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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Pakistan
Index
The most visible groups of non-Muslim minorities are
Hindus
and Christians. Hindus are found largely in the interior
of Sindh
and in the vicinity of Quetta in Balochistan. Christians,
representing almost all West European dominations, are
found
throughout the country; many are engaged in menial work.
Other
minorities include Zoroastrians (also called Parsis),
largely
concentrated in Karachi, and members of groups relatively
recently designated as non-Muslim, notably the Ahmadiyyas.
The various religious minority groups have secured
separate
representation in national and provincial assemblies but
still
have limited influence on national policy. They finally
united
around a common issue in October 1992 when the government
of
Nawaz Sharif decreed that religious affiliation would be
indicated on identity cards. These cards were needed for a
range
of activities, including attending school, opening a bank
account, registering to vote, casting a vote, and
obtaining a
passport. Members of minority groups organized
demonstrations to
protest this discrimination, which they argued would
demote them
to the ranks of second-class citizens. They argued that
safeguards existed for them both within Islamic law and in
the
promises that had been made to them in 1947. The
government soon
rescinded the decree.
Data as of April 1994
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