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#REDIRECT [[Religious discrimination in Pakistan#Forced conversion]] |
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{{Short description|Prominent human rights issue in Pakistan}} |
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[[File:Protest against forced conversion of Hindu girls in Pakistan.jpg|thumb|Protest against forced conversion of Hindu girls conducted by [[Pakistan Hindu Council]]]] |
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In [[Pakistan]], underage girls belonging to the minority [[Hindus|Hindu]], [[Christians|Christian]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Stories of forced conversion to Islam in Pakistan |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-29008267 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> and [[Sikhs|Sikh]] community are kidnapped and forcefully converted to [[Islam]] and forcibly married and subjected to rape.<ref name="KATHY">{{Cite news|url=https://www.abcnews.go.com/amp/International/wireStory/year-1000-pakistani-girls-forcibly-converted-islam-74930532|title=Each year, 1,000 Pakistani girls forcibly converted to Islam|newspaper=abc news|author=KATHY GANNON|date=28 December 2020|access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> According to human rights organisations hundreds of Hindu,Sikh, Christian girls are abducted and converted every year. The National Council of Churches in Pakistan (NCCP) said that the number of abduction of Christian girls are increasing every year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Abducted, shackled and forced to marry at 12 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-56337182 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> Alleged forced conversions of girls belonging to the [[Kalash people|Kalash]] community were also reported in media.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1124108/clash-chitral-kalash-girls-forced-conversion-islam|title=Express Tribune|newspaper=Clash in Chitral over Kalash girl’s ‘forced’ conversion to Islam|date=16 June 2016|access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> Most of the targets are Hindu and Christian girls from lower Castes and poor families.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/article/11338314|title=Hindu sisters Reena and Raveena become face of forced religious conversion in Pakistan|newspaper=ABC news|author=Siobhan Heanue|date=26 July 2019|access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> Such cases of forced conversions are being reported increasingly in the Southern [[Sindh]] districts of [[Tharparkar]], [[Umerkot]] and [[Mirpur Khas]]<ref>{{citation |url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/116289/forced-conversions-of-pakistani-hindu-girls/ |title=Forced conversions of Pakistani Hindu girls |last1=Quratulain |first1=Fatima|date=19 September 2017 |work=[[Daily Times (Pakistan)]] |access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> and in the South Punjab, particularly the [[Rahim Yar Khan District]] and adjacent areas.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.tribune.com.pk/story/430418/intolerance-growing-in-south-punjab-report%3famp=1|title=Intolerance growing in South Punjab: Report|author=Zahid Gishkori|date=3 September 2012|access-date=22 February 2021}}</ref> Some of these victims are as young as 12 years old.<ref name="Kunwar">{{Cite news|url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/pakistan-s-forced-conversions-brings-shame-on-imran-khan/amp|title=Pakistan's forced conversions shame Imran Khan|newspaper=The Spectator|author=Kunwar Khuldune Shahid|date=11 January 2020|access-date=12 April 2021}}</ref> |
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Forbes reported that the Human rights organizations estimates that every year 1,000 such girls are forcibly converted to Islam. This estimate could be even higher than 1,000 as many cases remain unreported.<ref name="Ewelina">{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewelinaochab/2021/02/05/another-religious-minority-girl-kidnapped-raped-and-chained-up-by-her-abductor-in-pakistan/amp/|title=Girl Kidnapped, Raped And Chained Up By Her Abductor In Pakistan|newspaper=Forbes|author=Ewelina U. Ochab|date=5 February 2021|access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> The 2020 US media report also estimates the number of forcibly converted girls to be around 1,000 per year. However the Pakistan government rejected it and termed the report as "rubbish and baseless".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/pakistan-rejects-us-media-report-on-forced-conversion/2092464#:~:text=Pakistan%20on%20Tuesday%20rejected%20a,converted%20to%20Islam%20every%20year.&text=Earlier%20this%20month%2C%20the%20US,its%20International%20Religious%20Freedom%20Act|title=Pakistan rejects US media report on forced conversion|newspaper=Anadolu Post|author=Islamuddin Sajid|date=29 January 2020|access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> The Catholic news site [[Aleteia]] reported that in 2020, the number of forced conversion cases rose to more than 2000.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://aleteia.org/2021/02/17/the-pakistani-government-takes-step-to-end-anti-christian-discrimination/amp&ved=0ahUKEwirve6RoPLuAhXRfn0KHa1TCxwQyM8BCC4wAA&usg=AOvVaw1oMAlJSRSyapB55XSVx_xI&cf=1|title=The Pakistani government takes step to end anti-Christian discrimination|newspaper=Aleteia|date=17 February 2021|access-date=23 February 2021}}</ref> |
