Pakistan: Voter discrimination against Ahmadis

Now there are two voters’ lists in Pakistan. One which includes Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Bahais etc and another which includes Ahmadis only. This Ahmadi-specific regulation is discriminatory.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The News | Pakistan
By Jamil Ahmad Butt | Jqnuary 30, 2011

The Supreme Court has once again impressed upon the need for correct voters’ lists to safeguard the right to vote of the citizens of Pakistan. This concern is even being extended to overseas Pakistanis’ right to vote. There can be no two opinions on the importance of an accurate, updated voters’ list and the good intentions of the Supreme Court. But I wonder why no one from within the judiciary, the Election Commission of Pakistan, the media, the civil society or the human rights activists has shown any concern about a drawback in the voters’ list which has been there for decades and which aims at depriving the Ahmadis in Pakistan of their right of vote.


First, it was the separate-electorate system and the Ahmadis did not get themselves registered as non-Muslims. Later, the system was changed to joint-electorate but still the Ahmadis were kept away from its ambit. A regulation was made according to which the voters’ list for Ahmadis was ordered to be made separately. Now there are two voters’ lists in Pakistan. One which includes Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Bahais etc and another which includes Ahmadis only. This Ahmadi-specific regulation is discriminatory.

Jamil Ahmad Butt
Karachi

Read original post here: Discrimination