UNHRC should look into the kidnapping of Hindu girls in Pakistan: VHP

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) Thursday called for the attention of United Nations human rights body UNHRC on the alleged kidnapping of Hindu girls in Pakistan and forcible conversion into Islam, and said they should be handed back to their families.

The three Hindu girls, who were kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam, should be released and handed over to their families immediately, VHP's secretary general Milind Parande said in a statement.

Raising the issue of persistent civil rights violations of Hindus in Pakistan, the "VHP called for the attention of the neighbouring country's government, its judiciary and the world community including UNHRC, to stop them forthwith".

Many NGO's and national and international rights groups have estimated that more than 1,000 Hindu girls and women are kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam annually in Pakistan, the VHP claimed.

Underlining that Hindus have been and are still being persecuted in Pakistan, the outfit said when Pakistan came into existence in 1947, Hindus were 16 per cent of their population, but by 2011, it drastically reduced to only 1.6 per cent.

Lauding the efforts of the Indian government, Parande said the organisation is thankful to the Centre for its regular efforts in relaxing citizenship rules, granting long term visas, citizenship rights and facilitating rehabilitation of 'victim immigrants' from Pakistan.