Webinar on: The State of Religious Freedom and Minorities in Pakistan.

Panelists Included: Farannaz Ispahani, Waris Husain, Seth Oldmixon, Dr Nick Evans, Theresa Villiers MP, Jonathan Lord MP

ABHI UK organised an inaugural webinar on 18^th July , 4:00 pm, titled: State of Religious Freedom & Minorities in Pakistan and this will be streamed live on the ABHI UK Facebook Page and Youtube  Flyer Attached. The objective is to raise the awareness on the subject and urge the political community around the world to take note and seek relevant interventions from the Govt of Pakistan to fulfil its obligations towards its minorities.

As a representative & interested party ABHI has been forced to take note of the plight of the minority Hindu community in Pakistan many of whom are linked to British Hindus through family, kinship and ties of friendship. The situation is so grave that we believe that an urgent and immediate intervention is required from the international community to save the lives of the affected families from the minority community in Pakistan and to allow them to practise their faith and religious practices without fear and provocation.

Being a victim of most horrendous religious persecution in modern times, this community is facing an existential crisis and requires an urgent and immediate intervention by the international community to save their lives and freedom to practice their faith and religion. The details and visuals regarding the violation of their human and basic rights flowing from the community are deeply disturbing and  explain an unspeakable story of torture and persecution.

We presume that the honorable members of the APPG are aware of reports by Pakistan Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC), Movement for Solidarity and Peace (MSP), Global Human Rights Defence and by Human Right Activists such as Asma Jehangir, that have extensively documented this persecution not only against Hindus but against other religious minorities such as Christians, Sikhs and Ahmedias.

Forced Abduction and conversion of minorities:

These details have also highlighted the institutional role of the Pakistani state, which otherwise also has appalling records of human rights violations against all minorities. The most alarming however is our own inquiries regarding the ground situation in Pakistan, which has disclosed a terrifying truth about unfolding catastrophe and a grave existential threat of the survival of not only Hindu community but also Christians, Ahmedias and other minorities. Forceful abductions of minorities girls often underaged, forceful conversion of Hindu community members in various parts of Sindh and other provinces, looting and forceful capture of their properties, forceful marriage solemnized through conversion, restrictions of distribution of govt benefits to force them to convert to majority religion, and enforced disappearances of people are the order of the day and  the victims have no recourse to justice due to systemic and institutionalized protection to the perpetrators by the Pakistan state.

Often Media is considered the fourth pillar of a thriving democracy. Legislature, Executive & Judiciary are the foundational pillars of any democratic setup.  However, the travesty of today’s Pakistan is that all four pillars are failing its own minorities. The media is tightly controlled by the Army and therefore the independent voices from the newsrooms are effectively suppressed. There is no recourse available to the persecuted minorities in Pakistan today to highlight the atrocities committed against them on a daily basis.

Opposition to building Temple in Islamabad:

The recent development on the opposition to the temple in Islamabad: On 24 June, Pakistan’s Parliamentary Secretary on Human Rights Lal Chand Malhi performed the groundbreaking ceremony for construction of the first Hindu temple in Islamabad. However, as soon as the construction of the boundary walls commenced, it was vandalized by radical Islamists and petitions were filed against the temple by a group of religious clerics. The construction of this new temple is meant to provide the nearly 3000 members of the Hindu community in Islamabad a place for their religious ceremonies, marriages, last rites and cremation. The Capital Development Autority has since stopped the construction of the temple . The matter has now been referred to the Council of Islamic Ideology by the Islamabad High Court and the opposition to building the temple is growing every day. Imagine a temple or a Mosque to be built in the UK is referred to the Archbishop instead of planning officers?

Discrimination Amid Global Pandemic #Covid19:

While the world is united in fighting against Covid-19 pandemic but for Pakistan, religious discrimination remains a top priority even amidst this crisis. Reports coming out highlight how country’s Christians and Hindu’s are being deprived of essential food supplies given by authorities, saying they are meant for muslims.

Scores of Marginalised community members gather at Karachi’s Rehrri Ghoth to receive food supplies and daily essentials as shops remain shut to curb the spread of virus. But those belonging to Christian or Hindu families are told to go back as the ration belongs to only Muslims.

Hindu’s in Liyari Sacha Ghoth and other parts of Karachi as well as all over Sindh are beind denied a share of government food and rations if they happen to be Hindus or Christians.

Need for an Urgent Debate & Intervention:

APPG for International Freedom of Religion and Belief, APPG for Pakistani Minorities & APPG for British Hindus have a responsibility to raise awareness of and help eliminate discrimination and persecution of religious minorities by the Pakistani state. This becomes even more critical in the current circumstances when there is a global pandemic and marginalised communities are struggling to meet their ends and day to day survival

On behalf of ABHI UK, we would like to organize a debrief on this issue post the event on 18^th July. ABHI UK will be happy to provide a detailed overview on the cases of persecution and supressing of Hindu and other minorities in Pakistan.

This should then be followed by a request for debate in the parliament on this pressing matter to hold the government of the day to account in Pakistan and urge them to uphold the rights of the minorities and prosecute those individuals and organisations responsible for systemic abuse of minorities.