Forced conversions, human trafficking come under microscope

PCMR Chairperson says there is a need to understand the factors forcing these issues

LAHORE: The People’s Commission for Minorities Rights (PCMR) organised a people’s inquiry on forced conversions and trafficking of minority women at a private hostel on Saturday.

Victims, who suffered through forced conversions and were married off to Chinese men, shared their harrowing tales. Rimsha and Neha Javed from Lahore, Anwer Masih and Bashir Masih from Toba Tek Singh, Charlotte from Faisalabad, Chaman from Rahim Yar Khan and Shiza from Gujranwala spoke about their experience with forced conversion. Also, Mehak Pervaiz, Muqadas, Saleem Iqbal and Yasir Talib shared their accounts of human trafficking.

The jury at the inquiry comprised former UN human rights defender Hina Jilani, Justice Kailashnath Kohli as well as senior lawyers Jamshed Rehmatullah and Parkash Mehtani. Meanwhile, PCMR Patron-in-Chief I A Rehman, journalists Aoun Sahi and Mubashir Zaidi presented an overview of the issues.

Speaking on the occasion, PCMR Chairperson Peter Jacob highlighted the need to understand the issue at hand in its entirety and factors contributing towards it, such as gender, poverty, religious discrimination and demography.

PCMR Patron-in-Chief I A Rehman said that everyone should possess the right to convert to another religion, but our Constitution does not allow this. On the other hand, this is a right awarded to each individual under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations.

Addressing the recent incidents of Chinese men adopting Islam to marry Muslim women, he said that there was a need to follow such cases. “Provincial and district governments cannot deal with this issue. The entire nation needs to come together to resolve this,” he stated.

Journalist Aoun Sahi maintained that many were reluctant to highlight such issues. He cited the example of a Christian mother of two who was abducted and forcibly married after being converted. He stated that the girl’s father was unable to register an FIR for three months.

When an FIR was finally registered after a judicial inquiry, the abduction was not included in the complaint. In addition, officials reportedly physically assaulted the girl and asked why she was making false claims.

A study by PCMR, titled ‘Silence of the Lamb’, was also shared with participants on the occasion. It provided a working definition, evidence and recommendations to effectively address the issue.

The jury held that the state must act to safeguard its citizens from all human rights violations, including forced conversions, human trafficking, child marriages and abductions. The participants also took an oath that they will strive to uphold the standards of truth, justice and fairness as well as work towards providing relief to the victims of these crimes.

National Commission on Status of Women (NCSW) Chairperson Khawar Mumtaz, activist Wajahat Masood, members of the commission and others were present at the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 12^th, 2019.