A landmark law

In a rare display of distilled common-sense the Sindh Assembly has passed unanimously the Forced Conversion Law on Thursday 24^th November. The Bill started life as a private enterprise and was originally tabled last year by Pakisan Muslim League — Functional and it was subsequently referred to the standing committee for minority and human rights and then returned to the assembly. Given the generally tardy progress anything relating to human rights and the rights of minorities makes it was taken up with commendable speed. Although not on the agenda last Thursday the Bill’s proposer Nand Kumar after consultation with the Speaker and the PPP saw his proposal put to the assembly where it was passed unanimously.



The passing of this legislation is much to be welcomed as it gives leverage to those seeking to curb an odious and increasing practice — forced conversion from one of the minority faiths to Islam. That it received immediate cross-party approval is equally commendable and one of the finer examples of how a democratic assembly can work for the common good and lay aside traditional party-political divisions.

Those that are the subject of forced conversion are primarily young girls, generally from poor backgrounds with little by way of resources or clout to resist those that prey on them. The new law will give an opportunity for redress, but as ever there will be a gap between the passing of the legislation and the first prosecutions under its provisions. The police in particular are going to be key players in terms of whether this new law remains a paper exercise or have legislative teeth. Forced conversion now has to be criminalised, and the victims given the protection they are going to need, and there are clauses within that define how that protection is to be offered.

For many conservatively-minded people forced conversion is normative and culturally acceptable. They will resist the change and seek to frustrate the new law. That must not be allowed to happen. Human rights generally and the rights of women and minorities just took a step forward in Sindh, let us now see the new law implemented in letter and spirit.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2016.

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