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Time for the minorities to wake up

Time for the minorities to wake up

It's about time that minorities themselves and those who support their cause stood up for due rights.

Zia Khan July 06, 2011

Arguably, the communities that have suffered the worst kind of discrimination in Pakistan over the past decade are religious minorities. Hundreds of thousands of Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and followers of other faiths have been up against not only a ‘silent’ hatred by many Muslims but, in recent years, they have also faced the rage of religious extremists.

Several external and internal factors, such as attempts by a powerful civil-military establishment to create a theocratic state and a ‘misdirected’ quest to seek dominance over our neighbours, appear to be contributing to the state of affairs we find ourselves in.

But one reason behind religious minorities being deprived of their political rights and due role in the governing machinery has been the poor quality of leadership from the community. Most of the so-called leaders of the downtrodden minorities representing them in institutions like parliament emerged either as a result of their personal manoeuvring or they were just the outcome of ‘accidental’ factors in Pakistan’s polity.

For instance, last week in the National Assembly the prime minister more or less scolded the minorities minister, who along with some fellow MPs was protesting the devolution of his ministry to the provinces. He was told to “behave like a minister” or else he would face the sack.

Gill is the perfect example of a leader among the minorities emerging accidentally and not through an electoral process in which the community is empowered to choose its leader.

What the situation now demands from the minorities themselves and from us the supporters of their right is to seek significant changes in the political system under which they are given representation in parliament. The rules of the game have to be changed and that has to be done now. It is time for all minorities to wake up and get rid of their non-elected representatives.

One possible option can be what was first envisaged by the then prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 1996 when minorities would have a ‘double voting’ right. BB’s electoral reform 1996 was intended to empower non-Muslims with the right to cast votes for general parliamentary seats as well as for those reserved for their own communities. The minorities should try and bring about this change.

WRITTEN BY:
Zia Khan A reporter for The Express Tribune based in Islamabad.

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (21)

Abdul Rehman Gilani | 12 years ago | Reply @Loneliberal PK: Christianity doesnt have the provision regarding apostasy, if any law denies the majority's rights just to propitiate the minority, I and the majority of this country wont accept it. And maybe you should do a research on Jallianwaala Bagh Massacre, the goras can do any atrocity and poor people like you can give reasons to justify it. As earlier said, the paucity of your kind is exuded from your namesake.

Loneliberal PK | 12 years ago | Reply Gilani, Will you accept the same fate for a Christian who converts to Islam? Will you be okay if Christians kill that Muslim for "apostasy"? Or would you enact double standards and cry a river about how the evil goras are out to destroy Muslims?

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Vidyadhar Shastri | 12 years ago | Reply I think it would be much easier for the remaining Hindus in Pakistan to migrate to India, the Gulf (only as a temporary bouncing pad, In terms of religious liberalism, the Gulf is only a shade better, and there too, not by much.), East / West Africa and to Canada / USA. . . Seeking to reform the mess that is Pakistan, would not get them very far, apart from an early departure to Yamalok (the house of death). Pakistan can only be reformed by the majority. The majority are Muslims. The intellectual, liberal and humanists among them, bless their hearts and may they be safe, constitute an impotent minority. They have little say in how their countrymen and fellow compatriots view the non-muslim world. . To expect the complex political morass like Pakistan's to be reformed by three percent of its non-muslim / Hindu population, when three-fourth's of its population (assuming at least that proportion) cannot envision, let alone expect and accept a secular Pakistan; is to commit collective harakiri. . Better yet, to migrate and start anew. Should have done it in 1947. You would have been rich, prosperous and successful like your Sindhi / Punjabi / Marwari compatriots, who took the wise counsel and are now leading entrepreneurs from EU, Africa, Middle East, India and South East Asia. Never too late.

Abdul Rehman Gilani | 12 years ago | Reply @Loneliberal PK: Sorry the punishment for apostasy is death, and that moron who converts from Islam to another deserves it, no question about it.

Abdul Rehman Gilani | 12 years ago | Reply @Loneliberal PK: Your own namesake is proof of how many people share your views. Rest assured, Christians and Hindus should have their rights, which includes worshipping freely, but if you say that in the drama of granting them rights we destroy the Islamic Clauses in our constitution or hesitate to make it as close to Shariat as possible then you are in the wrong and you'll end up screaming when your dream ends unfulfilled.

KolachiMom | 12 years ago | Reply @Loneliberal PK: Beautifully said!

KolachiMom | 12 years ago | Reply Are you trying to promote mass suicide for the minorities Sir? What do you think this is, the U.S. of A?

MKD | 12 years ago | Reply @Asif Saeed I think you got me wrong. Far from being funny I was sarcastic,the 1st sentence was kind of tongue in cheek humour. In the same post I said "Though I commend and appreciate the author's view most sincerly." @Abdul Rehman Gilani What is MAJORITY'S RIGHT exactly? Is it trampling on the rights of a section of citizens who happen to be in the minority? Rights are for every citizen, neither for majority, nor for the minority.

Safir afkhan. | 12 years ago | Reply mr zia khan what are u talking about seventy percent peoples of this is discriminated by therty percent rulling peoples why dont u go and how muslims are living in you country see it go to south punjab in sindh and in worst off bulochistan in khyber hazara dont u see.

