AMRITSAR: Following incessant forced conversations of Hindu and Sikh girls, the Pakistan government has constituted a parliamentary committee to look into the reasons behind such cases. The committee will also give recommendations for forming a law to prevent forced conversions in future.

Pakistan’s Hindu member of national assembly (MNA) from Sindh, Keshoo Mal Kheeal Das Kohistani, told TOI on Saturday that on November 21 additional secretary (committees) of Pakistan’s senate secretariat Muhammad Tahir Khan issued a list of 22 members of the ‘Parliamentary Committee to Protect Minorities from Forced Conversions’.

Kohistani said that apart from him the committee had seven Hindu members Ramesh Lal, Dr Darshan, Lal Chand, JaI Parkash , Shunila Ruth, all MNAs; and senators Dr Sikandar Mandhreo and Dr Ashok Kumar .

The committee also includes federal minister for religious and interfaith harmony Noor ul Haq Qadri, federal minister for human rights Shireen M Mazari, and minister of state for parliamentary affairs Ali Muhammad Khan.

Kohistani said the parliamentary committee would set its ‘terms of reference’ in its soon to be convened first meeting .

He said in recent past two Hindu boys were also made to embrace Islam by a controversial Muslim cleric Mian Mithu. “And this happened when we were questioning why only Hindu and Sikh girls embrace Islam and not the boys,” said he.

The MNA said that both Hindus and Sikhs were considered soft target . “There have been over 70 cases of forced conversion of Hindu and Sikh girls in recent past but the government has failed to react to restore confidence among the minorities” he said.

The Hindu MNA alleged that the Imran Khan ’s government in Pakistan had failed to protect the religious freedom of minorities and prevent the incidents of forced conversions of Hindu and Sikh girls. “No doubt that the parliamentary committee is constituted under pressure of minorities communities but at least it has set the wheel moving,” he added.

