Forced Conversions of Hindu Girls in Pakistan

Forced Conversions of Hindu Girls in Pakistan: Pakistan Govt playing blind Dhritarashtra and Pak Media posing Duryodhana
Source: News Bharati Date: 3/5/2012 12:01:49 PM
Karachi, March 5: There is no protector for the Religious rights of Hindus in Pakistan in the cases of ‘Forced Conversions’ of Hindu Girls in Pakistan. Hindus in Pakistan have demanded immediate action against forced conversions of Hindu girls in Pakistan. The leaders of the Pakistan Hindu Council appealed to the Pakistan government at a press conference on Thursday, to take action against forced conversions of Hindu girls to Islam in rural Sindh.

The council’s women wing president, Mangla Sharma, spoke on the alleged abduction of Rinkle Kumari, a 17-year-old Hindu from Mirpur Mathelo, who converted to Islam and got married to a Muslim boy, Naveed Shah, on February 24. Sharma claimed that the girl was forced to convert. “We want the government to hand the girl over to her parents as per her request.” Sharma said that the community has not objected to other cases of marriages between Hindu girls and Muslim boys as they were free-will unions. She alleged that during the judicial hearing, Rinkle was forced to change her statement.

On Sunday, prominent members of Hindu community in Kareach, took out a rally and staged demonstration outside the press club in Pannu Aqil on Sunday against the alleged kidnapping and forceful conversion of Rinkle Kumari who was named Faryal.

It is unfortunate that the Pakistan Government is playing blind on these issues but more surprisingly media in Pakistan is publishing biased and one-sided news on the issue of forced conversion. The immature and regressive media of Pakistan is publishing the news saying that the rally of Hindu community was attended by only a ‘Dozen’ Hindus and that the Hindu girl is not ‘kidnapped’ but ‘eloped’ with the Muslim boy.

It is interesting to see how the Pakistan Media has showcased a ‘fundamentalist’ and ‘anti-human rights’ mindset about the issues related to the Minorities in Pakistan.

In any democratic country the Media plays a vital role in creating, molding and reflecting public opinion. Over the years the Media has acquired the status of "Fourth Estate" as it was aptly described by the British politician Edmund Burke. Its seems that the Pakistan Media has not yet became matured to play ‘its’ role of ‘social engineer’ and is reflecting the views of its majority populace which follows Islam and fundamentalism.

Pakistan’s ‘leading’ Newspaper ‘The Express Tribune’ has reported the news in a totally biased manner. Its use of words expresses all. In its news story published on 4 March, the The Express Tribune’ reports that, ‘Faryal and Naveed Ahmed Shah fell in love, eloped and went to Daharki to Mian Mohammad Aslam of Bharchoondi Sharif. However, nineteen-year-old Faryal’s father, Nand Lal, had told the Mirpur Mathelo police that she was kidnapped by Shah, who lived in Sufi Mohallah.

Mian Mohammad Aslam, the son of Pakistan People’s Party MNA Mian Abdul Haq had said that the couple had visited him on Friday and the girl had expressed her desire to convert to Islam and marry Shah. Aslam informed the girl’s father and asked him to meet his daughter to confirm her wishes.

The couple was taken to the Dargah Aalia Qadria Bharchoondi Sharif where she had embraced Islam. Pir Mian Abdul Hayee alias Mian Shaman had solemnised the nikkah. Mirpur Mathelo DSP Syed Abbas Shah was informed about the marriage.”

'The Express Tribune’ has not once used the Faryal’s real hindu name which is ‘Rinkle Kumari’.

The Media is trying to hide the fact that there were scores of Hindus who came together at the Karachi Press Club to protest against the kidnapping and forced conversion of Faryal. The family accused that Aslam had backed the forceful conversion of Rinkle Kumari to Islam and marriage to Shah, a supporter of the MNA. Wearing black armbands, the protestors – members of Hindu, Christian and Sikh communities – chanted slogans against the trend of forceful conversion of young girls.

Daya Ram, Kumari’s relative, said, “We want the girl to be produced in the court again. Earlier when the court took decision in her case, they did not allow her parents to be present there.” He added, “The girl said that she wanted to go with her parents, but the court did not decide in her favour.” The enraged community said that they won’t stop protesting till she is handed back to her parents.

They appealed the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take suo moto notice of this incident and demanded for a fair trial.

Meanwhile, the Hindu community rally was led by writers SG Bhagia and Raj Kumar Lakhwani. The protestors were demonstrating on the streets from Bhelar Road and shouting slogans against the government gathered outside the press club.

Talking to the journalists, the leaders strongly condemned what they declared an act of kidnapping and forceful conversion of Kumari, daughter of Nand Lal.

They said, “We are a peaceful community and do not have a tribal backing, therefore we are are considered to be soft targets.”

The protestors blamed that the Pirs of Bharchoondi Sharif pressurised the girl to convert to Islam and marry Shah. They said that even when she was produced in the court for recording her statement, dozens of armed men from Bharchoondi Sharif had gathered outside the courtroom, which according to them, was a pressure building tactic.

Hindu leaders told reporters that hundreds of Hindu families have migrated to India, because of the crimes against them. They demanded of the government to provide protection to the Hindu community to dispel the sense of deprivation and insecurity prevailing in the community.

The rising cases of forceful conversions of Hindu girls to Islam are clearly indicative of serious violation of Human Rights of the minorities in Pakistan. If the Pakistan Human Rights Commission, Pakistan Government and Pakistan Media are failing to perform their duties, it is the time that, the International community and Human Rights organizations should initiate their actions for the amnesty of Hindu community of Pakistan.