Pakistan is a diverse country where people from different ethnic groups and communities live together. Hindu, Sikhs, Christians, Ahmadi’s and many more. All these communities share equal contributions in the development of Pakistan.
These minorities continue have struggled to uplift the statue of Pakistan. Besides all of this the minorities faces many hardships.
According to the fifth census, the non-Muslim population was 3.72% of the total population. In constitutional framework of 1973, rights of minorities have been protected by Article 20, 27 & 36.
The right of complete religious freedom is ensured in Article 20 where state of Pakistan is responsible to allow minorities to profess, practice and propagate his religion.
Apart from these provisions, a special minority quota of 5% is reserved for non-Muslim Pakistanis in the civil services.
Constitutional rights of minorities in Pakistan are not limited to fundamental rights like practicing religious obligations or job security, they can also participate in national policy making through exercising their democratic right of participating in national politics.
In this regard, Article 51 Clause 4 reserves 10 National Assembly (Lower house of Pakistani parliament) seats while at provincial level same rights have been given for minorities through Article 106 of the constitution.
Apart from national and provincial assemblies, the upper house of Pakistani parliament (Senate) has 4 reserved seats for minorities. In 2017, Pakistani Parliament promulgated Elections Act 2017 making it compulsory for all political parties to submit a priority list of non-Muslim candidates with their nomination papers along with making them to submit detailed procedures for filling-up reserved seats.
This act has enhanced the participation of minority’s members of the society in national politics and through that in nation building.
Today, elected/ appointed members of provincial and national assemblies are playing active role in policy making. These seats are filled through the method of proportional representation.
Minority seats are allocated to parties according to the proportion of general seats they have bagged in the elections. It remains an encouraging fact that the constitution of Pakistan protects and promotes the rights of its minorities helping them to integrate in national fabric.
Many non-Muslims philosophers, politicians, doctors, engineers, lawyers, judges, army personnel, bureaucrats and teachers are serving in Pakistan because they enjoy the freedom of religion, freedom of thoughts, freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of profession. Minority members of society are playing a critical role in Pakistan’s armed forces as well.
All three branches have officers and Jawan belonging to minority factions. Another historical fact about religious harmony and rights of minorities is that there have been no communal riots in 75 years of Pakistani history, unlike the other countries in the region.
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