Senate panel to hold marathon sessions on forced conversion incidents in Sindh

ISLAMABAD: A Senate panel has planned to hold a series of briefings on forced conversions, specifically among the Hindu community of rural Sindh, and the protection of minorities. The parliamentary committee will hold marathon sessions in Sukkur and Karachi for three days from October 6 to deliberate on the issue. It will meet representatives of the Hindu community of Sindh, particularly those residing in the vicinity of Ghotki, Sukkur and Hyderabad.

The forum will get a briefing on the subject of minorities and forced conversions. from the Sindh minister for law on the bill moved by Senator Dr Sikandar Mandhro when he was law minister of Sindh.

The secretary of the Sindh human rights department will inform the committee about the reported incidents of forced conversions and the measures taken by his department to control such incidents. The Sindh chief secretary will apprise the panel on plans to find a possible way to control forced conversions in the province. The Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) will brief the forum on the creation of an integrated system of detection, reporting and response to incidents of forced conversion of minorities by involving the provincial and district civil administration including police officials.

Meanwhile, the Senate Standing Committee on Defence meeting on October 8 will receieve a presentation from Lt-Gen (retd) Naeem Khalid Lodhi, former caretaker minister for defence and ex-defence secretary, on formulating and rolling out an effective national security policy, including topics such as hybrid war and Pakistan’s capacity for dealing with non-state actors.

The Senate Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges will assemble on Oct 7 to take into consideration a privilege motion moved by Senator Musadik Malik of the PML-N against Islamabad’s Assistant Commissioner Danish Zakir, who stopped him from entering the Islamabad High Court (IHC) when Maryam Nawaz appeared before it in connection with a hearing. Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani referred this matter to the committee.

On October 6, the Senate Standing Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety will get detailed briefings on the policy, budget, future plans and province-wise breakup of the number of scholarships awarded under the Ehsaas undergraduate scholarship programme and the panagahs established with province/region-wise breakup.

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Government Assurances meeting on Oct 6 will examine the failure of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to develop and hand over possession of plots in Sector E-12 to the allottees, who have paid the full price and development charges, even after lapse of over 30 years.