Millions of Pakistani Citizens are Excluded to Vote in Elections to be Held
Jan 2008 Due Their Religious Beliefs
NEW YORK, Dec. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Election Laws the basis
for voters eligibility is Pakistani citizenship, not religion or race. In
stark contrast to these laws, the voter forms provided by the Election
Commission of Pakistan blatantly includes a column for religion of the voter,
a maneuver specifically designed to coerce Ahmadis to declare their
disassociation with the Holy Prophet (pbuh), which no Ahmadi can envision. In
order to conduct Elections on Joint electorate basis, Voters List is compiled
of all the citizens and displayed for public Information. It would have been a
welcome step towards national harmony but since this is intolerable to the
extremist/enemies of Pakistan, the Election Commission acting under
inexplicable pressure and expediency issued the following order vide its
circular (No.F.1(6)/2001-Cord) of 17th January, 2007:
"I am directed to say that the competent authority has been pleased to
decide that separate supplementary lists of draft electoral rolls for
Ahmadis/Quadianis for the electoral areas concerned. Wherever they are
registered may be prepared and published thereby mentioning " ( For Quadianis,
Men/ Women )" as the case may be."
This regulation has resulted in two lists, one general list of all
Pakistani Citizens and the other list exclusively for Ahmadis. This egregious
display of religious discrimination is not only designed to fan sectarian
hatred but runs contrary to the Qaid-e-Azam the Father of Nation's
pronouncements, the Constitution of Pakistan and the spirit of General
Elections. It also flies in the face of the UN Charter of human rights and is
a despicable attempt to isolate millions of Ahmadis from the national
mainstream and to render them politically irrelevant. It is in fact a
shameless display of ruthless suppression of the human rights of Ahmadis
peaceful and law abiding citizen of Pakistan, and uncaring of the country's
defamation because of it.
The Election Commission of Pakistan and government functionaries have been
informed of this sad state of affairs. Because of the above we register our
forceful protest and wish to make clear that under these circumstances the
members of the Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya Pakistan cannot participate in the
forthcoming National Elections. These elections will loose its credibility and
fairness. Zinda Mahmood Bajwa
From: Zinda Mahmood Bajwa
M.A.,L.L.B.
Secretary Public Affairs USA Jammat
zmbajwa@yahoo.com Tel:646-498-8960 F:866-415-8003
SOURCE AHMADIYYA MOVEMENT IN ISLAM Inc., USA
Zinda Mahmood Bajwa, M.A.,L.L.B., Secretary Public Affairs USA Jammat,
+1-646-498-8960, or fax, +1-866-415-8003, zmbajwa@yahoo.com
