Pakistan

Minority lawmakers seek social, religious rights

PTI lawmaker said any legislation on minorities’ rights is being blocked

Our Correspondent June 11, 2016

Parliament House. PHOTO: NA.GOV.PK

ISLAMABAD: Minority legislators of different political parties may not share the same benches in parliament, but they are on the same page as far as their demands for securing their social and religious rights are concerned.

In separate sessions of the National Assembly and Senate on Friday, minority lawmakers in both houses spoke on contemporary issues involving their respective communities and problems faced by constituencies they represented.

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PTI lawmaker Lal Chand Malhi told the National Assembly that the Hindu community in Sindh was facing a serious challenge of forced conversions at the hands of powerful elements but the federal government was completely indifferent in this regard. “This is my third consecutive participation in the budget session. I have been raising my voice against forced conversions of Hindu community since day-one, but things have not changed even a bit,” he said.

PML-N’s electoral manifesto in Sindh during the 2013 elections had promised to “take necessary steps to stop forced conversions of Hindu community,” but the actual situation is in complete contrast to this assertion.

“The Hindu community is being marginalised ... We are being besieged by formation of powerful anti-Hindi organisations in Sindh. As a result of a well thought-out conspiracy, any legislation on minorities’ rights is being blocked,” Malhi said.

Minority rights commission to be formed in Sindh

Following a Supreme Court order to establish a National Council for Minorities Rights, the government set up a National Commission for Minorities, which, the lawmaker said, “is a joke”. The Hindu Marriage Bill has not been tabled before the NA for approval even though the relevant NA panel approved it three months ago, he added. Another bill for establishing National Commission for Minorities Rights was drafted seven months ago, but no headway was made in this regard, according to the PTI lawmaker.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2016.