Electoral Injustice- Minorities Waiting for Reformation

Pakistan United Christian Movement rejects the proposed electoral system for the Non-Muslims in upcoming the local government elections...

(ISLAMABAD) - Check out the biggest leftist hypocrisy in Pakistan, remarkably highlighted by Albert David Chairman Pakistan United Christian Movement.

In political terms the local governments are known as the nursery of politics where new entrants to politics get trained, gain experience and take bigger strides to play their role at the National level. However It appears that by introducing two different electoral systems for Non-Muslims in the upcoming local government elections they are being made victims of yet another political injustice.

All Four provinces have announced their own preferred local bodies systems and apparently it looks like they have opted for a joint electoral system where as non Muslims will be given representation on reserved seats through indirect elections.

Let’s look at the Punjab Local Government Bill 2013. The composition of a Union Council will include elected Chairman and Vice Chairman, five other directly elected members on the basis of adult franchise followed by three indirectly elected members, including one each representing the Non-Muslims, women and labor/peasants on reserved seats. The will be elected by the directly elected seven members. A similar prototype is to be followed for representation of Non-Muslims at the District Council and Urban local government levels.

Another concerning issue in the Bill that affects Non-Muslims is that only those Union Councils will have a Non-Muslim member where the number of registered Non-Muslim voters is 500 or more. This could lead into a situation where approx. 50% of Union Councils will have no Non-Muslim representation.

Though joint electoral system was introduced to bring Non-Muslims into the main stream of politics however we must admit that socially we are still in an evolution phase where it is acceptable to get the votes from Non-Muslims however voting for a Non-Muslim candidate will take years of political, social and cultural change or in other words development.

The electoral system imposed by dictator General Parvaiz Musharaf for Non-Muslims at the National and Provincial level is already keeping Non-Muslim politicians away from the race as the existing ones have the tools, contacts and resources to secure the confidence of their masters and secure access to the legislative institutions. It does not matter if they have any commitment or ever wish to access the masses they represent. These so called representatives never feel accountable to the ones they represent as they are not elected by them.

The proposed provincial LG electoral system is another step, the final nail in the coffin; politically the Non-Muslims are out, end of game, in Wimbledon term, game, set and match. Once again the same story will be repeated, people with resources and more importantly contacts with their masters will select their own people as the representatives at the grass root levels too. I see this as an attempt to make the Non-Muslims politically infertile.

However the interesting factor is that the elections in the 43 Cantonment Boards have been proposed on the “Separate” electorate system, where Non-Muslims voters will vote for Non-Muslim candidates as members/councilors. Isn’t this a political mockery, the provincial governments opting for a Joint electoral system and Federal Government (Cantonment Boards are governed by Federal Government) preferring a “Separate Electoral System”. But maintaining a Joint Electoral system at the national and provincial level.

The demand to elect their own representatives has been gaining momentum over the recent years and if the Provincial or Federal governments ever made an effort to explore the preferred electoral system, I am confident the majority of the minority (Non-Muslim Pakistanis) will opt for the separate electoral system. Separate elections is a popular demand among Non-Muslims however not sure if a priority for the law makers to look into this.

Whatever the conclusion may be Pakistan United Christian Movement rejects the proposed electoral system for the Non-Muslims in upcoming the local government elections and demands that Non-Muslim voters should be given the right to elect their own representatives by their own votes. I wish that the Federal Government goes ahead with the proposed separate electoral system for Cantonment boards

About Shamim Masih

"I am Christian rights activist and freelancer Pakistani journalist specializing in writing about Christians rights for the different papers in the world. My aim is to create a peaceful environment in the society and to help eliminate Christian persecution through my writing as I bring the plight of these brave people under the spotlight of the whole world."

Shamim Masih was born in Sheikhopura's village and raised in Gujranwala, a city in Pakistan's Punjab province. He earned his Bachelors Degree from the University of the Punjab, Lahore majoring in English, Economics and Statistics; he also received a Masters Degree in Business Administration.

As a freelance writer and author, Shamim has written for different papers in the world; his expertise is in writing articles highlighting different social issues. He has served as freelance chief reporter and column writer in “Minority Times” in Islamabad, and a number of Shamim's articles have been published in local papers as well.

You can write to Shamim at this address: shamimpakistan@gmail.com

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