ASIA/PAKISTAN - Musharraf resigns as army chief, country looks towards elections, religious minorities hope for a change in electoral laws

Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - The political and institutional situation in Pakistan continues to evolve. Today 28 November General Pervez Musharraf handed over his position as Army Chief to Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, until now vice army chief, and will soon be sworn in for a new presidential mandate as sanctioned by the elections on 6 October. According to observers Musharraf move is a prelude to revoking the state of emergency announced on 3 November, which met with massive protests from the civil society in Pakistan. General Kayani, who takes over from Musharraf, is his friend and an ally and he is now head of an army of 600,000 regular soldiers and 300,000 paramilitaries.
However social tension is still high as the country looks to elections announced for next January. For that date Christians and other non Muslims members of religious minority groups intend to demand a revision of electoral laws by which they are penalised. Although observers say it is unlikely that the mechanism of elections can be changed in such short time, the Christian community is calling for a change and for an independent electoral Commission (see Fides 16/11/2007).
In Pakistan only a few seats are reserved in the national assembly for representatives of non Muslim religious groups and non Muslims can only vote for members of their own religion. Christian organisations are planning meetings to launch an appeal to the president calling for a revision of the electoral laws.
Christians in Pakistan are 2.5% of a population of 155 million which is 97% Muslim, and among the Christians 1.2 million are Catholics. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 28/11/2007 righe 26 parole 261)