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ISLAMABAD: The Opposition in the Senate on Friday staged two back-to-back walkouts from the Senate to mark protest against absence of ministers during the budget session.
The absence of ministers was first pointed out by PPP Senator Shahadat Awan and, while he was on his legs, the opposition leader also rose to regret the lack of importance being given to the House by ministers.
“The voice of all those expressing views and making suggestions is just reverberating in this hall,” he said before announcing the walkout from the House. Continuing his speech, Mr Awan slammed the government for meting out a discriminatory treatment to Sindh province.
He said all projects handled by the now-defunct Public Works Department (PWD) had been handed over to the provinces. But unlike the three other provinces, the decision was not implemented for Sindh, and the 22 schemes under PSDP have been kept by the federal government with it. He demanded that the schemes be given to Sindh and the funds for these be made available in one go, if the Centre was serious about development projects in Sindh.
Issue of forced conversion of minority communities echoes in Senate
He said low allocations for the M-6 (Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway project) and M-9 (Hyderabad-Karachi Motorway project) show the federal government was not serious about construction of motorways in Sindh.
The controversy over abduction of four underage siblings belonging to religious minority from Sindh apparently to force them to convert echoed in the House, with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle calling for urgent steps to bring this practice to an end.
Senator Danesh Kumar, a minority member from Balochistan, said three Hindu girls and a minor boy had been reportedly abducted in Sanghar district of Sindh to be forcefully converted to Islam.
“This is cruelty,” he said and questioned why such incidents happened in Sindh, where most of the members of the Hindu minority lived.
He appealed to Muslim religious leaders to intervene to stop this injustice as well as to the chair to act and summon Sindh police chief to question him about such incidents.
Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) Senator Raja Nasir Abbas, speaking on the matter, said the cases of abduction and forced conversion of minority girls were rampant throughout the country, especially in Sindh.
He called for ensuring the rule of law to stop this crime and give an exemplary punishment to those who are behind such actions. He also proposed the formation of a special task force to end such crimes.
Senator Abbas objected that the Punjab government has banned the entry of pedestrians into the processions of Muharram by dubbing the action as “biddat” (innovation in Islam).
“Who gave you the right to issue such religious decrees?” Mr Abbas questioned, and asked the chair to seek an explanation from the Punjab government about banning the entry of pedestrians into the Muharram processions.
He noted that restriction on the movement of people was a violation of their basic human right.
PML-N Senator Khalil Tahir Sandhu, a minority member from the ruling party, said that the problem of forced conversion in minorities below the age of 18 years was very old and it was not only widespread in Sindh but also in Punjab.
“There is a need to promote the culture of coexistence,” said Senator Sandhu.
JUI-F Senator Maulana Attaur Rehman said that Islam did not allow acts of forced conversion. “In Pakistan including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, not only minorities but also Muslim community is facing many injustices,” he said.
PPP lawmaker Syed Waqar Mehdi assured on behalf of the Sindh government that minorities would be provided protection and their rights would be ensured.
Deputy Chairman of Senate Syedaal Khan Nassar, who was presiding over the session, in his ruling directed the Sindh’s chief secretary and police chief to meet Senator Kumar and satisfy him over the issue.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the Parliament had already passed the bill to establish the National Commission for Minorities’ Rights, which had been given quasi-judicial powers and it would be headed by a minority member.
He said that the commission would discharge its semi-judicial functions over issues of minorities, by giving directions and holding inquiries.
Published in Dawn, June 21th, 2025
