Islamabad: May 4, 2012. (PCP) Convener World Minorities Alliance J Salik called on the Acting Chief Election Commissioner Mr. Justice Shakirullah Jan the other day and presented a memorandum enlisting excesses committed against minorities during the past 10 years. Following is the test of the memorandum:- “Minorities were deprived of their right to vote before the 2002 general elections through a black ordinance promulgated by General Musharraf. The same year I challenged Musharraf’s ordinance in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. A larger bench comprising Chief Justice Shaikh Riaz, Justice Munir A Sahikh, Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and Justice Qazi Muhammad Farooq was constituted to hear my petition. During the course of hearing Justice Munir A Shaikh remarked ‘Electoral process to elect minority members and women on reserved seats needs to be changed, But unfortunately when the Supreme Court fixed the next date of hearing after the general elections, I was disappointed and withdrew my petition. Then with a hope to take part in the general elections on minority seat I moved the Shariat Court seeking annulment of Musharraf’s ordinance. The Shariat Court could not hear my petition as full bench could not be constituted due to shortage of one member. I submitted an application to withdraw my petition on from the Shariat Court, which took one year to decide on withdrawal of petition. Though democracy was restored after 8 black years, the incumbent democratic government made Musharraf’s unconstitutional ordinance part of the Constitution through 18th Amendment, which I challenged in the Supreme Court, On September 2, 2010; during the course of hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan Chaudhry Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry remarked that the existing electoral process to elect minority member and women on 30 per cent parliamentary seats was ‘prima facie’ against Article 226 of the Constitution. Justice Jawad Khwaja in his remarks said that 30 percent (minorities and women.) member of Parliament were not genuine representatives. Justice Khalilul Rehman Ramday in his remarks said that according to J Salik there was no MP representing the Christian community. The minority members selected did not represent the minorities as the had made no legislation with regard to genuine representation of minorities, Honorable Judges of the Supreme Court observed that women and minority members should be elected through secret ballot. On September 6, 2010, during the course of hearing Justice Javed Iqbal also remarked that the existing electoral process to elect MPs on reserved seats was against democratic norms. Former Secretary Election Commission of Pakistan Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan also had reservations against the electoral process for election of minority and women member of Parliament.” After presenting the memorandum J Salik thanked the Acting Chief Commissioner Shakirullah Jan for patiently hearing his submissions. J Salik expressed the hope that Justice Shakirullah would play his constitutional role in convey to the judiciary and the legislature the excesses being committed against minorities vis-à-vis their genuine representation in the Parliament and the provincial assemblies.