Hindu community facing 'forced conversions' in Pakistan

Hindus in Pakistan have been facing problems due to forced religious conversions, an issue that came up at a seminar titled 'Hindus in Pakistan - issues and solutions' held at the Karachi Press Club.

"Can you accept your daughters forcibly being married to Hindu men?" asked Raj Kumar, uncle of a Hindu girl Rinkle Kumari, at the seminar held Sunday.

Calling a six-year-old girl, Jumna, to the stage, Kumar said she along with her 10-year-old sister Pooja was forced to change religion, Dawn reported Monday.

"What do children as young as Jumna and Pooja know about Islam and their own religion for that matter, that they'd want to convert? This is the height of injustice," he said.

Jumna's parents said their girls did not return home Feb 4 after they left home to sell toys, adding that they raised an alarm over it.

It was found that they have been staying with a Muslim man. Police brought them to a court as Muslim children and prevented the parents from seeing their daughters, they said.

Kishan Chand Parwani, chairman of the All Hindu Rights Organisation, said it was sad to see such problems of the minorities in Pakistan multiplying instead of decreasing.

"Minorities are protected by law everywhere in the world but the Hindu community in Pakistan is facing harassment at every level," Parwani said.

Writer and poet Fahmida Riaz thanked the Hindu community for coming and raising its voice against the issue.

Iqbal Butt of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan was of the opinion that one had to raise an issue to be able to solve such problem.