Lahore, June 21

The population of Hindus in Pakistan has declined drastically from about 23 per cent in 1947 to only 6 per cent now due to forced conversions, oppression and suppression in the Islamic nation The Nation reported

Hindu girls are being abducted, forcibly converted and married to Muslims and thus the minority community, which was once a major society in Pakistan has been reduced to the margins.

The majority of the Hindu population is settled in Sindh and the province has witnessed a rise in crimes targeting the religious minority. Hindu girls are specifically targeted to convert them to Islam, The newspaper reported.

There have been many instances when Hindus belonging to lower castes are being forcibly converted while upper-caste Hindus complain of their traders being kidnapped for ransom.

Pakistan was born with the promise that everyone was free to practice their religion and would be guaranteed basic rights but Hindus have been denied even the freedom to live with respect.

According to a report by Movement for Solidarity and Peace, 1000 non-Muslim girls are converted to Islam every year in Pakistan and in Sindh the ratio is 20 or more girls per month.

“A number of Muslim MNAs, he said, have mocked Hindus for worshiping cows. In their mindless hate-spewing, they ignore the fact that four million Hindus live in Pakistan and their derogatory words hurt the religious sentiments of the local Hindu community.

“Perhaps, they too need to be sensitised and educated that all Hindus are not Indians and all Indians are not Hindus. India has over 200 million Muslims and other minority groups as well,” the Dawn had reported earlier.

In the 1998 Census the Hindu population was found to be 24,43,614. Hindus are found in all provinces of Pakistan but are mostly concentrated in Sindh.

The atrocities by the Pakistani government and the stern conditions of the Sharia Law have resulted into the migration of 5,000 Hindu families from Pakistan to India per year.

Even the Pakistani police refuse to take any action, and after a couple of days the girl is brought back with legal documents of conversion. This ensures the legal cover to avoid being punished by law.

The issue was raised by the Patron-in-Chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC), Dr Ramesh Kumar, who argued that religious pressure groups promote hate mongering in the region and create enough pressure to stop anyone from taking any action. — ANI