HOW HINDU DAUGHTERS ARE BEING LOST IN SINDH
25अप्रैराकेश लखाणी
HOW HINDU DAUGHTERS ARE BEING LOST IN SINDH
The case of Rinkle Kumari & other kidnapped HINDU girls is an testimony of the fact how Hindu Girls in Sindhi Province of Pakistan are liven in a hell called Pakistan. To anyone who is aware of the plight of Hindus in Sindh province, it is an regular affair. Hindu teenage girls being kidnapped and if protest happen FIR (First Information Report) gets registered and on prolonged agitation eventually if the girls are traced then presented to courts which eventually solemnize the kidnappings and presents them to ever growing strength of Islam.
All such cases have a pre-written script with Girls getting kidnapped-present to Maulvi (Muslim clergymen) who happily converts them followed by an immediate marriage. The cases that does end up to courts ultimately forced to fail. All the testimony is based on the girls account. In all such cases the Girls is virtually made to feel alone. Separated from her family and left with no legal support Girls had to fell in line or else they get manhandled & bitten up open courts or sexually abused.
The script of Rinkle Kumari reflects this reality word by word. Rinkle Kumari daughter of Primary School employee Nand Lal was kidnapped on 24th. March. As usual most of the kidnappings are carried out at nights and are planned. In the morning as soon as it was noticed that the girls was missing process of registering an FIR was initiated. For we Indians it might be a mare formalities but not so for Hindu minority in Sindh. The kidnappers had their home work done. No Police officials were ready to register the FIR so important to initiate the case. It took 5 long hours and an intensive agitation by the local Hindu minority community and blocking of Punjab-Sindh Highway that ultimately led to the registration of FIR by the Police against the unidentified persons.
By 1 PM Rinkle Kumari whereabouts were indeed been traced via a Phone Call that she is in Barchandi Sharif Dargah (Shrine) and had converted to ISLAM !!. Rinkle Parents were informed that in case they wished to meet their daughter they are welcomed. The phone call was from one of the sons of Miyan Abdul Haq . an influential Politician from Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s Party Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). Nick named as Miyan Mithoo, he is the member of Pakistan National Assembly elected on the ticket of PPP and a powerful politician of Mirpur Mathelo. In the conversation that followed couple of alternative sites were discussed viz. Hindu Panchyet Hall (Local Hindu community Hall), Local Police Office etc but even though Local Panchyet office was agreed upon but eventually by the time local Hindu community members could reach they were informed that the meeting had to be in Shrine. Any Hindu residing in that part of the world is well aware of the Barchindi Sharif which had notorious record of Forced Religious conversation. In such an atmosphere it is unlikely that the girl ever dare to complain her excess.
In the mean time local Hindu Panchyet along with the support of Local leader of Nationalist Party of Sindh Jiye Sindh Mr. Ryaz Chandio continued their un- abetted protest which led to the Local Ghotki Court taking us the case for hearing. Reports from the court as well as the lawyers of the Hindu community suggests that Rinkle Kumari an 19 year Std. XII student did clearly spoke of her mind and said that she had indeed been kidnapped and that she wished to return to her family. But before her statement could be recorded by the , a drama was enacted my Naved Shah – the younger son of Miyan Abdul Haq which despite being is perfect health pretends to be unconscious. The Judge taking diktats from the politician immediately postpones the hearing with Rinkle Statements remain unrecorded. Not only has this he shifted Rinkle to Police Custody!!! Instead of any women shelter home as per norm in such cases. While Hindu community cried foul judge went ahead with the decision and so was local administration including Law enforcing agencies.
It is quite apparent that the location was so chosen so as to have complete freedom in intimation and exactly that’s what happened. Rinkle did inform that she was threatened of dire consequences if she continue to insist on returning to her parents. Reports suggests that she was threaten of attacks of not only on her family but of Hindu community at large. For the Hindu community in that part of the world such threats are indeed real and cannot be ignored. There have been cases with Hindu minority have been attacked which resulted in loss of human Life. As a matter of fact couple of months back 4 Hindu Doctors were gun down in their clinic. Till date no prosecution have taken place although some arrests did take place. The main accused in this case was Chief of Pakistan Peoples Party Shikarpur Unit belonging to Bhiyo caste is still at large and had been roaming free. Recently some tribal Courts have proclaimed to offer blood money to the nearest of the Kins of the Hindu Community as an compensation for the killing. Clearly the government & Judiciary are indeed helpless as regards the justice when Hindu minority community is involved.
