In Pakistan, the largest minority group is the Hindus with a population of about seven million, the majority of whom are dwelling in Sindh and Punjab. The most populated districts in Sindh that Hindus call home are Tharparkar, Umerkot, Badin, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad and Jamshoro, which are all parts of lower Sindh. However, we can find Hindus in each and every city and village other than those mentioned, where most of them are affiliated with the agriculture workforce. These people are the most vulnerable in Pakistani society. They are unable to educate their children and it is also difficult for them to have their children treated in government hospitals. There is close to zero literacy among these Hindus. In the desert zone of Tharparkar, each year a major group of people migrates for employment and food purposes towards the agricultural zones of Sindh due to the cyclical drought in Tharparkar. Therefore, the studies of most of their children — those few who do go to school — are discontinued and, due to having no certificates or qualifications in education, they are unable to take admission in new schools.
In some localities, where girl children from the Hindu community are sent to school, they are abducted, raped or are forcefully converted at a minor age. In such abduction cases, when the parents go to the police station to lodge a first information report (FIR), the police create many obstacles, denying them the right to lodge an FIR, and send them back to their landowners to resolve the matter. Most of the time, these landowners are involved in the crime. Due to poverty and the low literacy rate, 70 percent of the total population of Hindus in Sindh is affiliated with the agricultural workforce where the only property they have is their children and livestock. When a girl is abducted or raped and the police do not lodge an FIR, the parents sell their livestock to obtain a meagre amount of money and go to the courts for justice. The judge orders the lodging of an FIR by the police, the case continues for a few hearings and, during that time period, the girl remains with the perpetrator who threatens to kill her family and abduct her other sisters so that she states whatever the perpetrator wants her to say in court.
On the other hand, defence lawyers often argue that the victim is a minor and so the victim is sent for a medical checkup. Even then her age is shown as being over the legal age by doctors in the hospitals of Sindh. Such fake reports by police authorities and hospital management are easily available if someone gives them a bribe; a shameful act indeed. It is even more shameful that in each and every department of the government the bribery culture is alive and well, and government authorities do not take any action in this regard.
There has not been a single case in the history of Pakistan where the original birth certificates of Hindu girls have been accepted by a court of law. Fake documents of different religious institutions are given that are accepted in court and, in the end, after a huge struggle Hindus still do not get any justice.
It is stated in the law that a minor boy or girl cannot convert his/her religion until he/she becomes mature nor can he/she marry one another. Even then the conversion of girls occurs and no one cares about this travesty. During the last one and a half months, 10 cases of conversion of minor Hindu girls have occurred and, to date, justice has not been given to the victim’s parents in any one of these cases. Girls are abducted and raped, and the perpetrators always remain uncharged. Is this the justice of Pakistan? If a Hindu abducts a mature Muslim girl or if she wilfully agrees to marry a Hindu boy will it be acceptable to the people of the Muslim community and judiciary? When it comes to Hindus there are no laws enacted for the safety of this religious minority in Pakistan. Hindus have contributed a lot for the betterment and development of Pakistan and the government must take action against the forced conversion of minor Hindu girls and other social issues. I request the law enforcing agencies, the judiciary, government of Pakistan, UN organisations and other international bodies to save Hindus from this peril.
The writer is vice president of the Pakistan Hindu Seva and can be contacted at [email protected]