Ahmadis are unable to register as Muslim voters. The election commission used NADRA’s data to register Ahmadis in a separate roll; However, Ahmadis say they will not avail their right to vote.
Ahmadiya Pakistan Spokesperson Saleemudin whilst speaking to a Daily English Newspaper stated that the Ahmadiya community will not cast votes in the May 11 elections because of the “attitude of the State”.
Saleemudin said there were up to 200,000 members of the community in the country. Every government, he said, has pandered to anti-Ahmadiya elements which was why Ahmadis had been unable to cast their votes.
“The separate voter list for Ahmadis published by the election commission contains our latest addresses…this exposes us to great risk,” Saleemudin said. Anyone can obtain these rolls, he said.
Ahmadis have dissociated themselves from elections for nearly four decades. “We do not have voting rights to any assembly or district. We don’t even have representation in the town council of Chenab Nagar where 95 per cent of the population is Ahmadi,” Saleemudin said.
Ahmadis had participated in elections from 1947 to 1977 when there was a single electorate.
Separate electorates were introduced in 1985 through the eighth amendment. Those who claimed to be Muslim now had to sign a ‘certificate of faith’ denouncing the Ahmadi faith. “Because the form compelled us to call ourselves non-Muslims we were effectively excluded from the voting process,” said Saleemudin.
Hope was raised during former president Pervaiz Musharaf’s regime after he announced a return to the joint electorate, he said. However, anti-Ahmadi elements protested against that in May 2002, forcing Musharaf to rescind his decision. On June 17, 2002, the government issued a separate list of voters in which Ahmadis were listed as non-Muslims. “That order…remains in force,” he said.
Saleemudin said many people had asked him why Ahmadis did not simply fill out the form and get themselves registered. “I tell them we would never disassociate ourselves from the Holy Prophet (pbuh) to get registered as voters,” he said.
In December 2007, several members of the Ahmadiya community wrote letters to the acting prime minister, the chief election commissioner and the president protesting the laws discriminating against their community. Saleemudin said no one had responded except the election commissioner’s office which said he was busy.
Saleemudin said a delegation of Ahmadis had met with Election Commissioner Fakhruddin G Ebrahim to convey their grievance, but the election would still be held under the same rules.
Saleemudin said the government should revise the rules and facilitate their participation through joint electorate that should bear no reference to religion. “We will continue boycotting the elections till our demand is met,” he said.
Form A for voter’s registration states that if a voter claims to be a Muslim, he or she must not be associated with the Qadiani or Lahori Group nor call him or herself an Ahmadi
Highly discriminating and offensive
Ahmadis have dual vote in the forthcoming election. if they abstain from voting its their choice.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the last and seal of the Prophet.This is true and fact .accept him as a last Prophet and be a true muslim. without accepting this fact no one is allowed to call him a muslim. that's the order of the king of the universe Allah.
This is the height of discrimination which had been shown by Government of Pakistan from past 36 years. We can only pray to God. Allah may show them right path and sense. Long Live Pakistan.
if state is discriminating what else would be left?no else bears separate list so why this prejudiced treatment with ahmadies?election are not for promotion of religion they are simply for the betterment of countary.so will separte list will promote harmony or will raise divide between different ethenic groups.man try to unite nation instead of divide!
nobody can take risk to do justice with ahmadies in this mullans state.zia has given us a full package of mlla state.to diffuse this mind in pakistan it will take atleast 50 years more or so.you can easily judge by watching mullas on tv shows.dominated factor in pakistan.who will dare to go opposite to their approach
Qadiani/Ahmadis should simply become Muslim and join the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). This is more important than getting the right to vote as non-Muslims. As long as they follow their fraudster prophet Ghulam Ahmad, they will never be accepted as part of Pakistani community.
Ahmadi is the most progressive and advanced concept in all the existing Islamic sects, originated in the fertile land of Punjab. It is the greatest gift given by India to Islam in spite of all its brutalities. Ahmadis gave the same to Islam what Guru Nanak gave to Hindus. Alas, Islam couldn't recognize this till date, even Punjabis in Pak are not ready to identify their own original gift to Islam and blindly follow Arabians/Persians. In fact Ahmadis/Punjabis are the Guru of whole Islamic World. Sooner or later, muslims will reconize it.
See the facts for Khatam-un-nabeen words meaning and its implementatin as per Quran and Sunna on http://www.alislam.org
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