http://www.sharnoffsglobalviews.com/
By Zahid Ali Baloch
Pakistan must take strong action to ensure security for all religious and ethnic minorities; otherwise a generation of Hindus will be lost.
The marginalization and mistreatment of the Hindu community in the Pakistan’s Sindh region is believed to have started during the era of Pakistan’s sixth president, the military dictator Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.
Violence was rare in the beginning; however it now seems like an everyday tool used by the extremist groups.
Dr. Hari Lal, a community leader whose home was attacked told local media “We feel like there is a plan to get us out of here. That is because we are well-to-do, there is envy and people want us gone.”
Islamic militancy flourishes with impunity against all religious minorities in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s ruling government has failed to prevent the persecution of religious minorities, especially the Hindus in Sindh. As result, extremists are burning their religious temples, forcing them to covert to Sunni Islam, whisking them away and dumping their dead bodies.
I have the privilege of knowing Kapil Kumar, a graduate in chemical engineering and a resident of Sindh. He is one of my great Hindu friends and a Fulbright Fellow. After the recent attack on his religious temple close to his home, I was extremely concerned about his safety. Once I got to know that he was doing fine, I could relax.
I was talking to him and was also curious to ask him how does he feel being a religious minority in Pakistan. But before I asked him, I actually asked it to myself what I had felt being a religious minority in Pakistan. Honestly speaking, being the oldest settler in the southwest of Balochistan and belonging to the Baloch ethnicity, I never feared of persecution. Yet I have always feared that Islamic militancy would be used as a tool to counter the Baloch freedom movement. That has absolutely become a true presumption.
Anyway, I assumed that I had a different mentality then Kapil Kumar. When I finally asked him how he felt, he replied, “People call it [Pakistan] land of the pure, but I feel shame to live in such a land of the pure where I am mistreated on account of religious orientation. ”
Kapil added “We do not feel secure because it is easier for the extremist to attack us in Pakistan because our name reveals our religious identity, but I cannot change my name now.”
I was extremely impressed by what he described to me. It is true that the followers of the different sects of Islam almost have similar names if they do not have similar views, but the names of Hindus are entirely different and are the symbol of their religious identity.
Kapil Kumar was convinced that militant attacks against religious minorities will continue – and with impunity from the government. He said “I wish I could flee Pakistan because I am not optimistic about my life’s security. Sometimes, I receive threatening calls stating that if I do not convert, I would be abducted and taught a great lesson.”
Pakistan’s government and human rights groups should take strong action to ensure security for all religious and ethnic minorities; otherwise a generation of Hindus will be lost in Pakistan.
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