Lahore: Many people came together today in front of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab in Lahore to protest against forced conversion of two minor Hindu girls from their home in Sindh province on the eve of Holi.
The protests were aimed at bringing attention to the religious extremism and forced conversion in Pakistan. They held posters which read ‘Stop Violence against Religious Minorities’ and ‘We want laws against forced conversion’.
Chairman of Rawadari Tehreek, Samson Salamat who spearheaded the protests said, “We are working for the abolishing of religious extremism in Pakistan. Hindu girls are abducted and forcibly converted for marriage purpose. The cases are increasing day by day. We are protesting in front of the Punjab assembly. To stop this practice legal framework has to be strengthened and new laws have to be made. The criminals should be apprehended. ”
On the eve of Holy on March 20 two Hindu minor girls were abducted from their residences at Ghotk district in Sindh provice. They were converted by force and married to two men. The incident came to light only when the father and brother of the girls revealed the details in videos that went viral on social media.
The Sindh police said that the men accused of kidnapping the girls, Safdar Khobar and Barkat Malik, were already married and had children.
India had come down heavily against the treatment of minorities by Pakistan and demanded that Pakistan protect and promote safety, security and welfare of minority community.
The minorities in Pakistan lives in perpetual fear from the majority Muslim population. Since independence the huge minority Hindu community in Pakistan has dwindled significantly.
Unmarried Hindu women are abducted and forced to convert to Islam and marry Muslim men. This is done to slowly destroy the Hindu community living in Pakistan.
Not only are Hindus being targets of hate and terrorism, but also the Christian community has been harmed. Terrorists have bombed many Christian churches over the years.
Even Muslims who believe in Sufi traditions and other denominations are hunted down by the hardliners of Islam in Pakistan.
