Senate chairman constitutes parliamentary committee to protect minorities from forced conversion

Published November 23, 2019
The 22-member committee will propose legislation to prevent forced conversions of minorities. — AFP/File
The 22-member committee will propose legislation to prevent forced conversions of minorities. — AFP/File

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani formed a 22-member parliamentary committee to work on legislation to prevent the forced conversion of minorities, DawnNewsTV reported on Saturday.

According to a notification by the Senate Secretariat, dated November 21, the Parliamentary Committee to Protect Minorities from Forced Conversions was formed after consultations with National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Leader of the House in Senate Shibli Faraz and Leader of the Opposition in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq.

Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri, Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan are part of the committee.

The committee also includes Senators Sikandar Mandhro, Ashok Kumar, Rana Maqbool Ahmad, Nauman Wazir Khattak, Sajjad Hussain Turi, Muhammad Ali Khan Saif and Anwaarul Haq Kakar.

MNAs Malik Muhammad Amir Dogar, Shunila Ruth, Jai Parkash, Lal Chand, Muhammad Aslam Bhootani, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Dr Darshan, Keshoo Mal Kheeal Das, Shagufta Jumani, Ramesh Lal, Naveed Amir Jeeva and Abdul Wasay are also members of the panel.

The committee will decide its terms of reference in its first meeting, the date of which has not been announced yet.

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