USCIRF: Historic elections are scheduled to take place in Pakistan in Spring 2013. However, members of the Ahmadi religious community will be prevented from voting for the next civilian government. An executive order requires Ahmadis to register separately and vote as non-Muslims. Chief Executive’s Order No. 15 , which President Musharraf issued in 2002, mandates a separate electoral system for the Ahmadi religious community. Since Ahmadis consider themselves to be Muslim, the Executive Order discriminates against them on religious lines and disenfranchises them from the democratic process.
With elections on the horizon, an individual has challenged this discriminatory provisionat the Supreme Court. Removing this provision would allow Ahmadis to participate as equal citizens in Pakistan’s democratic process and remove one facet of the blatant discrimination under which this community suffers. However, President Zardari could issue a new executive order at anytime.
Categories: Ahmadis And Pakistan, Ahmadiyyat: True Islam, Americas