While in Police custody and being my Miyan Abdul Haq men, Rinkle was shifted to Mirpur Mathelo at dead night around 2 AM from her Shikarpur custody. Local Media letter reported that Police Station where Rinkle was locked up shifted her to Ghotki police Station upon a news that Pakistan President have taken a strong notice of the incident and sought a report from Sindh Government on the incident.
The next morning local Ghotki court had an unprecedented atmosphere. All roads leading to the court were blocked by the local administration but such restriction weren’t for Miyan Abdul Haq men and they came fully prepared for the grand showdown. As evident this was done to keep the Hindus to gather in large numbers. The entire court campus was in their control. These men were fully armed with weapons in court. The role of administration was merely support this invasion. None of the relatives of Rinkle Kumari were allowed in the court. The court made it sure that an unilateral verdict needs to be passed. Despite the court’s scheduled timings of 9 AM to start the business the proceedings were started by 7:45 AM. Inside the court, as per the eye witnesses, while Rinkle Kumar’s statements were being recorded she was slapped on continue to insist on returning to her family which ultimately forced Rinkle Kumari to eventually fall in line. While this drama was enacted inside the court , in the courtyard outside the court Armed men fixed Loudspeakers atop their vehicles and Islamic sermons were being broadcast. The court atmosphere was such dramatized that no kidnapped hindu girls could dare to open her mouth and that is what happed to Rinkle- Separated from her family and in an hostile environment of 500 men firing in the air , even men of the bravest of the brave heart would fall in line leave apart 19 year Old Rinkle Kumari.
The trial court in its order said it had permitted Rinkle Kumari now Bibi Faryal Shah and Noved Shah (to whom she was forcefully married off) to stay together as husband and wife. While the atmosphere outside the court was turned to jubilation with armed men firing in air backed by backed by sounds of drums, the Hindu women sobbed and Hindu men & Hindu community lawyers cried foul. This is how the conversation cases are converted from being of clear cut case of Kidnapping to that of girls accepting Islam and marrying Muslims at their free will.!!!!!
Most of the cases of similar nature lapse at this stage with families of the victim unable to proceed further. The fear in Muslim or Islamic backlash is too real to be ignored. In most of the cases Girls remain untraceable and remain untraceable primarily due to the support of local police which never priorities such searches and partly as the kidnappers themselves belong to influential families and even member of police force as being the case of 18 year of Rachna Kumari of Jacobabad, Sindh Pakistan.
Rinkle Kumari had been fortunate on two counts that she was kidnapped but was traceable and second that her family her family could put up strong protest. Rinkle’s family despite being forced to take refuge in a Sikh Gurudwara (Sikh place of worship) and latter in Southern port city of Karachi managed an protest which surprisingly consistent protest. It was out of their sheer courage that they could gather strength to standup against an increasingly powerful group of Mullahs. The protest although had the capacity of merely dozens but the point to noted that it did have the support of a fraction of Secular Muslims who could risk their lives to support Hindus. Despite all odds the protests were indeed staged in Lahore occasionally and primarily in Karachi.
The Hindu community did take up the issue to the next higher level to Sindh High Court which did provide a temporary reprieve to Rinkle Kumari and Dr. Lata (a practicing physician who too was kidnapped and married of with her kidnapper). The trial of Rinkle have been most controversial. Even before the high court could take up her case there were multiple media appearances were staged by Miyan Abdul Haq that she converted to Islam on her own, that she was drifted to Islam ideology since long time, that she contacted Birchadi Sharif pirs to take her to the Shrine where she accepted Islam although surprisingly the term “ marriage by love” which was initially used was dropped.
In the hearing of the Sindh High court Rinkle did get temporary reprieve when she & Dr. Lata were send to Women Shelter home for a fortnight till to be presented to Supreme court where a date of 26 Marth was fixed for hearing. Although the case of Dr. Lata was less controversial , but in case of Rinkle who opposed the conversation her suffering have been unprecedented hardships ranging from manhandling to sexual abuse. Even darning the hearing at Sindh High court she was not only surrounded by Women flok of Miyan Mithoo but an Bluetooth device was plugged in to her ear so as to give have toughest instructions in case she deviates from her dictated line.
The Sindh High court however sent both the girls to Women Shelter home just to be presented to Pakistan Supreme court on March 26. The beleaguered Hindu community although satisfied with the verdict as at least the girls were out of the clutches of the Kidnappers.
The most unfortunate of the kidnapped girls have been that of third Girl Asha Kumari. As per reports She was kidnapped from a Beauty Parlor in Jacobabad where she used to go for training and never return back. Her family despite repeated protest against the authorities were never could separate her from the kidnappers. As per reports in the local Sindhi media an ransom of Rs 4 million was was sought yet the girl all of sudden was presented to the Pakistan Supreme court with a Muslim name and as an married women. In her case too the conversation had had blessings of Miyan Abdul Haq.
