Minorities demand joint electorate

LAHORE: Representatives of minorities asked for a joint electorate system in the upcoming local elections in a seminar arranged by Minorities Rights Commission of Pakistan (MRCP) on Tuesday.

The speakers also demanded that the local polls be held on a party basis. They said the minorities had been neglected in the previous local elections and funds allocated for minorities’ councillors were less than that of general councillors.

MRCP representatives Aftab Alexander Mughal and Younas Alam Muhammad Tahsin said that minorities should actively participate in the next local elections. They said that the election commission should be more independent and should not discriminate against voters on the basis of religion. They demanded a joint voter’s list for the people of Pakistan and an increase in the number of women seats.

They said that minorities were completely ignored in development projects and funding. The seminar passed various resolutions including urging minorities to contest on general seats, encouraging joint campaigns with Muslim candidates and to elect a liberal Muslim representative in their union council. They asked women to contest in the upcoming local polls as well. staff report

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