LAHORE: Participants in the People’s Inquiry into “forced conversions and trafficking of minority women” demanded stringent measures against such criminal activities, urging the state to play its role in safeguarding its citizens against the menace.

The event was organised by the Peoples Commission for Minorities Rights (PCMR) at the Faletties Hotel here on Saturday where the victims and witnesses of forced conversions and fake marriages of local women with Chinese men shared with the audience their first-hand accounts under an oath.

Prominent human rights activists, legal experts, journalists and academics participated in the event, including I A Rehman, Khawar Mumtaz, Maria Iqbal Tarana, Mubashir Zaidi, Fatima Atif, Wajahat Masood, Fr Bonnie Mendes, Saroop Ijaz and Karamat Ali.

The jury of the Peoples’ Inquiry comprised former UN Special Advisor on Human Rights Defenders, Hina Jillani, Justice Kailashnath Kohli, senior advocates Mr Jamshed Rehmat Ullah and Parkash Mehtani.

I A Rehman, Aoun Sahi and Mubashir Zaidi presented an overview of the issues.

PCMR chairperson Peter Jacob emphasised the need to understand the issue at hand in its entirety vis-a-vis the role of contributing factors such as gender, poverty, religious discrimination and demography.

A research study prepared by PCMR, “Silence of the Lamb”, was shared with the participants that provided a working definition and the evidence of the phenomenon of forced conversion and gave recommendations to effectively address the issue.

The event concluded with observations about a vigilant societal role against the gender-based exploitation and transparent investigation into faith and gender based crimes committed against the minority women.

The Jury held that the state must act to safeguard its citizens against human rights violations, including forced conversion, forced marriage, trafficking, child marriage, rape, kidnapping and abduction, whether committed by individuals or groups.

The participants resolved under oath that they would strive to uphold the standards of truth, justice and fairness, besides working towards providing relief to the victims of forced conversions and related crimes.

The victims who gave testimony on forced conversions, include Rimsha and Neha Javed from Lahore, Anwer Masih and Bashir Masih from Toba Tek Singh, Charlotte from Faisalabad, Chaman from Rahim Yar Khan and Shiza from Gujranwala. The witnesses include Mehek Pervaiz, Muqadas, Saleem Iqbal and Yasir Talib.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2019