Daily Times

From 1951 till 1981, the census was regularly undertaken in the country, which suggested a gradual population growth. The third censuswas delayed for a year because of Bangladesh’s severance in 1971. As per the latest enumeration, the population in 1972 was 65 million which went up to 130 million by 1998.

Since then, the fact was established that a Muslim majority occupies 97 percent of population data and 3 percent ethnic minorities representing Hindus, Christians, Sikhs and other scheduled caste communities. For the first time under Presidential Order No.14 of 1985, ten seats were reserved for minorities in the National Legislature Assembly and proportionate minority seats in the provincial assemblies. Since then, ten selected minority members belonging to majority political parties share their political representation. In 2008, the NA seats were raised up to 342 whereas the number of minorities’ seats was never revised or increased. Asia Nasir, JUI-F nominated Christian Member of the National Assembly, tried time and again to get the minorities seats increased but could not succeed. Recently, her effort was turned down by the standing committee with the plea that minorities’ seatsincreasing bill could be moved after the national census in 2017. Responding to a query on the issue, she said, “I will keep raising the matter in the Parliament.

Actually, there is a little misunderstanding. My first bill was to amend constitution article 51 to revise seats in the National Assembly. After two years long struggle and debate, I succeeded in justifying my move, and the committee unanimously passed that bill, at second stage it was to be brought before the NA. The day the bill was presented in the assembly, members number was not up to the mark as we require a two-third majority to pass any constitutional amendment. So, I requested the Speaker not to put that for voting as I knew it would be rejected. I urged to refer my bill to Law Ministry as I had already lobbied with law minister to take up the bill to the cabinet for final approval because once the cabinet approves then, it would become the government bill and definitely would get approved. So the Speaker referred that to the Law Ministry. I also wanted to make increase in the provincial seats simultaneously, and the committee directed me to move another bill for Provinces which I moved to amend article 106 of the constitution, but this time, surprisingly, the committee rejected the minority seats increasing bill in the National as well as Provincial Assemblies on the grounds that the bill could only be considered after census, but I argued that I have no hope for census and since the majority seats were increased without census in 2008 that justifies my plea to increase our seats.”

On the rejection of her bill she says, “This is not the first time, even during my last tenure, I moved this bill, but each time it was rejected. This time, I really struggled hard.” Her efforts as a minority member are commendable, but there are so many flaws in the system which cause restlessness among masses. There are ten minoritymembers.All could have moved the bill unanimously; definitely, it would have more mass than it possesses when a single member moves a bill of an utmost gravity. On this issue, the straightforward ‘No’ of the NA Standing Committee is logically arguable but potentially looks justified. Ethnic minorities since 1985 with an ultimate full stop at static 3 percent population. What else do they need; already they have been given a handful of participation in the legislature.

2017 census is the best chance to claim the real presence percentage in the country to affirm proper political participation in Parliament as well as socio-economic rights. Nevertheless, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics in coordination with the Provincial governments will carry out country’s census. but communities at large must take responsibility aiding the governmental agencies for decorous enumeration. Talking about minorities, who can help government agencies, the principal responsibility lies with the religious institutions of minorities. The Roman Catholic Church, one of the Main Line Christian Churches in Pakistan keeps a record of all individual members of congregations. Similarly Church of Pakistan, Salvation Army Church, Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church of Pakistan, Seventh Day Adventist Church and other formulated Free Evangelical and Ecumenical Churches may trigger communities to take an active part in the process of census taking. Likewise, Hindu Council in Pakistan and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) are the major representatives of Hindus and Sikh communities. Secondly, minorities’ political leadership could play asignificant role to raise public awareness through media outlets and subservient local political groups. Thirdly, Non-Governmental Organisations working at grass root level are vital for the procedure to bring out the real number of minority members living in a place, region or area. The coordinated efforts of all institutions pertaining to minorities could show a miraculous result with a much-swollen participation than it had been for the last three decades.

This is a fact that the pathetic three percent minorities’ population carries discriminatory issues; nonetheless, it’s time to evince the real number. Pakistan is a growing democracy. Political differences generate party to party and group to group social disassociation. In proving our allegiances, we lose our civic mortalities due to which the entire society is under division and sub-division. Minorities are also divided holding different flags of political and religious affiliations. Notwithstanding, there are some common fields to play in harmonic coordination. 2017 Census is providing a field of fair play where all sections of ethnic minorities, their religious institutions, political parties, non-government organisations could work together for the common cause of proving the exact number of minorities’ participation, which could be five, eight or ten percent.

If this happens, Asia Nasir’s bill will never be rejected;minorities would be able to claim their social and economic rights; they would be able to regain the momentum of confidence they lost in the early seventies; and the international communities concern about minorities would automatically be reshaped where they will see a proper proportionate of minorities taking active part in country’s decision making.This could only be achieved if minority leaders prepare ethnic minorities for an outright demographic.

The writer is a freelance columnist, can be contacted at kaleem.dean@mail.com