5,000 Hindus migrating to India every year, NA told

Published May 13, 2014
PML-N MNA Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani said that influential people were converting religion of Hindu girls in interior Sindh. – File Photo
PML-N MNA Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani said that influential people were converting religion of Hindu girls in interior Sindh. – File Photo
A member of the Pakistani Hindu community shows remains of a worship idol smashed by attackers, at a local temple in Karachi. — File Photo by AP
A member of the Pakistani Hindu community shows remains of a worship idol smashed by attackers, at a local temple in Karachi. — File Photo by AP

ISLAMABAD: A member of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani revealed in the National Assembly on Monday that around 5,000 Hindus are migrating from Pakistan to India every year.

Commenting on law and order situation in the country, the PML-N MNA said that six incidents of religious desecration happened within last two months in Sindh, majority of the incidents were regarding burning the religious books of Hindu minority in the province.

Vankwani said that it was the constitutional rights of the people, belonging to different minorities, to practice their religion freely in Pakistan. “Are we not part of Pakistan?” he questioned.

He said that influential people were forcefully converting religion of Hindu girls in interior Sindh, urging the government to take steps to counter such attempts from Muslim majority in the country.

The PML-N lawmaker also said that it was the teaching of all the religions to respect other faiths but the minorities had failed to get equal rights in Pakistan.

He suggested that the government should set up a parliamentary committee to discuss the issues related to minorities in this regard.

Later, State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed said the government will ensure the protection of minorities at all cost as it is mentioned in the Constitution of Pakistan.

Earlier, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA Shazia Marri said that sympathies of the militans were present within the political parties’ ranks otherwise it was not difficult to stop terrorist activities in the country.

Marri said that some political leaders called the Pakistani Taliban as their “angry brothers.”

“I pray to God to please protect us from such brothers,” she added.

The PPP leader said that it was the government’s responsibility to focus on the law and order situation for the progress of Pakistan otherwise tourists and investors from foreign countries will not come to the country.

She also urged the government to protect the rights of religious minorities in the country.

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