Minorities’ rights and their safety are guaranteed under the Constitution of Pakistan but the Hindu community laments that they are deprived of their basic right.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Hindu Panchayat president Mukhi Eshwar Lal Makheja reported that a string of violent incidents, including kidnapping for ransom, robbery, extortion, gang rape and forced conversions had been inflicted upon members of the community over the last three months.
Citing examples of the incidents, Makheja said that a trader, Lachman Das, had been kidnapped from Airport Road, Sukkur, about two and a half months ago and had not been rescued to date. Another trader belonging to the Hindu community, Ravi Kumar, was kidnapped near Sangi but was later rescued.
Makheja appealed to the authorities to provide protection to the Hindu traders as they were an important part of the country’s economy. “Members of the Hindu community are involved in the rice and dates trades, apart from playing their roles in the services sector as doctors and pharmacists,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2014.
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