The time between Sindh High Court interim order and that of Supreme court order have been a period of high Drama as Hindus along with civil society began to protest which Muslims fanatics issued one direct threats after another. Muslim fanatics while demanding the girls to be handed over to them issued a treats of Kidnapping 4 Hindu Girls followed by forceful conversation in case Rinkle is not handed over to them. These blunt threats are were published in leading Sindhi Language news paper viz Awami Awaz. As the days went by threats had been more vocal as the fanatic could easily mustered widespread support. Threats were issued that in case Rinkle Kumari alias Fariyal Shah converts back to Hinduism her punishment would be just death.
It was under such intimidation that Three bench of Pakistan Supreme Court headed my chief Justce Iftikar Md. Choudhury begin the hearing in the case on two of the three girls as the third girl Asha Kumari was untraceable by the first hearing. One the first hearing in the supreme court Chief Justice Pakistan Supreme Court Justice Iftikar Mohamed Choudhury did infused some hope by holding some form closed door hearing sensing the immense discomfort of the girls in recording their statements. As per reports from the Supreme court (it was never made public) the girls did comply that they had they have been converted but once the girls were allowed to meet their parents they did expressed their desire to be returned to their parents. Rinkle being most vocal of the two girls insisted on being sent to her parents. But despite her insistent CJ issued the order to sent both the girls to the women shelter Home on the grounds that girls need some more time to decide on their future. This despite Rinkle refused to return back to the women shelter and insisted being sent back to her parents as she face torture in the Women Shelter Home. But while the girls parents and members of the hindu community protested the Girls were forced into the armored vehicle to be shifted to Women shelter home to Karachi.
Although not reported by the media at large these Rinkle Kumari express her displeasure at the CJ decision by claiming what had always been believed by hindu minority that “ All are hand in Glove. There is justice only for Muslims, Hindus should not expect any justice”.
The fear that was expressed on 26th. March were indeed put to practice by Pakistan Supreme court on 24th. of April 2012. When while the Pakistan Hindu minority expected the Chief Justice to stand up againt the Muslim Fundamentalist the chief Justice shockingly did just the opposite. Neither the Girls nor the people accused of kidnappings were crossed examined. Hindu community counsel who made extensive preparation of the verdict were never allowed to put up their case instead the version put up my the lawyers of the kidnappers were considered as evidence. Worse no statements from the girls were recorded, instead the kidnapped girls all the three were sent to the office of the registrar where it is alleged that Miyan Abdul Haq men were already present who pressurized the girls to sign the declaration that they wished to go with their husbands . Worse Police which itself stand to be accused announced that the girls had wished to go with their husbands. While the Hindu community members along with the parents of the daughters protested the chief justice went ahead with the order.
The outside world including media came to know only after Hindu community lawyers came out of the courtroom and divulge the details of the proceedings. Initially the media were told that the girls are being given a choice to return to their families or to their husbands but in reality the opposite happened. There are credible reports that suggests that the court proceedings were pre planned to deny hindus community any chance for a fair trial. Every girl case was different yet they were all packed to one. Same say that Chief Justice of Pakistan Supreme court had already signed the order even before the hindu girls were forced to do so. The chief Justice shockingly took once sided view of the kidnappers there by demoting his office.
As the dust of the court order settled down there were shocking revelation that even in the women shelter house mityan Abdul Haq had free access to Rinkle where as her family or lawyers were never allowed to met her despite petitioning the Pakistan Supreme court. Not only this there were consistent calls from Pakistan Human Rights commotion to Shift the Girls to any alternative save place in Pakistani Capital Islamabad yet all calls were the judiciary or the Government. There are credible reports that Rinkle was sexually tortured to soften her by Mian Abdul Haq men.
The Supreme Court Order have unprecedented implications. Henceforth no hindu would dare to have any faith in the judiciary of Pakistan. In this case too Supreme court instead to removing the scar on itself where in Ghotki court the victim Rinkle Kumari was slapped in presence of the Judge, the highest court in Pakistan have even prolonged it reputation . Recently there had been a case of Presedent Zardari’s party female MNA (Member of National assembly ) slapped an women poling office, the SC of Pakistan wasted no time in pulling up the MNA where as in Rinkle case SC Pakistan never bothered to take up the case.
Even as the case of Kidnapped hindu girls moved from court to court in the name of providing protection to the victim protection have been provided to the kidnapers where the family of the victim were virtually underground to terrified to protest openly.
