QUETTA:
Minorities in Balochistan, particularly Hindus, are increasingly being kidnapped for ransom and forced to convert to Islam, according to a report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s (HRCP) Balochistan chapter.
As many as 50 people belonging to the Hindu community were kidnapped over the past three years and were freed after paying large sums of money in ransom, the HRCP’s Tahir Hussain and Zahoor Shahwani told the media.
The HRCP’s report expressed serious concerns over other human rights matters in the province, such as missing persons turning up as bullet-riddled bodies and incidences of target killing.
It also said that political activities to mobilise public opinion in Balochistan have come to a standstill, as no major political parties hold gatherings and rallies because of the current law and order situation.
Many Hindus have now stopped sending their children to school because of a lack of security. Traders, doctors and retailers are being kidnapped or threatened, said the chairman of the HRCP’s Balochistan chapter. He added that the son of a well-known Hindu doctor was recently kidnapped and a Hindu surgeon was kidnapped a month ago. He also said that most victims do not file a criminal case against their abductors out of fear.
Discovery of mutilated bodies of missing persons is on the increase. As many as 188 decomposed bodies have so far been dumped in Balochistan since June 4 last year.
Most of the victims were political leaders and activists and students. There have also been incidences of lawyers working on the cases of missing persons being killed.
Shahwani, a council member of the HRCP, said they had set up a special cell for collecting evidence and documents about missing persons. About 12 families submitted documents in connection with such cases. Those who ‘resurfaced’ were reluctant to record their statements and appear before the courts, he added.
According to the interior ministry, only 44 people are missing in Balochistan, while the relatives of missing persons in the province insist they have information about 1,300 missing persons.
The HRCP urged the government to refrain from brute force and instead concentrate on political solutions for Balochistan problems.
According to the HRCP, 83 people, including teachers, political activists and police officials, have been killed in 50 incidents of targeted killing this year, while 58 people had lost their lives and 74 were injured in 58 bomb blasts.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 18th, 2011.
COMMENTS (22)
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it is clear that there are many well-meaning individuals in pakistan who genuinely feel for their minority brothers;but the dominant force is the constitutional discrimation and the viciousness of mulla-brigade who get away with anything under the garb of islam; and well meaning people turn their heads otherway from it all;the police force being mostly muslims are already biased against '. part of it is what is being taught in schools to coming generation;the history is as if the whole world had been islam and all these bad people have taken much of the land from them,and they need to get it back through jihad.on top of that is the madrassas whose whole purpose if to turn out jihadis.
@Ron D'mello: And who would prefer Pakistan over India? Wise guy my suggestion is take all muslims. Better still treat the people of your country as equal citizens and keep religion out of politics and statescraft.
@Ron D Mello I am all for the idea that India take all Hindus, Christians and other minorities of Pakistan. Pakistan should also reciprocate by taking in all Muslims from India. That's the unfinished agenda of partition that needs conclusion.
@ Alladin - you live in delusion brother. Only the poor Hindus and Christians who could not afford to migrate or the ones who believed their neighbors would protect them stayed. No one from India migrated to Pakistan except a few who joined family members in Pakistan.
@Alladin, Nice fairy tale.
@ Alladin -- Pakistan legally, officially and constitutionally bans Pakistani Hindus, Pakistani Christians, Pakistani Ahmedis, Pakistani Parsis and Pakistani Sikhs from even aspiring to be the Pakistani President or Pakistani Prime Minister. And you're saying "Pakistani Christians migrated from India to escape fundamentalist Hindus" and "Hindus live quite happily in Pakistan"? What world are you living in? Pakistan is an Islamic state, India is a secular state. Why would any Christian or Hindu in South Asia prefer to live under an Islamic state instead of a secular one?
@Alladin:
So, mean to say that christians were persecuted in pre-partition India administered by the christian British? Please quote one historical example to support your assertion
Govt of India should accept all Paakistani Hindus/Sikhs/Christiaans who want to migrate to India. The future is indeed black for non-muslims in Pakistan.
