Christian ‘Anthony Naveed’ Elected as Deputy Speaker of Sindh Provincial Assembly

In an unprecedented occurrence, a Christian named “Anthony Naveed” was elected as Deputy Speaker of the local parliament of Sindh province in Pakistan.

The local parliament of Sindh province in Pakistan was held under the presidency of “Agha Siraj Durrani,” and representatives who were elected in the February 8, 2024 elections took their oaths in this parliament. Anthony Naveed, a member of the Pakistan People’s Party, was elected as Deputy Speaker of this assembly by representatives of the Sindh provincial parliament in an unprecedented decision that marks a significant event.

Pakistani Christians viewed the decision to elect Anthony Naveed as a positive development for improving the conditions of Christians in the country and welcomed his election. Experts also believe that the election of a loyal and active member of the Pakistani Catholic Church is a step forward and in line with promoting tolerance and religious forbearance in this Islamic country.

Pakistan is a parliamentary republic, and elections in this country determine the seats of the federal legislative assembly, which is called the “National Assembly.” These elections are also held for four provincial or state assemblies. In Pakistan, each province has a governor who is appointed by the President and holds a ceremonial position relative to the Chief Minister. The Chief Ministers of each province are also elected by the provincial parliaments and are responsible for provincial governance for a period of 5 years.

It is worth noting that approximately two percent of Pakistan’s population is Christian, and they are often targeted with accusations of “blasphemy.” According to statements by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom in its report from last year, Pakistan’s blasphemy laws encourage religious extremists to make accusations against religious minorities, particularly Christians, without penalty, and attack those with different beliefs.