Act like you speak; Imran Khan asserts forced marriage as ‘un-Islamic’ as he vows to protect worship places of minorities

Islamabad, July 30: Prone to violence and atrocities pondered on the minorities, Pakistan has been at the forefront where the minorities have always voiced loud for their rights. Forced conversion, forced marriage, atrocities on minorities and vandalizing their worship places, the minorities in Pakistan are unhappy and fighting for justice.

 

As the country reels under atrocities on the minorities and the government taking no concrete action against it, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday asserted that the practice of forced conversions is "un-Islamic" and said there was no precedent in Islamic history for forcefully converting others. Although there has been huge consensus over working against atrocities the country has not taken any concrete action against it.

Addressing an event in connection with National Minorities Day at the Aiwan-e-Sadr (President's House), Khan vowed to protect and develop worship places of minorities in Pakistan and also facilitate them to the maximum level to perform them religious rituals. Khan reiterated his commitment to build Pakistan on the model of 'State of Madina', ensuring rights to people, rule of law and provision of facilities to citizens at equal level.

He said that his government is committed to open the Kartarpur corridor for Sikh community on 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak. Khan's message comes amidst growing cases of conversion of Hindu girls in Sindh province.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan in its annual report in April raised concerns about incidents of forced conversions and marriages of Hindu and Christian girls, saying around 1,000 such cases were reported in the southern Sindh province alone last year.

In March, two Hindu teenage sisters - Raveena (13) and Reena (15) - were allegedly kidnapped by a group of "influential" men from their home in Ghotki district in Sindh on the eve of Holi. Soon after the kidnapping, a video went viral in which a cleric was purportedly shown soleminising the marriage of the two girls, triggering a nationwide outrage.

Early this month, Pakistan's Sindh Assembly unanimously passed a resolution demanding that the practice of forced conversions and abductions of Hindu girls must be stopped and action be taken against those involved in such activities.

Addressing the gathering, President Arif Alvi too said that Pakistan will be developed on the pattern of 'State of Madina' to ensure equal rights to all its citizens irrespective of their caste, creed, sect and religion.

Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan. According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. However, according to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus are living in the country. Majority of Pakistan's Hindu population is settled in Sindh province where they share culture, traditions and language with their Muslim fellows.