A seminar titled "Effective Participation of Minorities in Elections," organized by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) and Minority Forum Pakistan, was recently held in Lahore. The event brought together representatives from various political parties to discuss the rights of minorities and their participation in the upcoming general elections of 2024.
Key speakers at the seminar included Peter Jacob (Executive Director of CSJ), Zia Uddin Ansari (Ameer, Jamaat Islami), Tariq Javed Tariq (PML-N), and Habqooq Gill (PTI), with Yasar Talib moderating the discussion. The seminar focused on the need for a "soft revolution through reforms" as opposed to rigid revolutions that weaken institutions and political systems. This approach, according to Peter Jacob, is instrumental in strengthening accountability, institutions, and democracy.
The representatives agreed to take practical steps to address the issues faced by minorities. Habqooq Gill of PTI committed to taking meaningful actions to address human rights challenges faced by minorities, while Tariq Javaid Tariq from PML-N highlighted the often-overlooked concerns of minorities in legislative processes. Ziauddin Ansari of JI discussed the unfulfilled pledges in election manifestos, emphasizing the need for consistent efforts to change political priorities.
Tayyaba Rafiq presented a five-point demand regarding minorities' rights, which includes strengthening laws against child marriage, criminalizing forced religious conversion, implementing the Jillani Judgment, removing religious content from non-religious textbooks, and establishing a statutory minorities rights commission. These demands were endorsed by seminar participants, including political workers and representatives of civil society groups.
Nasir William presented the findings of the assessment report “Promises to Keep & Miles to Go,” which showed that political parties have often failed to fulfill their pledges regarding minorities' rights made before elections. The campaign "Main Bhi Pakistan Hun" was highlighted for its role in awakening public opinion on these demands and reminding political parties of their promises.
The seminar concluded with a unified pledge from politicians across various parties to incorporate the proposed demands into their respective manifestos and strengthen affirmative measures to address minority issues. The campaign around the elections included widespread community engagement, with banners, community-level meetings, advocacy meetings with election contestants, and district-level seminars, ensuring that the voices of minorities are heard and represented in Pakistan's political landscape.
