ISLAMABAD: Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, a minority Member of National Assembly on Tuesday demanded allocation of division wise seats for minority representatives and grant of dual vote right to them as was in practice for the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

A session of the National Assembly commenced under the leadership of Speaker Ayaz Sadiq today.

Speaking in the National Assembly after introducing a constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2013, amendment in Article 51 and 59, the minority MNA said the present legislators did not represent the minority community.

Dr Vankwani said division-wise constituencies for minorities would help in electing true representatives of minority community.

He further said that political parties supported the demand, as all believe that minorities should be granted right to vote and their seats should be enhanced.

The government did not oppose the Bill.

The speaker referred the bill to the relevant standing committee for further perusal and discussion.

The Speaker also referred the bill of Ms Kishwer Zehra's Bill to further amend the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (The constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2013. (Amendment in Article 51 and 59). Ms Kishwer said disabled should be given representation in Parliament.

Moreover, lawmakers belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) staged a walkout from the National Assembly against the delimitation of Karachi’s constituencies.

During the session, MQM MNA Abdul Rashid Godil remarked that changes were repeatedly being made in Karachi’s constituencies.

He said MQM had even approached the courts against the delimitation of Karachi's constituencies despite of which new delimitations were being carried out by promulgating ordinances.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the main opposition party in the National Assembly, protested on the issue of Kalabagh Dam.

Nawab Yusuf Talpur said that the government did not intend to construct the Kalabagh Dam.

Earlier in December, MQM's senior leader Dr Farooq Sattar and counsel Farogh Nasim had approached the SHC regarding the administrative delimitation of constituencies in the city’s districts South and East.

Dr Farooq Sattar had said that the new delimitations were carried out against the Constitution of Pakistan and had suggested that union councils have equal population distribution.