Minority affairs: Joint electoral system condemned
Hindu Leaders lamented the disinterest of local Muslim MPAs and MNAs in their issues.
RAHIM YAR KHAN:
Hindu leaders have said that it is unfair that they are “denied” representation in the Punjab Assembly. The local leaders – former MPA Bakhsha Ram, Bhaiyya Ram Anjum, member of the district consultation committee Punnoo Ram and others – met on Tuesday. They said that a majority of the Hindu population in Punjab was based in Rahim Yar Khan, pointing out that a Hindu MPA had always represented them from 1976 to 1997. They condemned the joint electoral system re-introduced by General Pervez Musharraf in 2002, saying that the system had taken away their right to represent their religious group. The leaders said that Christians were representing all minorities in the provincial assembly and were less interested in the problems of Hindus. They lamented the disinterest of local Muslim MPAs and MNAs in their issues. They demanded that minorities be given a separate electorate.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 6th, 2012.
Hindu leaders have said that it is unfair that they are “denied” representation in the Punjab Assembly. The local leaders – former MPA Bakhsha Ram, Bhaiyya Ram Anjum, member of the district consultation committee Punnoo Ram and others – met on Tuesday. They said that a majority of the Hindu population in Punjab was based in Rahim Yar Khan, pointing out that a Hindu MPA had always represented them from 1976 to 1997. They condemned the joint electoral system re-introduced by General Pervez Musharraf in 2002, saying that the system had taken away their right to represent their religious group. The leaders said that Christians were representing all minorities in the provincial assembly and were less interested in the problems of Hindus. They lamented the disinterest of local Muslim MPAs and MNAs in their issues. They demanded that minorities be given a separate electorate.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 6th, 2012.