Group of Pakistani Hindus seek asylum in India: Report
A group of 171 Hindus had travelled to Jodhpur. One member said Islamic extremism causing problems to community.
JODHPUR, INDIA:
A group of Hindus that had travelled from Pakistan to Jodhpur in India for pilgrimage have sought asylum in the country, BBC Urdu reported on Sunday. According to the group leader, they would not return to Pakistan.
A group of 171 Hindus pilgrims travelled to the state of Rajasthan by rail on ‘Thar Express’. The group said that earlier many Pakistani Hindus had travelled to Delhi, refusing to return back to Pakistan.
Seemant Lok Sangthan (SLS), an organisation that works for the welfare of Hindus, has requested the Indian government to grant them immigrant visas.
SLS has been working for years to help Pakistani Hindus settle in India and provided food and shelter to the group that travelled there on Sunday.
According to an SLS spokesperson, the group comprised of Hindus belonging to Hyderabad and Sanghar in Sindh. The group included 32 women and children, mostly belonging to the Bheel community.
Speaking to BBC Urdu, one of the members of the group said, "You cannot understand our pain. Recently my father passed away and I did not even get space to perform his last rites,” adding, “We will not return to Pakistan and you may kill us here [India] instead. Increasing Islamic extremism causes us problems on a daily basis.”
Speaking on the condition of the Hindus, the SLS spokesperson further said that, “Fear was evident on their faces and they were concerned for their future,” adding that this matter was pertaining to both India and Pakistan.
Recently, the media highlighted the issue of Pakistani Hindus migrating from Balochistan and Sindh to India due to lack of security and persecution of their community.
A parliamentary committee was also formed by President Asif Ali Zardari to look into the matter, however, the committee rejected the claims that Hindus were leaving Sindh.
A group of Hindus that had travelled from Pakistan to Jodhpur in India for pilgrimage have sought asylum in the country, BBC Urdu reported on Sunday. According to the group leader, they would not return to Pakistan.
A group of 171 Hindus pilgrims travelled to the state of Rajasthan by rail on ‘Thar Express’. The group said that earlier many Pakistani Hindus had travelled to Delhi, refusing to return back to Pakistan.
Seemant Lok Sangthan (SLS), an organisation that works for the welfare of Hindus, has requested the Indian government to grant them immigrant visas.
SLS has been working for years to help Pakistani Hindus settle in India and provided food and shelter to the group that travelled there on Sunday.
According to an SLS spokesperson, the group comprised of Hindus belonging to Hyderabad and Sanghar in Sindh. The group included 32 women and children, mostly belonging to the Bheel community.
Speaking to BBC Urdu, one of the members of the group said, "You cannot understand our pain. Recently my father passed away and I did not even get space to perform his last rites,” adding, “We will not return to Pakistan and you may kill us here [India] instead. Increasing Islamic extremism causes us problems on a daily basis.”
Speaking on the condition of the Hindus, the SLS spokesperson further said that, “Fear was evident on their faces and they were concerned for their future,” adding that this matter was pertaining to both India and Pakistan.
Recently, the media highlighted the issue of Pakistani Hindus migrating from Balochistan and Sindh to India due to lack of security and persecution of their community.
A parliamentary committee was also formed by President Asif Ali Zardari to look into the matter, however, the committee rejected the claims that Hindus were leaving Sindh.