Constitutional Provisions for the Rights of Non-Muslim Minorities in Pakistan

Pakistan is a Muslim country and got freedom from British Government, on August 14, 1947. It was separated from India on the basis of Islamic ideology. Though majority of population was Muslims but there was sufficient number (5%) of non Muslims, such as Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Calashes’, Baha’is, Zikaria’s, and Parsis etc.  The presence of non Muslims in Pakistan was a great challenge to safe guard their rights in the constitution of Pakistan to maintain the communal harmony in the country. This paper focuses on the provisions of non-Muslim rights in the constitution of Pakistan. It discusses the constitutional provision for the rights of non Muslims. Such as personal law, freedom to religion, safe guard against special taxes, non discrimination in respect of access to public places, discrimination in services, preservation of language script and culture, promotion of social justice and predication of social evils, right to vote,   reservation of seats in National assembly and to run and manage their religious institutions. This paper also suggests some recommendations for the solution of contemporary non Muslim minorities, problems in Pakistan and also achievement of Ministry of non Muslim Minorities Affairs, 2008 to 2010 in Pakistan.

A Prospective Characterization of Postpartum Changes in Uterine Fibroid Volume Among Black African Women

Background: Fibroids are benign smooth muscle tumours of the uterus common in women of reproductive age. The prevalence is thought to be higher amongst women over the age of 35 years and in African women. More women are delaying their child bearing leading to an increase in the number of women dealing with pregnancy in the context of fibroids. The relationship between pregnancy and fibroids is controversial. It is thought that pregnancy exerts a protective effect, an observation made from epidemiological and animal studies. Although the mechanism is not clear, the postpartum period is thought to possibly explain this benefit. There have been few studies on this effect and none focusing on a population of purely black African women. Study objective: To characterise prospectively the postpartum effect on uterine fibroid volume in black African women by comparing volumes in 3rd trimester and at the end of the pueperium. Design: A descriptive longitudinal sonographic study of fibroid volumes between 3rd trimester and at the end of the pueperium, using 2D ultrasound. Methods: The study setting was the Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi Kenya, a private tertiary and teaching hospital. Pregnant black African women with uterine fibroids in their current pregnancy were enrolled into the study. They had a 2D ultrasound measurement of their fibroids in the third trimester (28-39 weeks) and a repeat at the end of the pueperium (median 6 weeks after delivery). The number, location and type of fibroid was indicated and volumes calculated using the formula; volume (ml) = 4/3 π a x b x c. Through a questionnaire, participants were asked about pregnancy and delivery complications, that is, pain, spotting, preterm labour, postpartum haemorrhage and preterm premature rupture of membranes. The primary outcome was the volume change over the study period and secondary outcomes were descriptions of patient and fibroid characteristics as well as pregnancy complications. Results: Data on 36 subjects with a mean age of 31.6 years were analysed. Taking a volume change of >10% to be significant, the study demonstrated that 83.33% (95% CI 71.15 - 95.51) of the fibroids reduced in size (P=<0.0001), out of which 8% were undetectable. There was no significant change in 8% and 8% showed an increase. Most fibroids were intramural (89%) followed by subserosal (11%). None of the participants had fibroids in other locations. Of the participants, 58% were primiparous and 42% were multiparous. Majority of the patients did