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According to the Pakistan's 2017 [[Universal Periodic Review]] to the [[United Nations|UN]] [[Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights]] (OHCHR), an average 20 of Hindu girls are abducted every month in Pakistan, converted by force to Islam, and then married off to their abductors.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/amp/845401-forced-to-marry|title=Forced to marry|access-date=23 June 2021}}</ref> |
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==Reasons== |
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According to the Child Protection activists, these forced conversions money-making network which involves Islamic clerics who solemnize the marriages, magistrates who legalize the unions and corrupt local police who aid the culprits by refusing to investigate or sabotaging investigations. According to the Child Protection activist Jibran Nasir, these forced conversions are part of a mafia that preys on vulnerable minority girls for older men with pedophilia urges.<ref name="KATHY"/> The [[Pakistan Muslim League]] politician Haresh Chopra has stated that abduction and forced conversion of Hindus and Sikhs girls is a business in Pakistan done by organized gangs of mullahs and terrorists.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Abduction-of-Hindus-Sikhs-have-become-a-business-in-Pak-PML-MP/articleshow/9763515.cms|title=Abduction of Hindus, Sikhs have become a business in Pak: PML MP|newspaper=[[Times of India]]|date=28 August 2011|access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> |
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The culprit involved in forcibly converting a non-Muslim girl to Islam believe that they will earn a place in heaven, according to the Amarnath Motumal, vice chairperson of the Sindh Chapter of Pakistan's Human Rights Commission. Pakistan doesn't have stronger legislation to prevent forced conversions and due to this these forced conversions go unabated.<ref name="DW">{{Cite news|url=https://www..dw.com/en/pakistani-court-allows-hindu-girls-to-decide-their-own-fate/a-15891060|title=Pakistani court allows Hindu girls to decide their own fate|newspaper=DW news|date=18 April 2012|access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> |
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Islamic institutions and clerics like [[Abdul Haq (politician)|Abdul Haq (Mitthu Mian)]] (politician and caretaker of [[Bharchundi Shareef Dargah]]) and Pir Ayub Jan Sirhindi (caretaker of Dargah pir sarhandi) are alleged involved in these forced conversions and are known to have support from the ruling political parties of Sindh.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://herald.dawn.com/news/1153061/state-of-fear |title=State of fear|work=[[Herald (Pakistan)]] |first1=Maham |last1=Javaid |date=18 August 2016 |access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/116289/forced-conversions-of-pakistani-hindu-girls/ |title=Forced conversions of Pakistani Hindu girls |last1=Quratulain |first1=Fatima|date=19 September 2017 |work=[[Daily Times (Pakistan)]] |access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{citation| url=https://nayadaur.tv/2019/09/who-is-mian-mithu/ |title=Who Is Mian Mithu? |first1=Naya |last1=Daur |date=16 September 2019 |access-date=12 June 2020 |work=Naya Daur Media (NDM), Pakistan}}</ref><ref>{{citation |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/08/forced-conversions-torment-pakistan-hindus-201481795524630505.html|title=Forced conversions torment Pakistan's Hindus |last=Javaid |first=Maham |date=18 August 2014 |work=[[Al Jazeera]] |access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> |
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Some conversions are forced while some conversions are due to discrimination of poor Hindus in jobs, government facilities and conversion to Islam is seen as a way to avoif religious discrimination and violence.<ref>{{cite web |title=Poor and Desperate, Pakistani Hindus Accept Islam to Get By |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/04/world/asia/pakistan-hindu-conversion.html |publisher=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> |
