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| August 24, 2002 | Saturday | Jamadi-us-Saani 14, 1423 |
Salik criticizes mode of election for reserved seats
ISLAMABAD, Aug 23: The convenor of World Minorities Alliance and former Federal Minister J. Salik has called upon the President Gen Pervez Musharraf to review the mode of elections for non-Muslim reserved seats, as the proposed procedure will jolt the national solidarity.
In a letter to the President, he said “My discussion with an official of Election Commission has revealed that non-Muslims cannot contest elections against reserved seats as independent candidates since non-Muslim seats would be distributed among political parties proportionate to the votes they poll in the general elections.”
Since the Muslims would be allowed to contest general elections as independent candidates as well, denial to non-Muslims this right is tantamount to discrimination which is violative of the constitution, he said.
He said forcing the non-Muslim contestants to align themselves with one political party or another - the religious party or liberal one - will give jolt to interfaith solidarity.
“National integration and solidarity is the need of hour,” he said adding that “he personally has been striving for that noble cause for quarter of a century.”
The new mode of elections for non-Muslim reserved seats will create a wedge, which is not in national interest, he said.—PPI
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