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President General Pervez Musharraf and his military-government have promulgated the Conduct of General Elections (Second Amendment) Order 2002 that prohibits listing Ahmedis or Quadianis on electoral rolls.
The government has invited objections to this order within ten days from its promulgation. Under the order, a non-Muslim or Ahmedi cannot register to vote. Any Ahmedis or Quadianis found to be on the official electoral rolls would be summoned by the Revising Authority. Their appearance before this authority would be mandatory within 15 days of receiving notification. This person shall then be required to sign a declaration agreeing to the finality of the Holy Prophet. If this person refuses to sign this, he or she shall be deemed non-Muslims. The name of this person shall then be removed from the electoral rolls. Following is the complete, official text of the order:
“Chief Executive’s Order No. 15 of 2002. An order further to amend the Conduct of General Elections Order, 2002 “WHEREAS it is expedient to further amend the Conduct of General Elections Order, 2002 (Chief Executive’s Order No. 7 of 2002), for the purposes hereinafter appearing:
“NOW, THEREFORE, in pursuance of the Proclamation of Emergency on the fourteenth day of October, 1999, and the Provisional Constitution Order No. 1 of 1999, and in exercise of all powers enabling him in that behalf, the Chief Executive of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is pleased to make and promulgate the following Order:
“Short title and Commencement: (1) This Order may be called the Conduct of General Elections (Second Amendment) Order, 2002. (2) It shall come into force at once.
“Insertion of new Article 7B and 7C, Chief Executive’s Order No. 7 of 2002. In the Conduct of General Elections Order, 2002 (Chief Executive’s Order No.7 of 2002), after Article 7A, the following new Articles shall be inserted, namely:
“7B. Status of Ahmedis etc to remain unchanged. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Electoral Rolls Act, 1974 (XXI of 1974), the Electoral Rolls Rules, 1974, or any other law for the time being in force, including the Forms prescribed for preparation of electoral rolls on joint electorate basis in pursuance of Article 7 of the Conduct of General Elections Order, 2002 (Chief Executive’s Order No. 7 of 2002), the status of Quadiani Group or the Lahori Group (who call themselves ‘Ahmedis’ or by any other name) or a person who does not believe in the absolute and unqualified finality of the Prophet hood of Muhammad (peace be upon him), the last of the prophets or claimed or claims to be a Prophet, in any sense of the word or of any description whatsoever, after Muhammad (peace be upon him) or recognises such a claimant as a Prophet or a religious reformer shall remain the same as provided in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973.
“7C. If a person has got himself
enrolled as voter and objection is filed before the Revising Authority
notified under the Electoral Rolls Act, 1974, within ten days from issuance
of the Conduct of General Elections (Second Amendment) Order, 2002, that
such a voter is not a Muslim, the Revising Authority shall issue a notice
to him to appear before it within fifteen days and require him to sign
a declaration regarding his belief about the absolute and unqualified finality
of the Prophet hood of Muhammad (peace be upon him) in Form IV prescribed
under the Electoral Rolls Rules, 1974. In case he refuses to sign the declaration
as aforesaid, he shall be deemed to be a non-Muslim and his name shall
be deleted from the joint electoral rolls and added to supplementary list
of voters in the same electoral area as non-Muslim. In case the voter does
not turn in spite of service of notice, an ex- parte order may be passed
against him.”
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