With government unable to solve their problems, Hindus boycott state sponsored Holi

Government forced to cancel all its Holi-related celebrations after community refuses to participate.

ISLAMABAD: Unhappy with government inaction over rising cases of forced conversion, abduction for kidnapping, the Hindu community on Tuesday boycotted all government sponsored functions planned for Holi celebrations across the country.

Representatives of the minority community approached the ministry of Interfaith Harmony and formally conveyed them their decision and asked the ministry to cancel all Holi-related festivities.

Akram Gill, minister for Interfaith Harmony, confirmed the development and said that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) members in the National Assembly Ramesh Lal, Lal Chand and Dr Mahesh Kumar and Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) Manohar Lal approached the ministry.

Quoting these minority members of the parliament, Gill said, “We are disheartened at the unprecedented incidents of forceful conversions, abductions for ransom and killings of Hindu community members in Sindh.” In protest, they asked for the cancellation of Holi-related programs.

Dr Paul Bhatti, the Advisor to the prime minister for National Harmony, told The Express Tribune that the Parliamentary Secretary of Interfaith Ministry Reena Kumari had also suggested the cancellation of Holi-related functions scheduled for March 18 (Holi).

Kumari said that throughout the country, the Hindu community was not celebrating Holi in its true spirit due to the injustices they were subjected to.

“We accepted the decision of the majority and cancelled our planned programmes on the occasion of Holi in honour of the Hindu community,” said Dr Bhatti and Gill.

PPP Hindu members disappointed with party members

Araish Kumar of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) said that his community members were in trouble and large scale migration is underway.

He said that currently there were around 100 families in Delhi even as their visas neared expiration. Citing visa regime obstacles between India and Pakistan, he said that thousands of Hindus are waiting to migrate to India.

In a meeting with MNA Lal Chand, Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah had telephoned the relevant quarters for security to be provided to the Hindu community but to no avail, he revealed.

Meanwhile, MNA Dr Mahesh Kumar said that there is a law and order situation in the province of Sindh.

He revealed his concern about the alleged negative role of his party co-worker, MNA Mian Mitho of Bharchondi Sharif for the forceful conversion of Hindu girls. “I also talked against my party MNA on the floor of the assembly and I also discussed the matter with my party leadership,” he said.

Referring to a number of incidents of target killing, MNA Kishan Chand Parwani held the government responsible for the crimes. “At least the government should keep an eye on its own party members,” he demanded, alleging local PPP leaders were involved in the murder of four Hindu doctors in Shikarpur but the government had failed to take any action against them.

“I think the PPP is not sincere over the minorities’ issues despite fetching 85 per cent of the minorities’ votes,” Parwani lamented.

Ramesh Lal of the PPP, however, was reluctant to talk on the issue, sidestepping the question by saying he was busy with preparations of the death anniversary of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in Larkana.