The minority Parliamentarians Thursday strongly protested in National Assembly over forced conversion of Hindu girls in Sindh and marrying them off with Muslims boys after kidnapping. The members demanded of the government to take solid steps to eliminate this practice and take stern action against those involved in these activities.
They said that the minority people were being kidnapped and killed. They said recently four Hindu girls were kidnapped in Sindh and were forced to change their religion. Lal Chand and Mehish Kumar- minority members in the parliament expressed grave concern over the kidnapping and forced conversions of Hindu girls. They said it was the right of every person to accept any religion but nobody can be forced.
Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho of PPP who is also sister of President Asif Ali Zaradri while speaking on the issue said that Hindu girls are being forcibly kept in various seminaries in Sindh and later forced to marry with Muslim boys. She said that Hindus are facing a lot of challenges in Sindh and there is a need to do a legislation in the Parliament for providing more protection to the minority rights and stop forced conversions.
PPP MNA from Sindh, Nafeesa Shah said many Hindu girls in Sindh are being forcibly converted to Islam. She said that Islam does not allow Muslims to forcibly change the religion of anyone. She seconded Azra Fazal and said that the parliament should introduce legislation on "forced conversions".
Various non-Muslims were being forced to accept Islam as being reported by the media, she said. An MNA and former Justice Fakhar-un-Nisa stressed on the implementation of laws when it comes to solve the issue of minorities. "Minorities' rights should be protected at all costs."
Giving a policy statement on the floor of the House, Minister of State for Interfaith Harmony and Minorities Affairs Akram Masih Gill said that the present government has taken unprecedented steps for the uplift and empowerment of minorities. He said these include fixation of five percent quota in government jobs and declaration of August 11 as the Minorities Day. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Shehnaz Wazir Ali said that under the 18th Amendment, four seats have been reserved for minorities in the Upper House.