Loneliberal PK | 12 years ago | Reply Gilani, If you wake up tomorrow with the same rights as a Pakistani Christian or Hindu, you'd jump out of the window screaming.

Loneliberal PK | 12 years ago | Reply Minorities alone cannot accomplish squat. They're 5% of the total Pakistan population. Ex-Muslims wouldn't dare reveal their identities because they'd get slaughtered for apostasy, as commanded by the religion of peace. If anybody needs to wake up, it's the Muslims. For the minorities to come out in open opposition to the demands of the majority of Muslim supremacists would be mass suicide. Unless the friends of minorities within the Islamic community (i.e the first class citizens of the country) rise up to help amplify their voices, there will be no breakthrough of any kind as far as minority rights are concerned.

Abdul Rehman Gilani | 12 years ago | Reply Wow minority rights drama, Now you will chant against the blasphemy law? What about the MAJORITY'S RIGHTS!

Asif Saeed | 12 years ago | Reply @Malay: Really?? Are you trying to be funny here?? In Pakistan, minorities are treated like garbage.

Sarfraz Abbasi | 12 years ago | Reply I know that there has a worst time for the minorities in Pakistan in some specific areas / cities of the country specially to the christians were not from any political party or group. Miniorities faced terriorsm as we entire nation are doing together. I dont think the writer has done any specific study or adobped any proper way of conducting a research which can be call a professionally justified research. He just speculated and considered his myth was a reality and started giving boost to his myth. He wrote: "For instance, last week in the National Assembly the prime minister more or less scolded the minorities minister, who along with some fellow MPs was protesting the devolution of his ministry to the provinces. He was told to “behave like a minister” or else he would face the sack" Tell me if PM says, behave like a minister whats wrong in it? Did he say, chirtisan, hindo, sikh you shut up and sit down otherwise I will give a kick on your buts.. I am sure PM dint say anything which can be crticized. Mr. Zia Khan, work hard please and try to be among those those who slove the problem not create the problems..

Kramer | 12 years ago | Reply This article is Naive at best. Minorities fear for their lives, going to the extent of hiding their true identities so as to not get openly persecuted/discriminated [and sometimes killed]. The author is so far removed from the plight of the minorities he does not understand that its the MAJORITY that has created such conditions for us poor minorities. Heck, if the Punjab Governer,a Muslim, can be shot dead in broad daylight for supporting a christian who was wrongly accused of blasphemy, who amongst the minorities would be foolish enough to stand up and put him/herself in the crosshairs of religious fundos.

Feroz | 12 years ago | Reply The violent reaction you see from so called educated readers when the word "SECULARISM" is seen will tell you why minorities are cowering in fear. If at Independence the minorities were clearly told that Pakistan would be an Islamic Republic of the Muslims, by the Muslims and for the Muslims the angst would have been lesser. Today the percentage of minorities has been decimated to around 3% though Government generously claims it is 5%. Both the Government and moderate, liberal Muslim citizens are least concerned about minority plight. Leadership of minorities is of no relevance when they can do nothing for the community except offer solace and emotional support. In another 10 years theoretically there may be no minorities left, not very sure the state manages to survive that period either.

Anthony Permal | 12 years ago | Reply Sorry to say but as a minority I disagree with the author. I find it hilarious that he insinuates that good or bad leadership in the community is the problem. In case he hasn't noticed, Shahbaz Bhatti WAS a worthy leader and Salman Taseer was a courageous one who dared to stand up to tyranny. What happened to them? We all know. What leadership positions are you asking us to join when in fact the government has been regularly disowning its own leaders? What leadership positions are you asking us to join when every leader simply gets blown to bits? No this isn't fear of life talking, but fear of not mattering. The feeling we get is that most of our fellow Pakistanis simply don't care any more. Yes, we completely honour and respect and appreciate those many Pakistanis who stand up for us, for our rights etc., but those are few and far between. Instead of asking us to rise up, Mr. Khan, I'd appreciate you ask other Pakistanis why they have been insultingly silent. Why was there no equal and opposing response to the flower petal rain on Qadri? Why were there no protests for us 'fellow Pakistani minorities' among the ghairat-brigade when our leader was assassinated? Why? This is the question we minorities have in Pakistan: Why?

Samir | 12 years ago | Reply It's hard to tell the minorities to stand up for themselves when they are getting raped and killed left, right, and center. Hindu girls are raped and forcibly converted on a daily basis. Christians are maimed in the streets and their churches are set on fire. Ahmadiyas can't even practice their religion. Athiests and agnostics are treated like vermin. Sikhs are kicked out of tribal areas and have their property stolen from them. It's easy to tell the minorities to stand up for themselves but unlike most democratic countries where they have a legitimate avenue through which they can pursue their rights, in Pakistan, they have none.

Malay | 12 years ago | Reply In a country born of religion,by religion,for religion it's like blashphemy to talk about equal rights for minorities. Though I commend and appreciate the author's point of view most sincerely.

Jason | 12 years ago | Reply 4/10

parvez | 12 years ago | Reply It would help if we started by not using the term minorities. They are Pakistanis who follow a different religion and should be accepted as such without discrimination. The solution does not lie in the hands of those Pakistanis who are non Muslim. It lies in the hands of others who sadly are in the divisive process of separating the Muslims into those that are true followers and those who are not. As such, one realistically can not see a solution from this myopic bunch.

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