Pakistan's under-fire minorities have little faith in democracy

[NBCNews]

Anja Niedringhaus / APAhmedi guards protecting an Ahmedi mosque in Lahore, Pakistan on April 30, 2013. Ahmedis are reviled by mainstream Muslims as heretics because they believe a prophet followed Mohammed, defying the basic tenet of Islam that says Mohammed is the last prophet. By Kathy Gannon, The Associated Press Lahore, Pakistan — In majority Muslim Pakistan,  religious minorities say democracy is killing them.

Intolerance has been on the rise for the past five years under Pakistan's  democratically elected government because of the growing violence of Islamic  radicals, who are then courted by political parties, say many in the country's  communities of Shiite Muslims, Christians, Hindus and other minorities.

On Saturday, the country will elect a new parliament, marking the first time  one elected government is replaced by another in the history of Pakistan, which  over its 66-year existence has repeatedly seen military rule. But minorities are  not celebrating. Some of the fiercest Islamic extremists are candidates in the  vote, and minorities say even the mainstream political parties pander to  radicals to get votes, often campaigning side-by-side with well-known  militants.Anja Niedringhaus / APAhmedis praying in their mosque, which displays an Arabic sign saying 'In the name of god, people are praying', in Lahore on April 30, 2013.Anja Niedringhaus / APA Shiite worshipper at a shrine in Jhang on May 1, 2013. Minority Shiites in Pakistan have little hope that the May 11 general elections will help them because they fear Sunni radicals, who have targeted Shiites, could gain political strength.About 96 percent of Pakistan's population of 180 million is Muslim. Most are Sunni, but according to the CIA Factbook about 10 to 15 percent are members of the Shiite sect. The remaining 4 percent are adherents to other religions such as Christians, Hindus and Ahmedis.

More than a dozen representatives of Pakistan's minorities interviewed by The  Associated Press expressed fears the vote will only hand more influence to  extremists. Since the 2008 elections, sectarian attacks have been relentless and  minorities have found themselves increasingly targeted by radical Islamic  militants. Minorities have little faith the new election will change that. Read the full story.Anja Niedringhaus / APA Christian woman peering out from inside a church as angry Christians protest the beating of a young man from the Joseph Colony, a Christian neighborhood in Lahore, on April 30, 2013.Anja Niedringhaus / APBarber Elias, 25, a Christian who was injured when he was beaten by radical Muslims, in the Joseph Colony in Lahore on April 30, 2013.Anja Niedringhaus / APChristians protesting the beating of a young Christian belonging to the Joseph Colony, in Lahore on April 30, 2013.Anja Niedringhaus / APA Christian repairing his home after it was attacked by radical Muslims, in the Joseph Colony in Lahore on April 30, 2013.Anja Niedringhaus / APHomeless Hindus sleeping in a shrine cared for by Omparkarh Narian, 55, in Rawalpindi on May 4, 2013. Slideshow: Pakistan: A nation in turmoilAsif Hassan / AFP - Getty ImagesImages of daily life, political pursuits, religious rites and deadly violence.Launch slideshowFollow @NBCNewsPictures

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[Folami David]

Democracy is the best form of government so whoever does not support it is an individual that does not support peace. Too bad!