LAHORE, Jan 20: The Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan is opposed to amendments to the constitution by an un-elected government, JI deputy secretary-general Fareed Ahmad Piracha said on Sunday.

Mr Piracha said it was not for the military government to amend the constitution and restore a joint electorate.

He alleged that the restoration of joint electorates was aimed at promoting vested interest by using minorities’ votes.

Separate electorates, he argued, had ensured representation of minorities in the National as well as the Provincial Assemblies. Their representatives, he said, had been able to ensure that development projects costing millions of rupees were executed in the localities inhabited by minority communities.

Should the next elections be held with a joint electorate, he said, the minorities will lose representation in the assemblies, and with that a major portion of the development funds.

Proportional representation, he said, could help solve the problems of feudalism, poor performance of assemblies, and representation of technocrats and women.