Are minorities in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh not allowed to contest elections or vote?

Are minorities in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh not allowed to contest elections or vote?

The Citizenship Amendment Act is facing protests in many states of the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have presented many arguments in favour of this Act.

Home Minister Amit Shah during a rally in Hubli, Karnataka

Recently, Home Minister Amit Shah said during a rally in Hubli, Karnataka, "In Afghanistan, the effigy of Buddha was destroyed with a cannon." Hindu-Sikh minorities are not given the right to contest elections in Afghanistan-Pakistan, are not given health facilities, do not provide education for them. The refugees (Hindu, Sikh, Jain Buddhist Christian) came to seek refuge inside India.

Home Minister Amit Shah was advocating for the Citizenship Amendment Act that refugees (Hindus, Sikhs, Jain Buddhists, Christians) from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh are being persecuted in their country and not given fundamental rights.

The Citizenship Amendment Act is facing
protests in many states of the country.

This new law has been enacted to give citizenship to non-Muslim community from neighbouring Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. In India, people are opposing this provision of this Act.
Are minorities in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh not allowed to contest elections or vote? Let's find out the truth.

Electoral rights of minorities in Pakistan

Pakistan has 342 Lok Sabha seats and of which 272 seats are voted by the public. 10 seats are reserved for minorities and 60 seats are reserved for women.
These 10 minority seats are filled in two ways. The first way is that these minority 10 seats are divided among political parties on the basis of how many seats they have won out of 272. The party itself decides the minority candidates on these seats and sends them to Parliament.
Another way is that any minority can contest any seat. In such a situation, his victory will be based on the votes received directly from the public.

third constitution was made in 1973 which is still valid

The constitution of Pakistan was formed in 1956 after independence. This constitution was repealed and a second constitution was made in 1958. Later this constitution was also repealed and a third constitution was made in 1973 which is still valid. This constitution gives equal rights to minorities in Pakistan.
There are seats reserved for minorities in Pakistan, they can also contest from other seats. Any minority in Pakistan is free to vote for any candidate contesting from his constituency. This means that the right to vote is equal for all.

Electoral rights of minorities in Afghanistan

The public votes in 249 seats in Afghanistan. Minorities have the freedom to contest elections here. But according to the rules, at least 5000 people are required to be in support while naming in the parliamentary elections in Afghanistan.

These rules are the same for everyone but it made it difficult for the minority community to send own representative to the parliament as Afghanistan has a population of about 3 to 4 crores and of which about 2000 are minorities. In 2014, Ashraf Ghani came to power and reserved a seat in the lower house for Hindu-Sikh minorities.

Any minority can vote for a candidate from his / her constituency. Also, minorities can contest elections from any seat, provided he gather the support of five thousand people for himselves.

Electoral rights of minorities in Bangladesh

Bangladesh Parliament has 350 seats out of which 50 seats are reserved for women. In the 2018 parliamentary elections, out of 79 minority candidates, 18 candidates reached Parliament.
This means that minorities have been given equal electoral rights in Bangladesh politics.