Worrying trend: Hindu trader abducted from Quetta
An FIR was registered at the Saryab police station against unidentified persons.
“The police are investigating the matter and cannot comment on the motive behind the abduction,” said Saryab SHO Raja Qayyum. However, he added, it will be premature to term the case “kidnapping for ransom”.
In a separate incident the same day, armed men robbed several shops in Dadhar. Protesting against the spate of kidnappings and robberies targeting their community, Hindu traders observed a complete shutter-down strike in Dadhar, the district headquarters of Kechi District.
At least four Hindu traders have been kidnapped in the past 30 days, Balochistan Minorities Minister Basant Lal Gulshan told The Express Tribune, adding, “Hindu traders are soft targets and the criminals believe they are easy ransom targets.”
However, the government is trying to prevent similar occurrences in the future, he said.
Several Hindu traders were set free after they paid off ransom to their kidnappers.
A sub-engineer from the Hindu community was recently freed by his captors after his family members paid Rs600,000 in ransom. “The local administration and influential people of the province are patronising the kidnappers. I was in the captivity of kidnappers for over two weeks. The area wasn’t far from my hometown in Jaffarabad district,” he said.
The Hindu community is helpless before the influential people. “Almost all well-off Hindu traders are either kidnapped or are forced to pay extortion money.”
Asked whether any Hindu trader had been recovered by law enforcing agencies, Gulshan simply put up a ‘do-not-know’ front.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 5th, 2011.
COMMENTS (21)
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@Jack: "Pakistan is 97 per cent muslim – which means that the total number of minorities remaining are less than 6 million. India has 200 million minorities of which 150 million are Muslim. See the gap in logic?"
Pakistan has 97% Muslims today. In 1947 it had 25% non-Muslims. India had 9% Muslims in 1947. Now the percentage is 15%.
SO the gap that you have referred to arises from the fact that Pakistan tortured its non-Muslims either killing or forcibly converting them and India provided appropriate protection to its Muslim population. YEs the occassional communal riot does occur but the frequency and severity has reduced over a period of time.
As an Indian Muslim - of course I do not agree with the notion of swapping minority populations because I prefer to live in India where i have freedom of worship. In Pakistan that is denied to Ahmadis, Shias and even Barelvi Muslims whose worship places are frequent targets of suicide attacks.
But your emphasis on the 97% as a justification was troubling - especially since that number would have been 75% if the ninorities had ot been treated poorly.
This ongoing poor treatment of Hindus in Pakistan gives extremist Hindus in India the lever to fan anti-Muslim sentiment. So if Muslims in Pakistan truly believe in helping theirumah, they should stop illtreating because f the impact it can have on Muslims in India.
This is very critical situation for hindu community of balochistan.this practice is continuously incresing day by day,but our govt.is not getting any action against those groups who are involved.
@Pakistani: dear sorry u r not paksitani and dont spk rubbish dear every body knows that who is behind said activities and whose interests lies in Pakistan
Crime and criminals are flourishing in Balochistan for the following reasons. 1. Most of the Ministers are B team of terrorists. 2. Failed institution of Police. 3. Ineffective Levies. 4. Corrupt bureaucracy. 5. Most of the criminals are sponsored. 6. Terrorists and Taliban both need money to fund their activities both inside Balochistan and across the Durand line. 7. State has lost Sovereignty to the War Lords.
@Ali Tanoli
One Mountbatten,one Jinnah,one Nehru, one Pakistan.No more.The Indian Muslims didn't board the bus or missed the bus. By the way you are most welcome in UP.
@cynical u right then how about one more pakistan in U.P area ....
@Cynical: What absolute rubbish! How about giving equal rights to all, regardless of religion?
Why cannot Pakistan be truly secular like India?
@Deb: Pakistan is 97 per cent muslim - which means that the total number of minorities remaining are less than 6 million. India has 200 million minorities of which 150 million are Muslim. See the gap in logic? And it has nothing to do with rich and famous - even assuming that some disgrunted Muslims in UP could consider this (highly unlikely given the experience of their Mohajir brothers), do you think the Muslims in S. India would want to move to Pakistan where they don't even have a common language?
@Cynical
I agree it can solve the minority problem in both countries.But doubt if, all the Muslims of India will like the idea, particularly the rich and famous among them.
@Pakistani Exactly! @Farhad I know there are some sardars and tribals who indulge in such activities but don't judge them as a common Baloch, we respect rights of every groups living in Balochistan including Hindus, Pashtoons and Hazaras. @Jadugar We are struggling against sardari system and so far we got success. we eliminated Sardars from whole Makran belt and furthermore all of the remaining sardars including Marri, Bugti, Mengal,Bizenjo and Raisani are loosing their power on their people as the middle class Baloch are getting more power day by day.
The government is crippled. I suggest all minorities raise their guards and look after their communities. Do not depend on the government?
Lawless...only good news is they weren't killed. Don't see how all this crime and acts of terror are going to magically disappear any time soon unless government makes these a priority.
@ Baluch: Your statement sounds like a paid commercial, If you really believe in secularism then start with elimanating Sardari system and get rid your Sardars, who I believe are the main cause of all evils.
Exchange of minority populace between Pakistan and India is the only solution.
Fabulous Mr Baloch but plz tell your readers that some of provincial ministers want to promote such kind of trade…..I mean Kidnapping of different peoples specially pashtoon traders and Transportes..
@Baluch: My dear baloch. In reality Balochistan is no more true Balochistan. Th afghan extortionists are everywhere. these people came to Pak and were supported by the army, who is the biggest party in bringing ruins. Minorities in Balochistan are respected by the Baloch people. the Bugtis adn the Mengal's and the common men all have shown respect. its not the Baloch minorities are sure of that. The Generals like Hameed Gul who bought ruin are heroes, Pakistan is on a dangerous path.
We Baloch believe in Secularization and Humanity. We condemn the abduction of our brother and urge the international organizations including Amnesty International and United Nations to play their effective role in safe return of our Hindu brother and other Baloch missing persons.
jizya tax in a forced way.
but we take care of our minorties-the standard line