Pakistan’s Hindus protest forced conversions of girls to Islam, persecution of minorities

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Islamabad : Just before the 70th anniversary of Pakistan Independence day, the Hindu and their minorities in Pakistan observed 11th August as the “National Minorities Day” in some of the cities in Hyderabad, Karachi, Islamabad where the minorities in Pakistan can hold their protests till now.

 On 11th Aug, 2016, Hyderabad Press Club saw a big turnout of Pakistani Hindus who were angry at the way Mian Mithoo, the Sufi Peer of Bharchundi, is allowed to go about his ‘business’ of forced conversion of Hindu girls and boys. Many were also angry at the fact that even young children of the Pakistani Hindu community have become a target of this ‘business.’

It is believed that Pir Abdul Haq aka Mian Mithoo is the leading force behind conversions and campaigns that target underaged non-Muslim girls and boys belonging to Hindu community. It is also alleged the this Mian Mithoo is the mastermind for Sateesh kumar’s murder in the last month.

In Hyderabad protest, Pakistani Hindus also expressed their displeasure on the way that forced conversion cases against the Hindu community is handled and wanted a quick measure that could put an end to this heinous practice.

In Pakistan, Hindus cannot participate fully in politics and cannot be made heads of state as per the Constitution. Pakistani Hindus also have been marginalized and have been pushed by the radicals to such an extent that many have been forced to leave their land and move to India.

In Islamabad, the Human rights activists joined the call by some members of Pakistan’s Hindu community to protest alleged forced conversions of Hindu girls to Islam on Thursday 11th Aug, officially deemed National Minorities Day in Pakistan.

The call for protest in various Pakistani cities — as well as abroad in Toronto, New York and Houston —singled out an individual famously known by the alias Mian Mithoo as the prime culprit for the alleged conversions and alleged Islamic persecution.

“He’s a symbol of terror. He’s a symbol of forced conversion and Hindus from that area, they cannot even dare to utter a single word [against him],” said activist Kapil Dev, who used social media to initiate the push to demonstrate.

Mithoo, whose real name is Mian Abdul Haq, is a politician and Muslim cleric who belongs to an influential family in Pakistan’s Sindh province — home to most Hindus who live in Pakistan. The country’s Hindu community has long alleged that he provides protection to those who kidnap Hindu girls, often under age 18, and forcefully converts them to Islam before he marries them off to their kidnappers.

Mithu came to prominent light in a case some years ago when the family of a Hindu girl, Rinkle Kumari, filed a petition in court alleging he supported her abduction.

The court decided, after hearing Kumari’s statement, to send her with her husband, but her family alleged that Mithoo used strong-arm tactics and political influence during the legal process to influence the outcome. Though, Mithoo strongly denies these allegations.

Sri Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, President of the Pakistani Hindu Council, said the forced conversions, particularly of Hindu girls to Islam, was one of their biggest problems and the catalyst for Hindus leaving Pakistan.

Barely minority Hindus in Pakistan are demanding a change in the law and a mechanism for conversion that could help determine free will and certain changes in Hindu marriage act also.

Source : Hindu Existence

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