ASIA/PAKISTAN – Provincial elections in Punjab: Christian community calls for politics to be viewed as a mission

Lahore – The Punjab government and the Pakistan Election Commission “should defend the democratic principles and ensure that every citizen – regardless of their ethnicity, culture, or religious group – can actively participate in the political process and exercise their right to vote,” Archbishop Joseph Assad, Chairman of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Pakistan Bishops’ Conference, made this appeal on the eve of the Punjab provincial elections.
Punjab holds a significant position in terms of Pakistan’s history, culture, social composition , and economic importance.
The recently enacted Punjab Local Government Act 2025 affirms the system of reserving some seats in the provincial assembly for minority groups. Political parties will select non-Islamic minority members and women representatives from their electoral lists according to their own positions. Archbishop Arshad urged political leaders, legislators, and the Election Commission to “ensure equality, religious freedom, and the full participation of all citizens in public life, in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution of Pakistan.” He also encouraged Christian believers “to play an active role in civic education, voter registration, and civic and democratic participation,” in order to promote unity and harmony in the country.
“In times like this, when the population exercises its right to vote and democratically determines the government, as Christians we are called to be united and to seek political representation that can then protect our identity, our rights, and our needs, sometimes ignored or forgotten by the executive branch,” notes Father Mario Angelo Rodrigues, priest and headmaster of the renowned St. Patrick Catholic High School in Karachi, in an interview with Fides. “Pakistani Christians, like Hindus and citizens of other faiths, should set this goal in mind, because at the provincial and national level, policies are guided by principles of fairness, justice, and equal opportunities, and reject any discriminatory policies that still plague our country.”
Father Rodrigues emphasizes another issue: “In political participation, personal conscience is crucial. That is to say, regardless of the religious or ethnic group to which elected representatives belong, they must act with honesty and integrity, because in our country, corruption harms everyone; it is not political or religious, but affects every individual.” Therefore, he concluded, “Candidates must be carefully selected who see political participation as a service to others and a mission; their lives must truly be illuminated by their faith.”

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