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‘FREE AND FAIR’ ELECTIONS IN
PAKISTAN A MYTH – AHMADIYYA MUSLIM COMMUNITY UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE
AHMADIYYA MUSLIM JAMA’AT
- SRI LANKA
619/4, Baseline Road, Colombo 9, Sri Lanka.
Elections took place in Pakistan on 18th February with senior members
of the Government claiming that they were conducted freely and fairly.
What they failed to disclose was that due to certain wholly unjust provisions,
members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community were denied the fundamental
right to vote.
In 1985 under the cruel regime of General Zia-ul-Haq the 8th Amendment
to the Pakistan Constitution of 1973 was sanctioned and this led to
the development of a Separate Electorate list. Under the provisions
of this list those who claimed to be Muslim had to sign a certificate
denying the truth of the Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
This Separate Electorate list remained in force during the subsequent
regimes of the late Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif.
There is a general, wholly incorrect, impression that President Pervez
Musharraf abolished this system upon assuming the Presidency. In fact
by virtue of ‘The Chief Executive’s Order No.15 of 2002’
a ‘Supplementary’ list of voters was created in which members
of the Ahmadiyya Community were classed as ‘non-Muslims’.
This Order remains in force.
Speaking about the current elections, the Press Secretary of the Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community, Sri Lanka A. Abdul Aziz said:
“The Pakistani Government is making claims that this year’s
Elections have been free and fair. Yet no Ahmadi Muslim can ever take
part in such elections, as to do so they would have to publicly disassociate
themselves from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This
is something that no Ahmadi Muslim could ever countenance as we believe
that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the greatest Prophet
and that he has no equal in the history of mankind.
The Pakistani Government has instigated this policy due to the pressure
of the Mullahs (religious extremists) who cannot bear to see the prosperity
of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.”
In other countries such injustice would never be tolerated. Yet the
International Community stands by, turning a blind eye to the continuing
persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Pakistan and in other
countries.
It is hoped that such leaders come to the fore in Pakistan who value
truth and justice above personal wealth and power.
End of Release
A. Abdul Aziz.
Press Secretary,
Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamath,
Sri Lanka.
Mobile: +94 777753440
Tel: +94 314923016
Fax: +94 312225037
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