@Alladin:
Christians live peacefully in Pakistan? How would you know? Are you a Christian Pakistani? Just seeing a few Christians and having some as friends doesn't make you an expert on them. I am a Christian Pakistani and I can tell you right now that we ARE discriminated against, persecuted against. Get out of your denialist mentality and accept the truth: minorities i.e. Hindus, Christians, Shias, Ahmadis are all in danger as long as they live in your country.
Alladin,
Minorities living peacefully in Pakistan ? One of the best jokes I have ever heard.
When Pakistan was created the minorities in Pakistan were about 20-25 pct.
And now if I am not mistaken less than 7-8 pct and amoung them hindus are only 2% who where around 20% during partition.
@ Ron D Mello & Alladin
Pakistan was created out of India - and millions of Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India and millions of Muslims to Pakistan. First of all, there is no rational or logical sense for an Indian Christian living in India during the pre-partition years to migrate to Pakistan, never did such an act happen. On the contrary the many Christians living in Punjab and Sindh migrated to a democratic largely Hindu India to escape the Islamic virus that infected Pakistan since it`s birth.
Statistics and records show, Muslims living in India are far better off economically and socially compared to their brethren across the border. Alladin, get out your genie from the bottle and ask him before speaking unstated facts
There are minorities like Hindus and Christians still in Pakistan, but their condition is worse than animals. Other than an instance or two, here in India -Musims especially have no issues in terms of their lives or freedom to practice religion - it is only when they start a riot, thats when they get a befitting reply
So, you muslims should just know your place and start living in peace
@Ron D'mello - Dude . . .Just want to educate you that Pakistan is a multi ethnic country made up of loyal Christians (who migrated from India at the time of partition to escape persecution by fundamentalist Hindus), Shia/Sunni muslim, Bohris, Ismailis ,Parsis ,Ahmadis and others etc. etc. etc . . . they all mostly migrated from India at the time of partition and made a country called Pakistan and have a common bonding. They all live and work together and interdependent on each other unlike what the news media and Indian propaganda shouts all the time. . . . so please do not get carried away by the false paid news propaganda especially from India. Even Hindus live quite happily in Pakistan. Every human being is suffering in today's climate of Indian proxy war and foreign espionage in Pakistan. It is very important for Pakistan to bring all its territories under its firm control in order to create peace and harmony for all.
Why do Hindus even stay in Pakistan? Hindus are such a small minority, why cant India accept them and help them with some assistance. That way they dont have to fear about their lives or forcibly convert to Islam.
Even Pakistan would have peace if it becomes a 100% Sunni Muslim country. That way everyone would be Muslims and all Sunnis. Shias, Bohris, Ismailis, Ahmadis, Parsis and Christians could move to India. India should send equal number of Sunni Muslims to Pakistan There must be many Sunni Muslims who would prefer Pakistan over India.
Why has this HRCP not mentioned a single word about the Hazara people in Quetta who have lost more then 500 of its community members in just a few years?
For me this report is more a political report than a true and transparant human rights report!
I have no doubt in my mind that the minorities will either be killed or forced to convert to Islam in Pakistan and one day they wont even count 1% of the population. Then, the radicals will turn on fellow Muslims. We already see this happening in Pakistan. When the minorities are exterminated, they will come after each and every one of you reading this.
Imagine if Muslims were kidnapped and forced to covert in less developed part of India - say Jharkhand or Orissa. Whole Pakistan would have been rising up to protest!
But when it comes to Pakistani minorities, there is a dead silence - except this publication and Dawn. Thank you Harold for recognising that minorities are Pakistanis too! If they are unsafe, so will be Pakistan!
Where is the clown Zaid Hamid who says this about Hindus "Dil Se Laga Ke rakhte hai".
Pakistan should be concerned about its minorities rather than Kashmiri Muslims.
More shameful acts that make me hang my head. Sad. When will be protect those most vulnerable?