undertaking about allocation of 5 per cent job quota for minorities in the armed forces.'' She said the government is deliberately not fulfilling its constitutional responsibility towards the rights of the minorities, thus depriving them of their lawful right to serve in the armed forces.

She said the federal government under the law is bound to implement the Recruitment Policy 2014 with all prescribed quotas including for minorities. ''The respondent (secretary establishment) has failed to implement his undertaking as reflected in an advertisement for recruitment of females as Captain in Pakistan army.'' Gill, who is an aspirant of becoming a Captain in the Pakistan Army, said the failure of the government to implement the laws and the policy of 5 per cent quota for minorities in all recruitment amounts to sheer violation of the order of the LHC and sufficient for initiation of proceedings of contempt of court.

The LHC is likely to take up the petition this week.