PPP may revisit bill against forced conversions

Nisar Khuhro hints at possibility of revisiting law


Mudaser Kazi December 16, 2016
PHOTO: EXPRESS

KARACHI: Amid mounting pressure from religious groups, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nisar Khuhro on Friday hinted that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) may revisit the law against forced conversions.

Religious parties and groups began a vehement campaign against the Criminal Law (Protection of Minorities) after the Sindh Assembly passed the bill a month ago.

In an official statement, senior minister Khuhro rejected the religious parties’ view that the law is against the spirit of Islam, implying that the bill was quite in line with the teachings of the Quran. “Our religion, Islam, does not permit forcible conversions of anyone,” he said. He clarified that the law only prevents forcible conversions in the name of Islam. “Girls belonging to minorities, especially minors, have been victims of forced conversion,” he said. “After this law, no one can change the religion under the age of 18 years.” He explained that the marriage of a minor is also against the law and religion, which is why the Sindh Assembly has made this law in the spirit of the Constitution as well as religion. He added that the bill passed by the assembly should not be made an issue of ego.

Nonetheless, he conceded, the assembly can revisit the ‘controversial section if any’ in the bill. “We can bring an amendment to the bill in order to redress the grievances of religious parties if they have any,” he said.

The bill has currently been sent to the governor for his assent. The Sindh Assembly can revisit or amend the bill if it is passed or rejected within three months by the governor.

The private bill was tabled last year by Pakistan Muslim League - Functional (PML-F) parliamentary leader Nand Kumar. It was referred to the standing committee for minorities and human rights and returned to the assembly after a few months’ deliberation. It was finally passed last month.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Kumar said that he, along with civil society and human rights organisations, will start a campaign against the government if it made any amendment to change the objectives of the bill. “The PPP claims to be a champion of minority rights,” he said. “After the passage of this bill, the PPP celebrated but unfortunately the party has now succumbed to mounting pressure from religious parties. No religion in the world permits to force people to change their religion.”

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Sindh, vice-chairperson Asad Iqbal Butt was of the view that the government’s backing down on the issue will encourage religious groups to pressurise the government on every law. Meanwhile, religious scholar Mufti Naeem claimed that converting to Islam before the age of 18 is legitimate according to the ‘Shariah law’.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17th, 2016.

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