[lbo-talk] 'Many Hindus Are Leaving Pakistan'

[Sujeet Bhatt]

http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20060123&fname=Cover+Story&sid=2

PAKISTAN
'Many Hindus Are Leaving Pakistan'
Pakistan's minorities record is truly appalling. Sadly, Musharraf is
doing nothing to right it.
AMIR MIR

Human rights activists are perturbed by the erosion of minority
rights, particularly the alarming frequency with which cases of
forcible conversion of Hindu girls are surfacing. Ansar Buney,
chairman of the Ansar Buney Welfare Trust, is dismayed: "It's
heart-rending to see forced conversion of Hindus to Islam, since the
Pakistan that Jinnah had envisioned granted absolute religious freedom
to the minorities." He then asks, "Have you ever heard of an Indian
Muslim girl being forced to embrace Hinduism?"

I.A. Rehman, director of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan,
links the erosion of minority rights to the process of Islamisation
that the military regime, under President Zia-ul-Haq, initiated in the
eighties.

Pakistan was declared an Islamic republic, its social and political
life was influenced by the Islamist agenda; the Hindus have had fewer
privileges and rights since then. "Apparently, cultural
marginalisation, discrimination, economic hardships and religious
persecution have resulted in many Hindus leaving Pakistan, especially
those in Sindh. The Musharraf-led government needs to stop the
continued social oppression of the religious minorities here," Rehman
told Outlook.

Aurat Foundation's Nuzzhat Shirin too blames Islamic fanaticism for
the ordeal of Hindus. "It's Muslims winning by intimidation. It's
Muslims overcoming a culture by threatening it, by abducting young
girls so that an entire community moves out or succumbs to the Muslim
murderers," she says. Shirin, however, says the crime against Hindu
girls should also be seen from the perspective of gender
discrimination rampant in Pakistan.
The foundation's figures show that on average 10 women are killed
daily countrywide in honour crimes. "The ratio is higher in the
northern tribal areas, with cultural affinity to Afghan tribal
practices. Not only that, on average, two women are raped every hour
in Pakistan. During 2005, close to 600 women committed suicide across
Pakistan. This is just one indicator of the depression characterising
the lives of women," she points out.

Human rights activist Hina Jillani says Hindus and Christians in
Pakistan are looked down upon. "That is why they have to take up
inferior jobs; their chances of rising in any field is low," she told
Outlook. Though a few Hindus have taken advantage of secular
institutions and sports to rise to positions of prominence, Jillani
feels the system is loaded heavily against them. She cites the example
of Pakistani cricketer Yousaf Youhana who was Christian. She insists
he converted to Islam and became Mohammad Yousuf because otherwise he
would have no chance becoming Pakistan's cricket captain.

Jillani feels concrete steps should be taken to allay the fears of
Hindus. She suggests the reconstruction of temples that were destroyed
in Sindh and Punjab in 1992. "General Musharraf, who claims to be the
only liberal and secular leader of the country, has taken no steps to
rebuild these temples, thereby showing his government too is least
concerned about the rights and security of the minorities in
Pakistan."

Shehbaz Bhatti, chairman, All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, is also
critical of the blasphemy laws which have been often invoked to harass
Hindus, Christians and liberal Muslims. From 1985 to 2004, 601 persons
were accused of blasphemy. Of these, 295 were Muslims, 203 Ahmadis, 79
Christians, and 24 Hindus. He cites the retaliation against the
destruction of the Babri Masjid as an important factor underlying the
insecurity of Hindus.