There are unconfirmed reports that a review petition is to be moved in the Pakistan Supreme Court but with CJ Pakistan siding and perhaps surrendering to the fundamentalist MNA it is unlikely that he would allow any free trail on the issue until and unless the case is backed my international independent observers.
The Case of Rinkle, Asha or Dr Lata are not isolated case nor the kidnappings are masterminded by any high rank leaders of AL Qaeda . The kidnappers are all rich & Powerful. Neither the case are of non State actors. According to Human Right commission of Pakistan such kidnappings happens almost on the daily basis. The numbers if added up could reach in thousands with 20-25 kidnapping a month this is a menace is spreading at an unprecedented rate now with the SC order the minority Hindu community have become even more susceptible to the kidnappings. The Pakistan Supreme court order needs to be revoked in light of massive irregularities that have been committed. The girls cannot be denied a fair chance to defend and legal aid apart from meeting with their parents as it is their families who would be providing strength to the girls to speak of their minds.
India & Pakistan already have a treaty signed in 1950s named as Nehru-Liquat pack which guarantees equal opportunity to the minorities yet inhuman practices being followed visa vis minority Hindu community in Sindh. Even after the court verdict Sindh Govt. which imposed Section 144 there by prohibiting any rallies in the parts of Northan Sindh including Jacacobad & Mirpur Mathelo, Fundamentalist including Miyan Abdul Haq were allowed to take our processions by openly displaying their catch viz Converted Hindu girls in the streets with provocative slogans thereby humiliating and terrifying the Hindu Minority which constitute barely 1-2 % of the population even further. But as Hindu community in Jacobabad began to protest, the protesters were booked for violating the Law!!!. A day before the Supreme court judgment members of the civil society were beaten up by Fundamentalist organization “Sunni Tehrek” but instead of booking the sunni Tehrek the Provincial Sindh govt. booked the members (most of them women) for defaming Islam!!!!
Women and that too from a minority constitute the weakest section of the society and needs to be protected at any cost yet in Sindh Hindu women are stripped of their pride, honor & Modesty at the will of the kidnappers, with no fear of prosecution. Long after the family members of the kidnapped girls tend to forget the girls , it is the girls who are made to rot and slaughter her rest of life as sex slaves. Separated from her parents and loved one and in absence of any legal aid life of the girls are like a living Hell. There are reports that the girls are even sold to other men for Money.
The story of the kidnapped girls is the story basic human rights that too of women. The Hindu community in Sindh is an suppressed community which had been left with no voice of its own. Since 1947 Hindus have been migrating to India and to the outside world which never stopped despite Nehru – Liquat pack. An almost nonexistent or feeble Civil Society meant that the voice of the Minorities are never heard in the outside world. For the Hindu minority, their dignity is at the mercy of the majority who are generally insensitive to the pains of the community in Sindh.
Sindh had been called the land of Sufi saints or as commonly regarded a moderate form of Islam yet in the name of Islam crimes are being committed which could be equated only with the crimes against humanity. No commission have ever been set up to probe the excess of the crimes that are being committed against women. It is this immunity from the crimes of Kidnappings and sexual assault only men from influential status make use of to perpetuate crimes against girls.
Hindu community in Sindh need a voice that had to come from outside world. The issues being faced by Hindus in Sindh in general and women & girls in particular needs to taken up my civil Rights group, Media, Women rights groups, United Nation, civil liberties groups apart from Goverments of independent states. Until and unless world wakes up it is unlikely that Hindu Girls would ever get any justice.
The international community need to take up the retrial of Rinkle-Asha-Lata cases so that lives of the girls could be saved from a living Hell. The revoking of the Pakistan Supreme court judgment is to be the first step in providing the justice to Hindu minority women.
In case work community turns a blind eye to the crimes Sindhi Hindu women would continue to slaughter an inhuman which would further lower their dignity. Its time that international community wakes up or else even GOD can’t help Hindus of Sindh.
Any individual / organization/civil rights /women rights groups willing to help Hindu community may contact the following persons in the relation to the case (These are Pakistan nos.)
Advocat Amar Lal former Advisor to Benazir Bhuto
Former Special Assistance to Prime Minister / Former Federal Minister / Chairman Pakistan Minorities Commission
Cell # 0092-3008261539 & 0092-332-8261539
GOD BLESS HINDU WOMEN OF SINDH
LISTED BELOW WEBLINKS RELATED TO THE CASE AND OTHER ISSUES FROM NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRESS. PLEASE HELP
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