Call for transparent system for religious conversions

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The Rwadari Tehreek has called for evolving proper and transparent mechanism for religious conversions to discourage forced conversions inPakistan.In a news conference held at the Karachi Press Club on Saturday, leaders of the Rwadari Tehreek condemned the frequent incidents of kidnapping, forced conversions and forced marriages of women and girls belonging to the Hindu, Christian and other minority communities and demanded that a proper law be enacted and a transparent mechanism for religious conversions be adopted to stop forced conversions and apprehend the elements involved in such conversions.The press conference was addressed by Rwadari Tehreek Chairman Samson Salamat, Vice Chairman Deedar Ahmed Meerani, President Sindh Punhal Sario, President Karachi Nabeela Aslam and social activists Safina Javed, Mukesh Meghwar, Bishop Gulfam Javed and Pandit Vijay Goswami.Salamat expressed solidarity with the families of girls that were forcefully converted and demanded that those involved in the organised business of forced conversions such as Mian Mithu, the Pir of Barchundi Sharif in District Ghotki and Pir Ayub Jan Sarhandi of the Sarhandi shrine in district Umerkot be immediately arrested.“This horrifying trend of forced conversions has left the citizens belonging to minority communities in misery, pain and a situation of terror and insecurity,” Salamat said, adding that the forced conversions breached both the internationally accepted human rights and Constitution of Pakistan, which guarantees religious freedom as a right to every human being without any discrimination.He demanded that “effective and comprehensive legislation should be passed immediately to curb forced conversions and underage marriages.” He also suggested limiting the minimum age for conversion to 18 years and evolving a proper and transparent system and mechanism for conversion to other religions in order to help stop forced conversions.Meerani, the vice chairman of the Rwadari Tehreek, said that “conversions to Islam in suspicious conditions is a matter of grave concern and is rightfully sparking fear and anger among the minority communities who are already victims of religious discrimination and persecution through many other ways. Forcibly converting anyone is a criminal offence and therefore those involved in the forced conversions should no more be free and should be put behind the bars.”Sario urged the authorities to speed up the process of legislation to stop forced conversions along with an effective implementation mechanism. He also requested the civilsociety organisations to launch awareness campaigns to discourage forcedconversions and under-age marriages.MPA Mangla Sharma, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Suleman Latif, Mustafa Mirani, Seema Sheikh, Mansoor Sahir, Zahid Farooq, Kashif Jawaid, Safina Jawaid, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s Anwar Kamal, Humayun Waqas, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Nauman Morris, Anil Yaqoob, Randil Pervez and Zeeshan Gill also attended the news conference.

from The News International - Karachi http://bit.ly/2KfRspe
The News International - Karachi