Religious discrimination is a never-ending issue in Pakistan which has been running since 1947 and there is no remedy till now. Pakistan has over 20 crores population, out of which around 3.4 million people belong to the Hindu community and the majority of which are Dalits or people of Scheduled Castes.
Minorities have never been treated equally in the country, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan promised to eradicate this issue but hasn’t chalked out any plan for the minorities so far. Even under his leadership, so many Hindus are still going through painful torture like the religious conversion (Hinduism to Islam) and forced marriages to elderly men.
In yet another shocking news in Pakistan, a 13-year-old Christian girl was abducted, gangraped, converted and married off to a Muslim man in the Kanjra area of Lahore.
A video regarding the incident has been posted by human rights activist Rahat Austin in which victim’s father has detailed the assault and accused Sajid Ali, Sumaira and Tarav of the heinous crime. Police has refused to take any action citing that the documents submitted by victim’s father regarding victim’s age and forceful conversion are fake. Victim’s father has alleged that the documents indicating his daughter’s marriage and forceful conversion are forged.
Victim’s father sought help from minister Jahaj Alam Ghasti; but to no avail. He said ‘If Prime Minister, ministers, Chief Justice and Parliament do not listen to me or ensure the safe return of my child, then, I will be forced to kill my entire family. It is impossible to get justice in Pakistan. Justice will only be rendered when my daughter returns to me. Do not take my words lightly. If my daughter does not come back, then, I will do what I have promised’.
FYI, thousands of such abductions happen every year and hardly one of two cases draw media attention and this is a reality about how minorities are treated in Pakistan, which proudly calls itself a democracy. We are leaving it to your imagination about how minorities are treated harshly.
