ISLAMABAD, Sept 4: Senate standing committee on minorities' affairs has underlined the need for ensuring proper opportunities to minorities so that they could play their role as useful citizens in the nation-building activities.

According to a press release, presiding over a meeting of the committee in Parliament House on Saturday, Senator Maulana Samiul Haq directed the ministry of minorities' affairs to ensure that properties, schools, colleges and places of worship of the minorities were well preserved and kept in a proper functional condition.

The committee was informed that the minorities constituted 3.72 per cent of the population and that their total population according to the 1998 census was 4,911,870.

The meeting was given a briefing on the property under the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) in the country. It was stated that a meagre amount was being obtained as rent by the ETPB.

The committee directed the ministry to take appropriate measures for getting the possession of the property grabbed by influential persons. The committee called for special monitoring of the property by the board.

A group of ulema informed the meeting that there was great unrest among Muslims over the removal of a police post in Chenab Nagar as a result of which the Muslims were unable to offer prayers in the adjacent mosque.

The committee called upon the government to take steps so as to settle the issue amicably.