Under its National Outreach Program, the Civil Services Academy (CSA) officialy launched a month-long residential orientation program in Lahore for CSS (Central Superior Services) aspirants from religious minority to promote inclusion and equitable representation in civil services.
Despite constitutional guarantees and reserved quotas, the representation of the minorities in the civil services remains disproportionately low. This gap was highlighted in a recent special CSS examination where 16 candidates qualified out of 121 seats reserved for the minorities. The National Outreach Program seeks to address persistent barriers by offering structured training and institutional support.
Addressing as the chief guest at the CSA Walton Campus in Lahore, Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar told audience that the constitutional articles were not merely symbolic but also guarantees of equality, freedom, and fundamental rights. He pointed out the Article 36 for the protection of minority rights, as part of the state’s ethical and social responsibilities.
Minister says National Commission for Minority Rights to ensure equal opportunities and protection for non-Muslim citizens
“I am here to remind young officers that Pakistan must be steered collectively, just like carriages of a train moving in the same direction. Our train has fallen behind, and it is now our responsibility to set it back on the right track,” he said, and stressed the need for building an inclusive society. “Pakistan needs people who could spread love, not command from above. We are all Pakistanis, whether part of a majority or a minority, and that singular identity must prevail.”
On the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, “I’m here to reaffirm that the dream envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and embedded in our constitution is not just an aspiration, it is a living reality. Every citizen, regardless of religion, deserves equal rights and recognition under the law,” he said. “We must turn our attention to underprivileged, as these are segments of Pakistan that need our compassion and focus.”
Senator Azam Tarar spoke about the Civil Services Academy, calling it a vital institution for nurturing future nation-builders. “This is no longer the era of colonial command-and-control. What we need now is love, empathy, and dialogue, not hatred.” Referring to the white in Pakistan’s flag, he said it symbolizes minorities and that the spirit must be reflected in our behavior, not just symbols.
He highlighted formation of the National Commission for Minority Rights, established under articles 20, 26, 27, and 36 of the constitution, to ensure equal opportunities and protection for non-Muslim citizens. “These provisions are not dormant clauses, they are living elements of our constitutional fabric. With sincere efforts, a time will come when special quotas for minorities will no longer be necessary, as inclusivity becomes the norm,” he said.
Earlier, Pakistan Hindu Council leader Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani said that the term ‘non-Muslim’ should be preferred over ‘minority,’ as the latter reflects a narrower, exclusionary mindset. He urged all the stakeholders that the terminology ‘non-Muslim’ be adopted across all the institutions. He advocated for increasing the age limit for civil service exams to 35 years to give more opportunities to young aspirants, particularly people from the marginalized backgrounds.
Dr Shabbir Zaidi says quota for minorities in civil services remains underutilized despite constitutional guarantees, and policies of equal representation
Before address of Civil Services Academy Director General Farhan Aziz Khawaja, CSA Director for Capacity Building Dr Shabbir Akbar Zaidi said that the quota reserved for minority communities in Pakistan’s civil services remained underutilized despite constitutional guarantees and policies promoting inclusivity and equal representation. “Our constitution upholds principles of equality, social justice, and non-discrimination,” he said, adding the academy views it as both a duty and a commitment to help transform these constitutional ideals into meaningful and measurable outcomes.
He pointed out that the initiative for minorities was a three-phase program to promote inclusion and representation of minorities in civil services. The first phase focused on awareness creation, during which a CSA delegation visited 14 universities across Pakistan to inform and engage minority students, educators, and community leaders about opportunities, processes, and success stories, he said, adding the second phase comprises a series of a month-long residential orientation sessions.
He said the third phase, scheduled for 2026, would launch a comprehensive four-month preparatory course, offering in-depth coaching, mock exams, and interview readiness to enable participants to compete confidently. He called the initiative a symbol of their commitment to an inclusive, diverse, and representative civil service that draws strength from pluralism. Over course, the selected participants will be introduced to the structure of the civil services, guided through the CSS syllabus, mentored by officers, and supported with learning resources and mock evaluations.
Dr Shabbir Zaidi told the audience that the participants would be exposed to motivational sessions and interactive discussions with serving civil servants, many of whom were role models for the aspiring candidates. He called the selected participants potential leaders of tomorrow. “Learn, ask, explore, and build connections. You are part of a much larger national mission – a mission to make our public institutions truly reflective of our nation’s diversity,” he told the candidates.
State Minister for Political Affairs Talha Burki, MNA Isphanyar Bhandara, National Commission for Human Rights member Nadeem Ashraf, former jurist Justice Khalil-ur-Rahman Ramday, Dr Kalyan Singh Kalyan, Dr Ashok Kumar Khatri, senior officers, and people from different walks of life also joined the inaguraral event at the Walton Campus of the Civil Services Academy. The audience also enjoyed poetic and musical tribute to Amir Khusrau – an Indo-Persian Sufi singer, musician, poet and scholar. He is an iconic figure in the cultural history of the Indian subcontinent.