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==Consequences== |
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A survey conducted by the Pakistan Hindu Seva welfare Trust found that majority of the scheduled caste Hindu families doesn't send their girl children to schools due to the fear of forced conversion.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://m.timesofindia.com/city/chandigarh/hindu-parents-dont-send-girl-children-to-schools-in-pakistan-survey/articleshow/20431451.cms|title=Hindu parents don't send girl children to schools in Pakistan: Report|author=Yudhvir Rana|date=4 June 2013|access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> According to the, [[Ramesh Kumar Vankwani]], member of National Assembly of Pakistan, around 5,000 Hindus are migrating from Pakistan to India every year and the forced conversions are one of the major reasons behind this.<ref name="Haider">{{Cite news|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1105830|title=5,000 Hindus migrating to India every year, NA told|last=Haider|first=Irfan|date=13 May 2014|access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> According to the [[Pakistan Hindu Council]], forced conversions is the foremost reason for the declining population of Hindus in Pakistan.<ref>{{citation |url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/116289/forced-conversions-of-pakistani-hindu-girls/ |title=Forced conversions of Pakistani Hindu girls |last1=Quratulain |first1=Fatima|date=19 September 2017 |work=[[Daily Times (Pakistan)]] |access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> The "Religious Minorities in Pakistan" report compiled by Members of the [[European Parliament]] and published in 2019 attributes forced conversions as a major reason for declining minority population in Pakistan.<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://eptoday.com/files/Religious%20Minorities%20Report.pdf |title='Religious Minorities in Pakistan' compiled by Members of European Parliament |first1=Alberto |last1=Cirio |author-link1=Alberto Cirio|first2=Fulvio |last2=Martusciello |author-link2=Fulvio Martusciello |first3=Ryszard |last3=Czarnecki |author-link3=Ryszard Czarnecki |first4=Indrek |last4=Tarand |author-link4=Indrek Tarand |first5=Heinz K. |last5=Becker |author-link5=Heinz K. Becker |access-date=15 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517235630/https://eptoday.com/files/Religious%20Minorities%20Report.pdf |archive-date=15 June 2021}}</ref> Hindus in Sindh live in fear, due to forced marraige of Hindu girls to Muslim men.<ref>{{cite web |title=Forced conversions torment Pakistan’s Hindus |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2014/8/18/forced-conversions-torment-pakistans-hindus |publisher=[[Al Jazeera English]]}}</ref> Many Pakistani Hindus migrate to India due to forced conversions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Waves of Hindus trade Pakistan for India |url=https://www.dw.com/en/waves-of-hindus-trade-pakistan-for-india/a-15799122}}</ref> |
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==Legal responses== |
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[[File:Dalit Sujag Tehreek protesting against Forced Conversion.jpg|thumb|[[Dalit Sujag Tehreek]] protesting against forced Conversion of Scheduled Caste Hindu girls]] |
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Pakistan doesn't have stronger legislation to prevent forced conversions and due to this these forced conversions go unabated.<ref name="DW"/> |
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In November 2016, a bill against forced conversion was passed unanimously by the Sindh Provisional Assembly. However, the bill failed to make it into law as the Governor returned the bill. The Bill was effectively blocked by the Islamist groups and parties like the [[Council of Islamic Ideology]] and [[Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan|Jamaat-e-Islami]].<ref>{{citation| url=https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/Documents/college-artslaw/ptr/ciforb/Forced-Conversions-and-Forced-Marriages-in-Sindh.pdf |title=Forced Conversions & Forced Marriages in Sindh, Pakistan |publisher=CIFORB, the [[University of Birmingham]] |first1=Reuben |last1=Ackerman |first2=Javaid |last2=Rehman |first3=Morris |last3=Johns |access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> In 2019, a bill against forced conversion was proposed by Hindu politicians in the Sindh assembly, but was turned down by the ruling [[Pakistan Peoples Party]] lawmakers.