By: Azam Mairaj
Over the past 77 years, in 16 general elections, three different electoral systems have been imposed on non-Muslim Pakistanis through five experiments. The details, strengths, and weaknesses of these systems have been consistently highlighted over the past decade by the selfless global volunteers of Tehreek-e-Shanakht through books, booklets, community and national newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, posters, video clips, TV interviews, and other platforms. The book “Yun Aayee Gi Jamhooriyat” also presents comprehensive arguments for the case of dual voting.
Based on these 77 years of experience and a careful study of Pakistan’s social, political, and democratic realities, a complete charter of demand has been formed. If the Government and State of Pakistan truly wish to provide religious minorities with representation based on their religious identity in the legislative houses while also including them in the national mainstream, which is their fundamental human, civil, and political right then they must make constitutional amendments to grant dual voting rights.
Because:
The past mixed electoral system rarely allowed minorities to gain representation based on religious identity. the separate system socially excluded minorities, making them politically untouchable.
The current system of joint electorate with proportional selection, despite dual representation, results in representatives seen as loyal to political parties rather than their communities. Hence, minority voters remain dissatisfied.
Whichever political party commits to resolving this issue will not only win the sympathy of nearly 9 million non-Muslim citizens (about 4.5 million voters), but also earn national and international media attention. These voters, present in every provincial and national constituency, can decisively influence 15–20 National Assembly seats and 40–50 seats in Punjab and Sindh provincial assemblies beyond their usual vote base.
Three Key Points of the Dual Vote Demand:
- Preservation of Universal Voting Rights: Every non-Muslim citizen must retain the right to vote and contest general elections at all levels—national, provincial, district, tehsil, and union council. The dual representation system was restored in 2001 to ensure representation based on religious identity. However, the current system has revoked minorities’ right to elect their own representatives based on that identity.
- Religious Identity Based Voting for Reserved Seats: The basic formula for electing representatives based on religious identity should follow the same structure used five times between 1985 and 1997. While that system had a harmful element—isolating minorities from national politics and society—the current proposal ensures that representatives for religious identity-based seats, from UC to the National Assembly, are elected directly by their communities.
- Guaranteed Representation from Each Federal Unit: Religious minorities must have representation in the Senate, National, and Provincial Assemblies from each federal unit. In provinces like Punjab (for Christians) and Sindh (for Hindus), constituencies can be demarcated accordingly. In areas with smaller minority populations like Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad representation should be guaranteed under the constitutional preamble:
“Wherein adequate provision shall be made to safeguard the legitimate interests of minorities and backward and depressed classes.”
This ensures minority representation from every federal unit. These harmless constitutional amendments do not conflict with any party’s interests and will, in fact, strengthen national unity and stability.
Expected Outcomes of Dual Vote Implementation:
By centralizing the dual vote demand around these three points, Pakistan’s religious minorities will gain national representation from every constituency and identity based representation from every federal unit.
Political and social activists from minority communities should pursue this demand with conviction, knowing that:
This minor constitutional amendment does not threaten any political group or state institution.
It ensures national integrity and minority inclusion.
If implemented, this system would increase minority representation:
Senate: 5 minority senators (one from each unit including Islamabad).
National Assembly: From 10 to 19 seats.
Provincial Assemblies: From 24 to 33 seats.
This would raise the total minority representatives from 38 to 57.