HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Forum on Minority Issues Second session Geneva, 12-13 November 2009 Dr. Sabir Michael 2009 OHCHR Minority Fellow Dominicans for Justice & Peace Smichael@szabist.edu.pk Intervention for item # 4 of the provisional agenda Conditions required for effective political participation Present situation of minorities in political affairs of Pakistan In Pakistan the minorities have not been granted their due political rights for a long time. Pakistan is signatory of ICCPR but has not ratified it yet. The constitution of Pakistan recognizes only religious minorities under art. 260 of Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, ignoring other forms of minorities such as ethnic and linguistic groups. Article 25 of the constitution of Pakistan provides that all citizens are equal before the law, where as, article 36 provides safeguards regarding the protection of political rights of the minorities. The state shall exercise its powers and authority through the chosen representatives of the people. Although the constitution provides all citizens the assurance of equality in all spheres of public and political life, but the contradictions can be found in this regards and the situation is on the contrary for the minorities in country. Father and founder of the country, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah in his famous policy speech to the first constituent assembly of Pakistan on August 11, 1947 clearly explained that all citizens shall be equal in all respects