ISLAMABAD: May 6, 2011. (PCP) Former Federal Minister for Population Welfare and Convener World Minorities Alliance J.Salik has strongly reacted to the statement of the newly appointed Minister for Minorities Affairs Riaz Hussain Pirzada that he would tender his resignation if he is not acceptable to the minorities leaders. In a statement issued here on Friday J. Salik said actually Riaz Pirzada didn’t like this ministry as there is no charm therein that is why he has referred it in a derogatory manner. He said Riaz Pirzada should know that he was elected out of the votes of the minorities as well therefore he should consider himself as a member of National Assembly and not as a member of any religious group. He said that Riaz Hussain Pirzada has insulted the minorities of the country after having said that he doesn’t feel comfortable for being the Minister of Minorities Affairs and that some Minorities leaders should hold this portfolio. J. Salik has lamented that earlier non-elected members held this portfolio and even now there is no elected member of the minorities in the parliament. He expressed his disappointment that many of our people did not know that the present members of the parliament have been elected under joint electorate; and that the spirit of the joint electorate warranted all these 272 members to act as the representatives of all the citizens of the country. He said it is extremely unfortunate that members from the minorities are not elected; they are selected by the major parties in the parliament, which is an injustice to the suppressed and oppressed minorities of Pakistan. He said if at all people like Pirzada have any sympathy with the minorities, they should ensure true democracy to the minorities and let them elect their MPs directly. He demanded of the Prime Minister and the President to ensure that reserved seats of the minorities in the parliament are filled through direct elections, instead of their selection from the majority parties. He further noted that there is no point for Riaz Pirzada to refer to the Ministry of Minorities Affairs in the derogatory manner as leading Muslim politicians like Maulana Kausar Niazi, Jehangir Badar, Malik Jaffer and Ijaz-ul-Haq held this portfolio in the past. He said even Hindu politicians held this post besides the Christians including Raja Tridev, Maulana Kausar Niazi, Malik Mohammed Jaffer,Jahangir Badar, A.K Brohi, Ejaz Ul Haq, Peter John Sutra, Fr. Rufan Julius, S.K Treseler, Derck Syprian, Mushtaq Victor and Shahbaz Bhatti.