Preachers at a press conference

AMRITSAR: While declaring minor Hindu girl Mehak a murtad (apostate), the fundamentalist Islamists in Pakistan have threatened to move sharia (Islamic law) court if the girl is returned to her parents and made to embrace Hinduism again.

In a video uploaded on social media on Friday, a group of moulvis, identified as Maulana Nasurulla Ghunnio, Moulana Abdul Jabbar Rind and Hamad Ullah Ansar , all leaders of Jamait-e-Ullama Islam are heard saying as per sharia, the girl was murtad and was wajib-ul-qatal (liable for death) if she convert into Hinduism again.

The group of Islamists are also heard saying they would oppose court’s decision if the girl was sent back to her parents and would move Pakistan’s Supreme Court and sharia court. They also objected to recording Mehak’s statement on Thrusday, as she had a already given her statement on January 21 in the court.

All Pakistan Hindu Panchayat (APHP) general secretary Ravi Dawani refused to comment on the video of Islamists and their threat to move sharia court. However, APHP has expressed concern over sending minor Hindu girl Mehak back to Dar-ul-Aman, Larkana by the Jacobabad court on Friday.

Dawani said as against the expectations of Hindu community, the court of second additional session judge directed the girl to be sent to Dar-ul-Aman for 10 days. In her statement on Thrusday Mehak had stated that she had not embraced Islam and didn’t want to live with her so-called husband Ali Raza. Following which, Dawani said they were expecting the court to handover the girl to her family, but the judge reserved his order for Friday.

“Today, we reached the court at 9am but after seven hours, the judge held a meeting with the girl’s parents and a few moulvis, following which he sent the girl back to Dar-ul-Aman, which was disappointing,” added Dawani.

Rajesh Naraindas Kapoor, counsel for Mehak, said the next hearing is fixed for February 18. He said the court had stated that both Ali Raza and Vijay Kumar (Mehak’s father) could meet Mehak separately in Dar-ul-Aman.

