PAKISTAN Easter elections, Pakistani Christians protest

In the country, shaken for months by political and economic tensions, the elections in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have been set for April 9. Pakistani Church Justice and Peace Commission: “It is a denial of the right to vote. The date must be changed as soon as possible.”

Lahore () – The National Commission for Justice and Peace – an organ of the Pakistani Catholic Church – has expressed serious reservations about the provincial elections that have been set in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for April 9, Easter Sunday. The decree calling for the polls was signed on February 20 by President Arif Alvi, a member of the PTI, Imran Khan’s party. Voting in the two main provinces is a very delicate circumstance due to the political and economic crisis that the country has been going through for a long time.

Following the announcement of the elections in the two main Pakistani provinces, the Christian minority expressed concern and reservations that the election date falls precisely on Easter Day, and Christians have publicly called on the president to do so. reconsider and set another date.

“Holding elections on Easter day – affirms the Justice and Peace Commission – would exclude the participation of a community that has played a fundamental role in the creation and construction of Pakistan. Therefore, it would be a clear denial of the right to vote for Christians, which the Pakistani Constitution guarantees to all citizens. We trust that the relevant authorities will review the election date and change it accordingly.”

Roheel Zafar Shahi, Secretary General of the Pakistan Minority Rights Commission, said that Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and many other peoples live in Pakistan, but the government has become so blind that it does not respect other people’s religious holidays. other religions. “Christians in Punjab province and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are strongly calling for the election date to be changed as soon as possible so that Christians can also exercise their right to vote in the elections. After consulting our lawyers, we will file a petition against this election date with the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa High Court,” he added.