“There is only one Christian MPA in the assembly and he too belongs to a party in the opposition,” complained Liaquat Munawwar Masih. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
The members of an NGO run by Christians demanded representation of their community in the provincial government.
Addressing a press conference at Karachi Press Club on Wednesday, they pointed out that out of the nine parliamentarians currently nominated on reserved seats for minorities in the Sindh Assembly, only one belonged to the Christian community. They felt the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was neglecting them.
“There is only one Christian MPA in the assembly and he too belongs to a party in the opposition,” complained Liaquat Munawwar Masih, the president of Mission and Action for Social Services (Mass). “We have no representation in the government,” he added.
Masih said that they want equal opportunities and resources in the government just like the Hindu community. “We are not against the Hindus enjoying power but as a large minority community, we also wish to have some say in the government and be a part of it.” He said that currently there were two ministries in the provincial assembly, which were being handled by Hindus.
Masih said that because of having no representative in the assembly, they were facing a number of problems as their issues were not being raised or heard. “There is no developmental work in our areas and no one is there to highlight our plight.”
PPP’s Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had expressed that he wished to see a Christian prime minister someday. “He should be aware that in his own province, there is no parliamentarian who is a Christian.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2014.
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