52 percent forced conversion cases reported in Pakistan’s Punjab: Pakistani rights group
New Delhi: A Pakistan Rights Group exposed another real fact about Pakistan. Rights Group has said that 52 percent of cases of alleged forced conversions of women – specifically of underage girls from the religious minority communities — had occurred in Punjab province.
A well-known Pakistani media has reported that “The organisation, Center for Social Justice (CSJ), made the revelation during a discussion titled ‘Forced Conversion Complaints and Religious Freedom” which was held online on the last Saturday”
According to Pakistan media “CSJ said that around 162 questionable conversions were reported between 2013 and 2020 and abuses which had occurred in violation of religious freedom enshrined in Pakistan’s constitution of 1973.”
As per the data of Center for Social Justice – Besides Punjab, 44 percent of these incidents had also taken place in Sindh, while 1.23 percent cases were reported in the federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa areas, while one case occurred in Balochistan.
In Pakistan – The highest cases were reported in Bahawalpur which is 21 cases in the last seven year, but according to local sources – this number could be wrong and there could be more conversation cases.
Similarly 14 cases were reported in Lahore, 12 in Karachi, 10 in Faisalabad, eight in Hyderabad, six each in Tharparkar, Ghotki and Kasu, five in Badin and four each in Umarkot and Sialkot.
The CSJ further added that “The figures showed that 54.3 percent of the victims belonged to the Hindu community, while 44.44 per cent were Christian and 0.62 per cent belonged to the Sikh and Kalash communities. Over 46.3 per cent of the victims were minors – some 32.7 percent of them aged between 11-15 years. Only 16.67 per cent of the victims were above 18 years.”
In India – Many state governments in India are taking steps to stop the religion conversation activities. Many incidents are already published in Indian media – in which some religious boys did not reveal their real identity and after the marriage they forced particular religious girls to change their religion.
_Vinayak
