NA panel summons Sindh IG over forced conversion of girls

Stresses need for legislation to address the issue

ISLAMABAD:

A parliamentary committee has summoned the Sindh inspector general for a briefing in the next meeting over the forced conversion of minority girls in the province, stressing the need for legislation to address the issue.

The Parliamentary Committee to Protect Minorities from Forced Conversions, which met under the chairmanship of Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar, underscored the need for enactment of strict laws and other measures in order to prevent such incidents.

The lawmakers highlighted that forced conversion is against Islamic teachings. Incidents of forced religious conversions are tarnishing Pakistan’s image at the world stage, they lamented.

During the meeting, MNA Ramesh Kumar Vankwani said that such cases will continue until the law on forced religious conversion is enacted. He pointed out that the cases of forced conversions are very high in Sindh. Reacting to the MNAs concerns, the chairman said that the committee needs to go to Sindh to hear such cases.

Briefing the panel on the federal capital’s status, representatives of the chief commissioner and IG Islamabad said that a case of forced conversion came to light in Islamabad in 2019. They told that the girl initially stated that she got married to her choice and embraced Islam on her own free will. The Islamabad police still challenged the accused, but he was acquitted by the court.

Meanwhile, the human rights ministry secretary said that she had personally followed two cases – out of the five recently reported – of forced conversion. In such cases, it was said that the “victims were all underage”. However, during visits, it was revealed that the victims were not underage and appeared happily married, the secretary said, adding that a year later, she went to their house again “secretly and made videos” in which the girls were looking happy. The girls had also given statements before the high court, the secretary added.

Committee member Ali Muhammad Khan, who is also the state minister for parliamentary affairs, said: “There is no concept of forced conversion in Islam.” He stressed that the committee should resolve the issue in consultation with the Council of Islamic Ideology, the federation of madrassas and religious scholars.

In every case, Khan said the name of Mian Mitho has been coming to the fore. Hence, Mian Mitho should be summoned before the committee and an explanation should be sought, the minister demanded.

Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmed said: “Forced conversion is against the teachings of Islam. This is an Islamic country. What message will be sent to the world if minorities are not protected?”

The National Commission for Minorities chairman said that there is no concept of forced conversion in any sacred religion. “The question is why only young girls change their religion. Why don’t our boys change their religion? Why are these converts being made wives? Are these girls also kept as sisters?” The committee chairman said that it is the prerogative of the provincial government to stop such incidents. “That is why the Sindh IG has been summoned. We will do what we can,” Kakar said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2020.