LAHORE: The chief minister’s committee meant to look into the incident of a Sikh girl’s marriage and conversion to Islam is set to meet on Thursday (today).

Sources say the government functionaries including Governor Chaudhry Sarwar met the girl in the shelter home where she was sent on court order. They say Muhammad Hasaan divorced her before the families of both boy and the Sikh girl met the governor on Tuesday.

Later, the governor posted a video of his meeting with members of both families as well as posted a tweet stating: “Great news for Pakistani and Sikh communities across the world. Issue of Nankana girl was amicably resolved to the satisfaction of the families concerned”.

He also stated that the girl was safe and in touch with her family.

It is learnt that the girl is still in the shelter home and court or she herself will decide about going back to her parents.

Sources say the chief minister’s eight-member committee led by law minister Basharat Raja plans to put forward a proposal that the matter of conversion should be dealt at least at the deputy commissioner level.

The committee is expected to ascertain the factors leading to the recent incident in Nankana Sahib and resolve the discord, if any, prevailing amongst the local communities. It is required to submit its report to the chief minister within two weeks.

It comprises Auqaf Minister Syed Saeedul Hassan Shah, Human Rights and Minorities Minister Ijaz Alam Augustine, Bishop of Lahore Rt. Rev. Irfan Jamil, KEMU Assistant Professor Mimpal Singh, Hindu Council of Pakistan president Dr Munawar Chand, MPAs Mussarat Jamshed Cheema and Muhammad Atif.

Meanwhile, another incident of religious conversion has been reported and the DPO concerned directed to submit a report.

Sources say a higher secondary school in Safdarabad had taken a 15-year-old Christian girl to a seminary and converted her to Islam. The case surfaced after girl’s parents lodged a complaint with minorities minister Ijaz Alam.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2019