'Legislation necessary to curb religious discrimination, ensure minority rights in Pak'

Religious discrimination and acts like forced conversion of Hindu girls in Pakistan should be declared as crimes against humanity and legal action should be taken to curb it, speakers at a consultation on minority rights have said.

The speakers who attended the ceremony on 'Religious Minority and Human Rights: Democratic Process and New Opportunities', underlined the need for formulation of laws to end discrimination against oppressed sections including non-Muslims in the Pakistani society, reports the Daily Times.

Minority candidates, who contested in the Elections-2013 from general constituencies in Sindh, civil society activists, human rights activists, media persons and members of minority groups, participated in the discussion.

They shared their experiences during the recent elections, gave input on the electoral process, problems faced by the minority voters, and manipulation of results by influential.

Michel Javed said not a single political party had given tickets to women belonging to minority communities on reserved seats for women during the elections. He suggested fixing reserved seats for women of religious minority.

The other participants said that in Tharparkar and Umerkot districts voters were stopped from polling. Certain landlords forcefully collected their CNICs and stopping them from voting, they said.

They also regretted that there is almost 100 percent illiteracy among the marginalised minorities in rural Sindh.