ISLAMABAD: June 22, 2011. (PCP) Former Federal Minister and a nominee of Nobel Peace Prize J.Salik has lamented that the 18th constitutional amendment has given a serious blow to the democratic and legitimate rights of minorities. In a statement issued here on Wednesday he said it is sham democracy the way major political parties have been given the powers to nominate members of the minorities on his discretion. As a result of which, he added there are only two so called representatives of the Christian community in the present parliament while Hindus are holding eight seats. He further said there is no representative of Parsi, Sikh, Buddhist and Ahmadi communities in the present parliament. He recalled that in the assembly elected under late General Zia-ul-haq ten seats in the parliament were reserved including four from Christian, four from Hindu , one collectively for Parsi, Sikh and Bhuddist communities and one for ‘Qadyanis’. He further pointed out that there were ten members of the minorities when the total strength of the National Assembly was 207; and 217 with the MNA from minorities; while the current strength of the National Assembly is 342 including 60 reserved seats for women, eight Hindus and two Christians. He noted that these seventy seats are filled without direct election which is a violation of article 226 of the constitution. He pointed out that Justice Muneer Sheikh also verified it as an injustice and suggested that a change is required for electing the minorities and ladies reserved seats during the hearing in October 2002. Similarly Justice Khalil Ul Rehman Said on 28th September 2010 the present parliament has not made any law regarding the minorities and chief Justice Iftikar Muhammad Chaudry said that the choosing of the minority members in the Parliament is against the Article 226. On the other hand on 6th September 2010 Justice Javed Iqbal said that the present way of electing on the reserved seat is the opposite of democratic reign. He said that it is the irony of the fate that Dr. Kathumal Jewan has replaced late Shahbaz Bhatti without any electoral process which shows that minorities as a whole have nothing to do with the procedure of ‘selection’ of their minorities. He said it is the moral responsibility of all the democratic forces of the country to ensure that democratic rights of the minorities are protected.