ISLAMABAD: July 4, 2008. In order to protest against the procedure of selection instead of election on the ten reserved seats for the representatives of minorities in the National Assembly and continued exploitation of minorities in Pakistan especially the Christian community the World Minorities Alliance (WMA) held a protest demonstration at the Melody Chowk in front of Rawalpindi Islamabad Press Club the other day. The demonstration was led by Convener WMA and former Federal Minister Salik who set on fire his own chair which he used while being in the cabinet to protest the way constitutional provisions for the direct representation in the parliament are being violated by the regime. Speaking on this occasion he lamented that minorities are being compelled to live in the Stone Age like conditions having no alternate but to live in extreme poor conditions in shanty towns and mud dwellings adjacent to sewerage lines. He was critical to the policies of the US and the West for having offered plenty of aid and assistance to successive governments of Pakistan without paying any attention to the miseries of the minorities and continued denial of their constitutional rights. He put the blame of this sorry state of the affair on the United Nations as well that has dedicated no day to be observed internationally to express solidarity with the suppressed minorities across the world, while so many such days are observed every often and then. He noted that our rulers make tall claims on the eve of all their foreign visits that all constitutional and legal rights of the minorities including most poor class of Christians are well protected in Pakistan but the situation on the ground is that minorities are compelled to live in the conditions which are beyond discrimination. He observed that the constitution guaranteed every citizen a respectable life but the fact of the matter is that minorities particularly Christians are treated as second-class citizens. He asserted that minorities are conscious enough of their rights and they would not further tolerate their exploitation and injustice in the walks of life. On this occasion the participants of the rally chanted slogans in favor of their demands including due and direct representation in the parliament, provision of land for their own shelter, sufficient employment opportunities and strict compliance of the laws of their minimum wages and other benefits guaranteed under the constitution.