Eight Non-Muslim Leaders in Muslim-Majority Nations
By Riaz Haq
CA
Are there any non-Muslims in leadership positions in Muslim-majority countries? This question is being repeatedly asked by many after the historic election of a British Pakistani Muslim Sadiq Khan as London's mayor.
The answer is: There are at least eight. Here's a brief list as reported in UK's The Independent newspaper :
1. The governor, equivalent of a mayor, of Jakarta, the capital of the largest Muslim country by population, has a Christian governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama. Indonesia is 87.2 per cent Muslim.
2. The city of Mardin in Turkey has a female Christian co-mayor Februniye Akyol. Turkey is 99.8 per cent Muslim.
3. In Bahrain, Alees Thomas Samaan became the first Christian and first woman to chair the country's upper house of Parliament, the Shura Council, in 2005. Bahrain is 70.3 per cent Muslim.
4. Pakistan currently has a Christian minister of Ports and Shipping, Kamran Michael. Pakistan is 96.4 per cent Muslim.
5. In Egypt, Boutros Boutros Ghali, a Coptic Christian, was the country's Foreign Minister for 14 years. Egypt is 90 per cent Muslim.
6. The Palestinian city of Ramallah had a female Roman Catholic mayor, Janet Michael.
7. Senegal had a Catholic president, the late Léopold Sédar Senghor, for 20 years. Senegal is 95.4 per cent Muslim.
8. Lebanon had a Christian president, Michel Suleiman. Lebanon is 54 per cent Muslim.
This list defeats many Islamophobes argument that Muslims would never do what the Londoners just did: Accept a person of minority faith in leadership position.
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