LAHORE, Sept 10: While endorsing the principle of joint electorate, participants of a national consultation on Tuesday suggested that the system of elections be viewed in the context of the constitutional and legal order in force, an HRCP statement has said.

The participants of the consultation, organized by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan here, reached a consensus that joint electorate was not an end in itself, but was the means to eliminate all forms of distinction in the enjoyment of rights on the basis of belief.

Most of the speakers, including representatives of major political parties, were of the opinion that all those constitutional provisions, which kept open the possibilities of distinction on the grounds of belief, needed to be revised.

None of the political parties/groups taking part in the consultation opposed joint electorate. However, there was a consensus among the participants that the scheme devised for the general election violated the joint electorate principle on more counts than one.

The participants lamented that the Ahmadiya community had to opt out of the electoral process because Ahmadi votes had been put on a separate list of non-Muslims while there was a single electoral list for Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Parsis, etc. They said the discrimination seriously violated the joint electorate system.

The meeting rejected as unnecessary and unfair the submission of affidavit by candidates, as it reflected distinction between Muslims and non-Muslims. It called for cancellation of the affidavit.

Some participants took exception to the reservation of seats for non-Muslims (as also for women), saying that such measures kept divisions among the people alive. However, it was agreed that if the political integration of the people continued, it might be possible for political parties to accommodate non-Muslims (and also women) on general seats and the need for reservations might disappear.

Regarding a proposal that non-Muslims be encouraged to contest for general seats, there was a consensus among the participants that political parties faced several obstacles in relation to the polls but, in future, possibilities of progress in that direction could not be ruled out. They recommended that the parties allow greater opportunities to non-Muslims and women to serve as legislators and as party office-holders.

The speakers unanimously rejected any amendments to the constitution made in contravention of the procedure laid down in the basic law itself.

The non-Muslim parties/groups at seminar were not satisfied with the mode of filling their reserved seats as, they said, those elected on party lists might not be able to represent their communities.

A delegate from Fata regretted that the non-Muslims in the tribal region had been ignored vis-a-vis reservation of seats.

Although the consultation was confined to the implications of the revival of the joint electorate system, the participants insisted on making a recommendation calling for withdrawal of the graduation condition.

The day-long meeting was attended by the representatives of the Pakistan People’s Party, Awami National Party, Pakistan People’s Parliamentarians, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf, Jeay Sindh Mahaz, Jamhoori Watan Party, Seraiki National Party, Qabaili Jamhoori Party, PPP (SB), Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F), Millat Party, Pakistan Muslim League (Qasim), the Justice and Peace Commission, several NGOs and a number of Muslim and non-Muslim social and human rights activists.