LASBELA:
The Hindu community has expressed their dissatisfaction with the police for not being able to rescue Ganga Ram Motiyani who was kidnapped on April 6 from Bela, tehsil of Lasbela.
Motiyani was the chairperson of the Hinglaj Mata committee and an active member of the Bela Hindu Panchait.
“The police have not been able to trace the men who kidnapped Motiyani,” said Prem Chand Kachhwani, the Mukkhi of the Lasbela Hindu Panchait. “His disappearance has added to our insecurities.”
While talking to The Express Tribune, he criticised the ruling government and the role of the country’s intelligence agencies. “I think Motiyani was taken to Khuzdar or somewhere in the northern areas of Lasbela,” said Kachhwani. “We have not received any phone calls for ransom.” Lila Ram, Motiyani’s younger brother, said that his brother was very active in the religious and social welfare works of the community. “The whole family is shocked. It seems that the culprits are being sheltered by the government,” he alleged.
There are around 500 Hindu households in Bela and most of them support Jam Mohammad Yousaf, the former Balochistan chief minister and MNA of the area. Jam has been nominated for the murder of Nawab Akbar Bugti and said to be in self-exile.
“We feel the absence of Jam Yousaf, he always supported the Hindus. There is no religious biasness in our area as Hindus and Muslims respect each other,” said Kachhwani. “If Motiyani has been kidnapped to sabotage Hinglaj Dam then it should be made clear that Hindus across the globe would not tolerate such as act.”
The Lasbela SSP Abdul Rauf informed The Express Tribune that three investigating teams have been constituted to look into the kidnapping. “I do not think that Motiyani was kidnapped for ransom. We are trying to look into all the technical aspects of the issue,” said Rauf. “The police has been active and trying its best to trace those responsible but we have no leads as of now.”
Kachhwani reiterated that Motiyani’s kidnapping and the cases of forced conversions in Sindh have spread panic amongst the Hindu businessmen. “Hindus are mostly involved in business and are peaceful people. It would create problems for the government if they shift their investments somewhere else,” he warned.
Similar to the police, Kachhwani, Lila Ram and Motiyani’s other family members, were also vague about who could be behind the kidnapping. “We know for sure that criminal elements are involved. One can not ignore the separatists or he could have even been picked up by the intelligence agencies.”
The annual pilgrimage of Hinglaj Mata started on April 8 and ended on April 10. According to official reports, over 50,000 Hindus from different parts of Pakistan and other countries came for the pilgrimage amid tight security arrangements.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 18th, 2012.
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