MPs body completes Sindh visit to evaluate forced conversions

KARACHI: A comprehensive bill to stop forced conversions will be submitted to Parliament after consultations with all the stakeholders, including minority and civil society groups, and religious leaders.

Senator Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, the chairman of the parliamentary committee to protect minorities from forced conversions, said this on Friday while addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club to inform the media about the committee’s visit to Sindh that completed on Friday.

Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Human Rights Lal Chand Malhi and Grand Democratic Alliance’s parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly Nand Kumar Goklani accompanied him. Kakar said that because of the sensitivity, seriousness and complications of the issue, the committee's members visited Sukkur and Karachi and met Sindh government’s officials, parliamentarians, minority leaders and police officials to explore all the aspects of the issue.

He said the rights of minorities should be protected according to the constitution, adding that the committee thoroughly viewed the recommendations of the minority members to stop the forced conversions. Kakar maintained that the current federal government, particularly Prime Minister Imran Khan, realised the importance of the issue and had formed a 23-member parliamentary committee to work on legislation to prevent the forced conversion of minorities. “On the legislative side, the committee has been carrying out deliberation exercises with all stakeholders to make broad-based, inclusive legislation,” he said, adding that the parliamentarians had learnt lessons from the aftermath of a bill earlier presented in the Sindh Assembly to stop forced conversions. The bill, officially known as the 'Criminal Law (Protection of Minorities) Bill' was passed unanimously in November 2016. However, the situation took an unpleasant turn when many religious parties took to the streets against the proposed law and announced a movement against it. Kakar said the committee had also asked the Council of Islamic Ideology to study the laws related to religious conversions in various Islamic countries. He added that the committee was satisfied with the response of the Sindh government and police.

“The committee did not deny the incidence of forced conversions mostly occurring in Sindh but the magnitude of the issue has also been exaggerated,” Kakar said, adding that the religious parties in Pakistan also did not believe in using force to convert others to Islam. Regarding the question of boys not converting in large numbers in comparison to girls, the parliamentary committee chairman said discussions were being held on this aspect.

He remarked that whoever was behind forced conversions was not following Islam as the religion did not allow forced conversions. He, however, clarified that voluntary conversion was another matter and the committee was not dealing with it. Regarding marriage contracts between people of different religions, Kakar said such marriages created issues for society and the parents of the couples.