Pakistan Hindu Council asks govt to move ICJ against Jodhpur killing

Dr Vankwani says murder of Pakistan Hindus exposed India’s citizenship law

ISLAMABAD:

Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, the patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC), has asked the Pakistan government to help move the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against the brutal killing of 11 Pakistani Hindus in Indian city of Jodhpur.

“I would soon move the ICJ against India for the killing,” Dr Vankwani, who is also a Member National Assembly (MNA) from Sindh’s Tharparkar area, said while addressing a press conference.

On August 9, eleven Pakistani Hindus were found dead under mysterious circumstances in district Jodhpur of the Indian State of Rajasthan.

Indian authorities had tried to present the tragic incident as a mass suicide but refused to share details of the investigation with the Pakistan High Commission.

The Hindu community in Pakistan including members of the family had rejected the Indian claim and on Friday staged a sit-in protest outside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, demanding justice for the victims.

Dr Vankwani said the sit-in was aimed at registering a protest against the killing and the protestors called it off on the request of the Islamabad district administration to avoid inconvenience to people.

“During the protest, we submitted a resolution to the Indian High Commission demanding that India involve Pakistan for ensuring a fair and transparent investigation into the Jodhpur tragedy.”

He said the resolution also urged India to revoke the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) – a controversial and discriminatory law allowing non-Muslims residing in states surrounding India an opportunity to get the Indian citizenship on a fast-track.

“The killing of 11 Pakistani Hindus in Jodhpur has exposed the CAA. This killing raises the question whether it is a real act to grant citizen or one to fool people,” the PHC patron said

Dr Vankwani said the resolution passed by the protestors also expressed solidarity “with brothers and sisters” living in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and demanded an end to human rights violations in the disputed Himalayan valley.

“The Hindu religion is peaceful and does not permit oppression of the innocent people and atrocities which India is committing the IIOJK. The BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] led Indian government is working against the ideology of Hinduism.”

He said he was invited to attend the groundbreaking of the Ram Mandir, built after demolishing the 500 year old Babri Mosque in Ayodhya area of Indian State of Uttar Pradesh.

"I declined the offer and said that I too worship Ram but I have never heard about a place of Allah's worship being razed to the ground and a place for Ram's worship being built on top."

“India must stop the blame game and work for prosperity and development of the region,” he said.

Shrimati Mukhi, a surviving member of the ill-fated family, also addressed the media and said the Indian authorities did not even allow her relatives to see the dead bodies of her kin.

“We demand that India provide proofs that my family committed suicide. I will not stop protesting until I receive Justice,” she announced.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP