Pakistan minister hopes for return of Hindus

Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interfaith Harmony Akram Masih Gill has an uphill task as he grapples with the issue of forced conversions of minorities in religiously charged society. In recent months, the spotlight has focused on treatment of minorities in Pakistan.

A large group of Pakistani Hindus arrived in India on pilgrimage visa recently and told the awaiting media that they were not ready to go back. This was after a series of attacks on Hindus in Sindh province were highlighted in the media, ranging from kidnapping, conversion of Rinkle Kumari and televised conversion of a Hindu boy.

Gill, while speaking to Express, said it was not a ‘simple case of Hindus going to India after being discriminated here’. “After all, Christians are facing equal problems, why have they not travelled to India. They  (Hindus) have family, places for pilgrimage in India. I hope they will come back,” he added.

The high-profile cases of forced conversions have created a lot of heat in India, with questions raised in Parliament and the Indian Government forced to give a protest note to Islamabad.

Gill, however, does not seem keen to have India officially raise the matter. “We are Christians, but we don’t expect the US to help us,” he said. “Civil society can always help…. The US does not interfere directly,” said Gill.

Gill said he had no problem with conversion to Islam, if it was motivated by genuine spiritual change. “But, the conversion of minority girls is different, he said. “This (forced conversion of girls) is driven by sexual lust. Tell me, why are only females getting converted?” said Gill, who is a member of Pakistan Muslim League (Q).

As per Pakistan government statistics, about 4 per cent of the population is minorities, with Hindus accounting for 1.6 per cent and Christians at 1.59 per cent. Recently, a minor, mentally-challenged Christian girl, was accused of blasphemy on the allegation of desecrating the Holy Quran. It was later found that local cleric had himself burned the pages and stuffed it in the girl’s  bag.

In response to the incidents, new legislation has been proposed by Pakistan’s National Commission for Minorities. “We have proposed that unmarried women should have a period of trial of one month or 15 days at the time of conversion,” said Gill. This proposal is currently before the Council of Islamic Ideology for consideration.

Gill chooses his words carefully, keeping in mind the fate of Shahbaz Bhatti, who was the Minority Affairs Minister from 2008 till his assassination in March last year, for his support to Asia Bibi, who was sentenced to death under the blasphemy law. When asked if he is scared of consequences, he preferred to remain silent -- an eloquent testimony to the climate of fear in the country.