Pak Hindus to boycott polls again

[chilli]

Hindus in Pakistan are boycotting the second phase of local bodies elections in protest against the Government's inaction on their demand to abolish the separate electoral system for non-Muslims.

At meetings in Sind and Baluchistan yesterday, Hindus condemned the ''perpetuation'' of the separate electoral system, which non-Muslims say has reduced them to nonentities in Pakistan, according to BBC (Urdu).

Hindus and Christians had boycotted the first phase of local bodies elections in December, leaving hundreds of seats unfilled. A week ago, Christians announced their decision to once again boycott the elections.

Today is the last day for filing nominations.

General Pervez Musharraf had promised to review laws that discriminate against women and minorities, but he has so far not scrapped the separate electoral system, apparently under pressure from hardliners.

Under the separate electoral system, which was introduced by Gen Zia-ul-Haq in 1985, non-Muslims can vote for candidates belonging only to their own communities.

[FYI]

It may be news in Pakistan but in India Indian Muslims have been gfiven the choice of voting for only muslim candidates for ever.Since independence all parties only field minotoity candidfate in muslimmajority area .What is this is it not technically & indirectly prascticing seperate electoral system.Muslim vote for only muslim & a muslim can expect to get only muslim votes mostly.

[chilli]

Hum...so that's the reason Abdul Gafoor could become the CM of hindu-dominated BIHAR, Salman Khursid becomes the Congress chief in Hindu dominated UP...