On a question conducted by the PCP about the role of present Christian parliamentarians, as general opinion of the Christians, indicated that they have lost their approach to their candidates under joint elections, comparing to the elected Christians representatives under separate electorate from 1985 to 2000. They viewed that Christian candidates have been visiting their door steps requesting votes which provided with an opportunity to cast votes in favor of only candidates with better election manifesto of community uplift and easy to approach.

Now Christian representatives have been selected by the Muslim political parties with the choice of Muslim leadership under joint elections. Christians vote for Muslim candidates in respective constituencies and Muslim elected parliamentarians select the Christian candidates by their votes. The joint election system has been emerged as selection system on the seats reserved for Christians in parliament and very clearly proven undemocratic process, when Christian voters have been deprived of voting rights to elect their representatives with their votes. It seems that Christian vote bank have been high jacked by Muslims under joint election system.

The feudal lords and business tycoons lead the Muslim political parties in Pakistan. For example feudal lords and business community fill in Pakistan Peoples Party PPP leadership. The Pakistan Muslim League PML (Q) and (N) have not any poor Muslim on their leadership row. The MQM leadership is not from feudal lords and business community but its run under one-man rule like dictators. The MMA, a component of religious parties carries leadership of clerics with fundamental Muslim issues where there is no place for other religious communities.

In this scenario of composition of Muslim political set up, 95% of Muslim elected parliamentarians represent feudal lords and business community, who are not in easy approach of their Muslim members and voters in Pakistan. Even Muslim voters can see these elected representatives during the election campaigns and after their success in elections, their secretaries can be seen only. When Muslim voters have not reach to their Muslim representatives, How a Christian voter can reach to these Muslim leaders? PPP adopted and selected 2 Christian MNA, PML (Q) 3 Christian MNA, MMA 2 Christian Members in National Assembly.

Moreover Christians are facing other social problems to approach these Muslim leaders to whom they voted in their constituencies. Whenever they go to present their problems they have to wait for hours in line. During these waiting hours they are forced to sit on floor of these Muslim landlords drawing rooms, as Muslim visitors do not like Christian visitors to sit equal to them on chairs. The worst part of this waiting comes when any Christian feels thirsty and he is forced to drink water in separate cup as Muslim visitors dot like Christian visitors to drink in the same glasses in which they drink water in these waiting rooms. The Christian women are afraid to enter in these visiting rooms of Muslim leaders for whom they were forced to vote under imposed joint election system as they are disrespected and forced to establish illicit relations in return to solution of their problems by the Muslim secretaries.

During separate electorate, Christians have been electing their leaders by their vote. They were free to reach their representatives. They were not facing such discriminatory behavior in the sitting rooms of Christian parliamentarians. The Christian women felt easy to talk to Christian representatives with due respect toward them by their leaders.

The Christian youth was happy, as they have been getting government jobs and professional colleges admissions on the quota of their Christian representatives. But what is happening now? It is a shame full view for those who demanded joint electorate.

The Christian representatives selected by the Muslim political parties are ignoring the poor Christian community in Pakistan. The Christians selected under this imposed rule of joint electorate, very clearly discourage the Christians, saying that they have been not elected by Christian's voters and are not bound to solve their problems now. Few of these selected Christians candidates are taking refuge with these comments that their Muslim party leaders do not allow them to directly solve Christian problems without their consent. It seems that Christians have been totally pushed out of mainstream of political and social process of the state due to joint electorate.

The presentation of selected Christian parliamentarians in the house in two years period is zero. Non of these Christians have moved any motion in the house. None of these Christians have raised voice against blasphemy laws in the house. None of these Christians have commented on any national or international issue in the house. None of these Christians have presented youth, women and seniors problem in the house. None of these Christians have moved any privileged motion in the house.

The Christians of Pakistan are positive to say that these are not their representatives but the tools of Muslim political parties in the National Assembly of Pakistan and Provincial assemblies of the Pakistan when they are not sincere in solution of their problems and joint elections are not in favor of Christians, which made them voiceless in Pakistan.

Nazir S Bhatti