Reserved for minorities: Low population keeps seats vacant

Reserved seats for minorities in rural Balochistan usually remain vacant.


Our Correspondent May 03, 2014

QUETTA: More than half of the seats reserved for religious minorities in the upcoming phase of local bodies elections in Balochistan will remain vacant as merely 312 candidates have filed nominations for 743 seats. “The population of non-Muslims is very low in Balochistan,” said Provincial Election Commissioner Sultan Bayazeed. Reserved seats for minorities in rural Balochistan usually remain vacant. “Minority communities either live in Quetta or urban areas of the province,” he added. According to the provincial election commissioner, as many as 5,331 candidates have submitted their nomination papers for the total 4,561 reserved seats of LB polls due on May 29. According to Bayazeed, 2,721 candidates filed nominations for the 2,332 reserved seats for women and 1,305 submitted papers for 743 reserved seats of peasant and labourer while 1100 candidates will contest for 743 reserved seats of social workers and professional categories.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 3rd, 2014.

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