Pakistan Non Muslim Minorities want equality
Posted on October 1, 2012 by Akashma Online News
“There is no difference between us and Muslims when it comes to paying bills and taxes. But we are discriminated against when it comes to distribution of rights.”
The non-Muslims in Pakistan are not satisfied with the functioning of separate electorates. Their main objection relates to ineffective representation of their interests.
What will Prophet Mohamed will say about the dual electorate system in Pakistan, when the the makers of laws give less rights to the Non Muslims. Are they forgetting the lessons in Surah Al-Qamar, Allah(swt) informed Prophet Muhammad that there were people before him who received the Message from Allah through a series of Prophets. It was a lesson to the new generations to learn from the past history. Such type of revelation was a piece of Wisdom to those who wish to learn and benefit from it.
The National Minority Day was celebrated in Pakistan on Saturday to highlight the contribution, services and sacrifices made by the minority communities in the creation of Pakistan and in nation building.
Several events, seminars and social gatherings were arranged across the country by members of various religious minorities as well as the Ministry of National Harmony.
Minister In-charge for National Harmony Dr Paul Bhatti issued a message saying, “The day we celebrate every year on August 11, recalls the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah with reference to his speech and the contribution of non-Muslim communities to Pakistan.”
“The celebration of Minority Day provides us with an opportunity to re-assure that despite belonging to different faiths we are one nation that continues to march for a united and prosperous Pakistan,” he said adding that the commendable service of religious minorities, along with Muslims, is a glorious chapter in the history of the independence movement of Pakistan.
The minister added that the religious minorities in the country have given a considerable contribution to different fields in the society including health, education, defence and social welfare.
He further urged all religious communities to stay united and to promote interfaith harmony, creating unity, peace, equity and justice in the society.
The Express Tribune, August 11, 2012
Political party representatives appeared to fall over each other to court the minority vote on Friday, and took great pains to appear as if they had great empathy for the systemic disadvantages minorities face in the country’s electoral field.
Meanwhile, members belonging to various minority communities demanded that they should be allowed to compete for general seats in constituencies where their communities were in the majority during the next general elections.
They were all attending a seminar on the electoral process for minorities, which was organised by the Social Forum, Diocese of Karachi, Church of Pakistan at the Holy Trinity Church.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement MNA Munawar Lal lent his support to the demand when he said, “We want our people to be elected in those areas where we are in the majority”. Lal added that minorities should also be allowed to contest elections on the dual voting system, something which Kashmiri Muslims living in the country are already allowed to do.
Religious minorities in Pakistan, meanwhile, currently contest the elections under the joint electorate system, in which political parties nominate non-Muslim representatives to legislative bodies. The number of minority seats in these bodies are already fixed. Karachi, August 10, 2012
When President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari was claiming “Minorities are enjoying equal rights and fully protected in Pakistan” addressing a gathering in President House to mark Minorities Day, the electronic media was telecasting images of train at Jacobabad railway station boarding 250 Pakistani Hindus migrating to India.
There was 20% Hindu population in Pakistan in 1947, when it became independent state after division of sub-continent of India but millions migrated to India when East Pakistan fought for independence from West Pakistan and Hindus were targeted on allegation of supporting Mukti-Bahni. Islamabad: August 10, 2012.
Amid increasing cases of violence and lack of security against their community, 60 Hindu families from Balochistan and Sindh have decided to migrate to India, Express News reported on Thursday.
Four out of the 60 families left for India during midday via Samjhota Express from Lahore Railway Station. The rest of the families are expected to travel by today.
According to Express News correspondent Aftab Bukhari, five families residing in Aatma Raam Haweli – joint residence – vacated it this morning in order to move out to India.
Bukhari said that the families had complaints that their shops were looted, their houses were raided by unknown men and their women were forcefully converted.
He said that the visas on their passports were not permanent, however, he said that chances of them coming back to Pakistan were slim.
Akashma Online News 