CDP thanks non-Muslims for rejecting KP polls

ISLAMABAD: Ben-Hur Yousaf Gil, Chairman of the Christian Democratic Party (CDP), has issued a statement to thank the non-Muslim Pakistanis for rejecting the current electoral system which he says is based on selection for religious minorities.
He said there is no credibility in the local bodies election without the participation of religious minorities and women. He said non-Muslims in general and Christians in particular are concerned over the current electoral system of local bodies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
The system currently in place has made it impossible for the non-Muslims to represent their real leadership. It has also proved to be a barrier for new and young leadership, he added. The CDP views this situation politically alarming as non-Muslim Pakistanis feel to have been sidelined and denied the right to elect their own representatives who could raise voice for their rights.
Under the current electoral system, the selected non-Muslim members are hugely influenced by policies of their parties and do not dare raise voice on issues that affect non-Muslims. This has resulted in a huge sense of political insecurity. Moreover, the current electoral system for non-Muslims is a grave violation of the Constitution, it alleged.
The CDP demanded that non-Muslims be allowed to exercise their constitutional right of franchise to elect their own representatives through secret ballot. It also demanded election and not selection for non-Muslim representatives.