International - India & World   

Hindus in Pakistan allege humiliation

B. Muralidhar Reddy

An abducted Hindu girl married one of her abductors and embraced Islam

ISLAMABAD: Minority members of the Pakistan National Assembly have alleged that Hindus were being hounded and humiliated to force them to leave Pakistan.

They were taking part in a discussion on a calling attention motion on the abduction of a Hindu girl in Sindh province who has since married one of her four abductors and embraced Islam.

Responding to the motion, Minister of State for Interior Wasim Shahzad said the girl was abducted on September 14 and a case was registered the same day. "Two of the four abductors were arrested," he said.

The Minister said the girl gave a statement in the court that she has married one of the abductors and embraced Islam at Dargah Amrit Sharif. "In the light of her statement the court dismissed the case."

"Sensitive issue"

A member, Gyan Chand Singh, however, said her kidnapping fell in the category of rape and a case should be registered against the abductors. "It is a very sensitive issue which brings a bad name to the country," he said.

The Minister said the case was registered the same day the girl was abducted. "Everything is clear now after her statement in the court," he said.

Another member, Krishan Bheel, said many Hindu men were being kidnapped for ransom in Sindh.

"These incidents are taking place to force Hindus to leave Pakistan where they have been living for the past 5000 years," he said.

Another member, Ramesh Lal, claimed that the abducted girl was only 17 years old and she was not an adult. "According to Hindu laws a girl cannot marry till she is 20," he said.

Mr. Gyan Chand said that in view of the nature of the issue, a house committee should be formed to sort out such matters.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Over a million flee as hurricane nears Texas
Heat wave fuelled global warming
Police chief wanted to quit over Menezes' killing
Six killed in Pakistan blasts
Yushchenko ally confirmed Premier
Mid-air drama live on TV
Now, to dumb down the Bible
Hindus in Pakistan allege humiliation
CBI director elected Interpol vice-president
``India an excellent role model''

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu