LAHORE: Speakers at a National Conference on Protection from Forced Conversion demanded that Federal Ministry of Human Rights should carry out a comprehensive study and analysis on the forced conversions, including under-trial cases, and the remedies, if any, provided by the concerned departments and institutions.
The conference organized by Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) and Peoples' Commission for Minorities Rights (PCMR). The speakers also demanded that police all over the country must investigate all pending cases and future cases under Section 498 B Pakistan Penal Code, as this enactment is particularly relevant to forced conversion and marriages involving minority women.
However, the proviso has not been put to practice since the enactment in 2017. An amendment bill in the Criminal Procedure Code should be introduced that makes all religious conversions be acknowledged, verified and validated by a Senior Civil Judge to ascertain the presence of a free will, consent, in addition to the appropriateness of age and marital status of the parties.
The Majority Act and Child Marriage Restraint Act should be amended to bring these into conformity with NADRA ACT and other laws on majority. An autonomous, empowered and statutory National Commission for Minorities Rights be constituted without further delay.
Hina Jillani, renowned Human Rights Activist and former Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on human rights defenders shed light on the growing pattern of religious intolerance in Pakistan. She explained that the shrinking space for various freedoms in country is damaging the very fabric of our society and undermining democracy, moreover, putting the lives of already marginalized communities of religious minorities in grave danger. She emphasized that "Prioritizing religious freedom is not only a human rights obligation but it also assesses space of liberty, freedom and justice for the excluded ones. Therefore, rolling back the drift of violence and oppression, the government of Pakistan will have to wake up to its responsibility regarding protecting the rights of minorities within institutional frameworks."
Former Justice Mehta Kailash Kohli discussed the existing framework of legal protection for victims of forced conversions. He asserted that all pending and future cases must be investigated under Section 498 B and other provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Peter Jacob thanked former Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, for his generous donation to the Centre for Social Justice which will be used to set up an endowment to be called Justice for all, borrowing the name from the Judicial Anthem he wrote in 2014.
Muniza Jahangir, executive producer Aaj News, moderated the Conference sessions; sharing her insights as a media person, she said "The absence of an adequate institutional response is encouraging the involuntary, unethical, and manipulated conversions and marriages of minority women and this situation needs a serious response from all stakeholders" stating that, she invited the participants and all concerned citizens to pledge their support by signing and circulating the petition.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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