The recent comments made by Interior Minister Rehman Malik on the migration of Hindu families amidst increasing cases of violence and lack of protection provided to their community by officials in Pakistan have angered our neighbour. When asked about the supposed migration of 60 Hindu families to India from Jacobabad, Malik claimed that India was carrying out a conspiracy against the government by issuing 250 visas to Hindus. As it turned out though, these visas were issued by the Indian High Commission so that the renowned Maharaj from Jacobabad, Santosh Puri, could leave for Yatra (religious pilgrimage) to India with his followers. As a result, a large number of people from Balochistan, Jacobabad and Kashmore had arrived at the border to bid him farewell.
Rehman Malik’s comments, however, would have been equally offensive had it turned out that the Hindus were actually migrating to India. We have made religious minorities feel so insecure in the country that many are left with no option but to reluctantly leave. In Sindh, Hindu girls are abducted, forcibly converted to Islam and then married off to Muslim men. Even the Supreme Court, which intervened in one such conversion case, ended up siding against the Hindu community. In Balochistan, Hindus are leaving their ancestral homes in droves, sometimes moving to India and otherwise going to large urban cities like Karachi and Quetta because of the threats they face. Since the trader Hindu community is relatively prosperous, it has been systemically targeted for kidnapping. The police have shown very little interest in recovering people belonging to a minority group and so families have either had to pay exorbitant amounts in ransom or lose their loved ones.
The interior minister should know that the Indian government and Pakistan’s Hindu community are not involved in any conspiracy. The only conspiracy here is the one hatched by a state that refuses to protect vulnerable communities. With his insensitive and thoughtless remarks, Rehman Malik may just have made things even worse for Hindus here. The suspicion with which Hindus were viewed will only increase now that their loyalty to the country has been questioned, when in fact, we should be focusing our efforts to maintain a more amicable relationship.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 11th, 2012.
COMMENTS (28)
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My father was a doctor who emigrated in the seventies. They still remember us in our village for the services my father did for the community.
Zaid Hamid Not be so sure here. The way Bodos are getting marginalised in Assam things don't look great in India either.
Hindus are treated harshly, We Muslims are responsible for it.we abducted their land(sindh) while now abducting their own houses.
Did Rehman Malik took an NOC before migrating to UK and becoming a UK citizen?
Isn't this 2 nation theory? The very theory the supposedly secular founding fathers of Pakistan spoke of, often confusingly?
The theory says Hindus and Muslims are two separate nations, they can't possibly live together. Jinnah is right, only with respect to his creation, not the country he was born in.
Rehman Malik must get a visa too, so that he can go india n leave us happy !
Go home Rahman Malik.
Holding the travelers back for hours until an "assurance" is available that they are not "escaping" out of Pakistan is an evil act.
Thanks for your editorial. This makes it easier to ensure that evil act does not beget evil response.
In Sindh, Hindu girls are abducted, forcibly converted to Islam and then married off to Muslim men. Even the Supreme Court, which intervened in one such conversion case, ended up siding against the Hindu community. Then there is no good reason to stay at the land of pious people. Rehman Malik further adding the fuel and providing ground to the insanes who will take advantage of it and will raise their prejudices against HINDUs in Pakistan.
Quote:* The suspicion with which Hindus were viewed will only increase now that their loyalty to the country has been questioned, when in fact, we should be focusing our efforts to maintain a more amicable relationship.*:Unquote
Words of immense wisdom!
Rehman Malik is absolutely right- All other religions ARE a conspiracy against Pakistan and its pious Muslims. So what, if these religions have existed on the earth and on this land since earlier than Islam?
Being logical and honest is not a duty cast upon the Hon'ble Interior Minister.
Our Government always blame others for their own faults. Who stopped Pakistani Government from providing security to Hindus, is this also a conspiracy by some foreign powers.
A large majority of Pakistanis are working hard to leave this country irrespective of whether they are Muslims or Non-Muslims. The cause is economics as well as religious fundamentalism.
Guys like Malik are great, They provide nonstop entertainment at the cost of their own citizens.
"Even the Supreme Court, which intervened in one such conversion case, ended up siding against the Hindu community". Supreme court making descion on the notion, majority is authority.
Imran Con, You have stolen my lines bravo!However,I would add that said law should be applied across the board. Regards.
Had the state securty agencies paid heed to the plight of Sikh minorities in Khyber and Orakzai tribal agencies years ago when the Taliban thugs imposed Jizia on them, the countrymen would not see this happen today. Like all other policies vis-a-vis the 'strategic assets' this one is also rebounding.
Looking at the condition of minority in Pakistan. it seems as if Jinanh had created Pakistan to save the Hindus from such pious muslims. Indian Hindus should be thankful to Jinnah.
@numbersnumbers: " ... “THIS IS A CONSPIRACY AGAINST PAKISTAN BY (please fill in the blank) TO SMEAR THE GOOD NAME OF PAKISTAN”! ... "
I am with Rehman Malik on this. The migration of Hindus is a planned event. Soon the Sikhs will follow.
What is happening in the Muslim world - Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, etc will happen to Pakistan. But before than can happen, internal conditions have to be "ripe". For Pakistan, the strategy is to get all the minorities out. Once that happens, the sectarian divide amongst Muslims will kick in. The world will find a pretext to intervene.
Today Pakistan resembles the time when Idi Amin expelled Indians from Uganda. After the Indians left Uganda, its economy collapsed and civil / ethnic war followed and Uganda not recovered since then.
Would Mr Malik object if any Pakistani Muslims decided to emigrate to UAE, Saudi Arabia etc? And can Mr Malik tell the world if any Muslims from India have actually emigrated to Pakistan? I think very straight and honest answers to these 2 simple questions can speak volumes of Pakistan's standing in the world.
ANOTHER Malik-ism unleashed upon the country! Does any of this sound familiar, almost like a well rehearsed speech something like "THIS IS A CONSPIRACY AGAINST PAKISTAN BY (please fill in the blank) TO SMEAR THE GOOD NAME OF PAKISTAN"!
pakistan today has all the recipe for being a disaster waiting to happen...may god give pakistanis strength to bear wat lies in future for them...
In Balochistan, Hindus are leaving their ancestral homes in droves, sometimes moving to India and otherwise going to large urban cities like Karachi and Quetta because of the threats they face. I thought i closed those camps before i committed suicide.... Well my proud legacy goes on albeit in a new form for a new reason!!! This time its a broader agenda - Religion and not just Race...
Even the Supreme Court, which intervened in one such conversion case, ended up siding against the Hindu community. I am so proud of my prodigy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Interior Minister's attitude reflects the attitude of Pakistanis to their problems - ignore the key issue and blame others. The Minister instead of trying to assure protection and safety to the minority group accuses India of a 'conspiracy to defame Pakistan'! Wow! Simply speechless to the response.
Parliament should pass a law that requires the closest person to Malik to slap him whenever the word "conspiracy" comes out of his mouth. Though he'd probably end up needing security with all the people trying to rush to his side.