HYDERABAD, Nov 9: Activists of the Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM) on Friday staged a demonstration outside the local press club to condemn what they believed ‘atrocities on Hindus in the province’ and said that the community was the true heirs of Sindh.

A JSMM spokesman, Shahnawaz Bhutto, said that the party’s Hyderabad chapter had organised the demonstration in line with its call for a province-wide drive to express solidarity with the Hindu community. He said similar demonstrations were held in Jamshoro, Dadu, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Ghotki and Kashmore districts.

Leading the Hyderabad demonstration, JSMM central leader Afzal Panhwar, Murtaza Chandio, Ejaz Gahu and others alleged that Hindus were being subject to atrocities to force them to migrate to some other country.

They claimed that Hindu girls were being forcibly converted in the province and men kidnapped or even killed to harass the community.

They vowed to protect Hindus across Sindh, and said that no one would be allowed to force them to quit the province or the country. They urged the minority community to play its due role in protecting Sindh and join in the national movement for Sindh’s independence.

They also appealed to the international rights organisations to take notice of atrocities on Hindu community members.

Our Sukkur correspondent adds: JSMM activists in Mirpur Mathelo town of Ghotki district took out rally a rally against what they described as ‘religious extremism’ and demanded adequate protection to the life and property of Hindu community members in Sindh.

Led by Zakir Bozdar, Sahib Khan Ghoto, Nisar Langah and others, the protesters marched from Sukkur bus stand to the local press club, where they staged a demonstration.

The JSMM leaders observed that the Hindu community was not feeling secure because of attacks on their lives and properties by extremist religious activists. They said that the attacks, kidnappings and forced conversions had badly disturbed and harassed the Hindu people, especially traders.

The JSSM leaders demanded concrete steps to restore the minority community’s confidence, and urged the government to ensure safety and security of all citizens, including Hindus.