<ref>{{citation |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2075311/1-ppp-lawmakers-turn-bill-forced-conversions/?amp=1 |title=PPP lawmakers turn down bill against forced conversions |first1=Hafeez |last1=Tunio |work=[[The Express Tribune]] |date=9 October 2019 |access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> In 2020 "Protection of the Rights of Religious Minorities Bill" was introduced in the Senate of Pakistan that could prevent forced conversions of minority girls, but it was turned down by the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony chaired by [[Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F)]] (JUI-F) senator [[Abdul Ghafoor Haideri]]. The [[Krishna Kohli|Krishna Kumari Kolhi]], Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator, walked out of the Senate during the meeting as a form of protest.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.tribune.com.pk/story/2282277/senate-panel-turns-down-bill-on-minorities-rights%3famp=1|title=Senate panel ‘turns down’ bill on minorities rights|newspaper=The Tribune|date=2 February 2021|access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> |
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==Response== |
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[[File:Protest against forced conversion of Christian girls in Pakistan.jpg|thumb|Protest against forced conversion of Christian girls in Pakistan organised by [[National Commission for Justice and Peace|NCJP]]]] |
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The Pakistani Nobel Laurette [[Malala Yousafzai]] spoke against forced conversions in Pakistan and said "It should be a personal choice and no one, especially a child shouldn’t be forced to accept any faith or convert to any other religion out of the will,"<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.dailytimes.com.pk/424423/malala-yousafzai-speakes-about-her-perceptive-on-childs-marriage/amp/|title=I strongly condemn any incident where girls are forced to get married: Malala|newspaper=Daily Times|access-date=12 April 2021}}</ref> The Pakistani Prime minister Imran Khan has said that forced conversions are 'un-Islamic'<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/forced-conversions-are-un-islamic-says-imran-khan/article28750491.ece/amp/|title=Forced conversions are 'un-Islamic', says Imran Khan|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=12 April 2021}}</ref> and are against the commands of Allah.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.samaa.tv/news/2017/10/forced-conversions-are-against-the-commands-of-allah-imran/amp/|title=Forced conversions are against the commands of Allah: Imran|newspaper=SAMAA|date=24 October 2017|access-date=12 April 2021}}</ref> The Deputy Leader of [[Conservative Party of Canada]] [[Candice Bergen (politician)|Candice Bergen]] has said that "The reports coming out of Pakistan of Christian and Hindu girls being abducted, raped, forced into marriages and coerced to convert from their faith are deeply concerning and need to be addressed". She also called for the re-establishment of [[Office of Religious Freedom (Canada)|Office of Religious Freedom]] in Canada to address the issue.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nationalpost.com/news/politics/attacks-on-minority-women-in-pakistan-spark-calls-to-reopen-office-of-religious-freedoms-closed-by-liberals/wcm/2d3f5964-bf45-4c82-95f3-2000cc14b5a5/amp/|title=Attacks on minority women in Pakistan spark calls to reopen Office of Religious Freedoms closed by Liberals|newspaper=National post|author=Zeenya Shah|access-date=12 April 2021}}</ref> |
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Pakistan has no law to stop forced conversion.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hindu Today, Muslim Tomorrow |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/08/hindu-muslim-pakistan/536238/ |publisher=The Atlantic}}</ref> The Pakistani minority groups protested when Pakistani parliamentary committee rejected the anti forced conversion bill.<ref>{{cite web |title=Parliamentary panel rejects anti-forced conversion bill amid protest by minorities’ lawmakers |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1651813 |publisher=Dawn}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
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*[[Religion in Pakistan]] |
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* [[Asia Bibi blasphemy case]] |
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* [[Freedom of religion in Pakistan]] |
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==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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[[Category:Islam in Pakistan]] |
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[[Category:Islam and children]] |
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[[Category:Islam and women]] |
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[[Category:Islam and slavery]] |
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[[Category:Islam and violence]] |
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[[Category:Child abduction in Pakistan]] |
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[[Category:Forced religious conversion]] |