Provincial Minister for Minorities Affairs, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, visited the Lahore office of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) on Wednesday, where he held a strategic meeting with TDAP Director-General Rafiya Syed. The focus of the meeting was to explore inclusive trade and tourism initiatives aimed at uplifting minority communities across Pakistan.

A central point of discussion was the inclusion of the Sikh community in the Kartarpur religious tourism trail. Both leaders acknowledged the immense potential of expanding religious tourism and stressed the importance of creating programs that cater to the needs and interests of minority faiths.

In view of upcoming events such as the Pakistan International Expo and Exhibition (PIXS) 2026 and the Pakistan Travel Mart (PTM) 2026, the minister and TDAP DG discussed how minority entrepreneurs can be actively engaged and given the opportunity to showcase their products on both national and international platforms. They emphasized equal representation to highlight Pakistan’s cultural and religious diversity in the global tourism arena.

The conversation also covered the integration of minority business owners into TDAP’s startup accelerator programme, where the leaders agreed on the need for resource support to help minority-led enterprises grow and thrive.

Empowering skilled women from minority communities was another key theme. It was proposed to link these women with TDAP’s trade portal and e-commerce platforms, providing them with enhanced market access and visibility for their products.

To boost economic resilience, both sides underscored the need to create sustainable employment opportunities within the trade and tourism sectors. Strategies to ease trade barriers, facilitate exports, and improve international market access for minority businesses were also discussed.

An innovative proposal for a community-based and experiential tourism model was presented, with a focus on highlighting the rich religious and cultural heritage of Pakistan’s diverse communities.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Department of Minorities Affairs and TDAP. This MoU will formalize a partnership aimed at promoting inclusive trade practices and religious tourism, ultimately fostering an equitable economic environment for all.