London, Oct 31 (IANS) UK Conservative Party leader and MP Bob Blackman expressed grave concern over the persecution of Hindus in Pakistan, urging the British government to explain what steps were taken to protect religious minorities facing oppression in the South Asian nation.
He said that the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Hindus had received a recent report from an advocacy group, Insight UK, detailing the horrific condition of Hindus in Pakistan.
Addressing the House of Commons, Blackman also noted that Diwali coincides with Remembrance Sunday this year, an occasion observed in the UK to honour members of the armed forces who died in the line of duty.
“In addition to Remembrance Sunday, which we will commemorate during the recess, that Sunday is also Diwali. I am sure that the whole House will join me in wishing all Hindus, Sikhs and Jains ‘Shubh Diwali’ for the event, and also a happy, peaceful, prosperous and, above all else, healthy Hindu new year, which follows,” Blackman stated
“However, any Hindus who are in Pakistan are in serious trouble at the moment. We in the all-party parliamentary group for British Hindus received a report from Insight UK just last week on the plight of Hindus in Pakistan, which makes for horrific reading. I ask the Leader of the House to get either the Foreign Secretary or a Foreign Office Minister to come to the House and tell us what the Government is doing to safeguard minority communities, not just in this country, as is right, but in countries where they are severely oppressed,” he added.
In its recent report, Insight UK stated that Hindus have been systematically persecuted in Pakistan, alleging that Islamist extremists have targeted the community, their places of worship, and their livelihoods whilst the Pakistani authorities and the wider international community have turned a blind eye.
“The proliferation of Islamist extremism and militant violence has not only targeted minorities but has also threatened the very fabric of regional stability. By failing to protect its Hindu citizens, Pakistan risks further descent into a cycle of radicalisation. The ongoing atrocities within Pakistan require immediate global scrutiny to prevent a total humanitarian collapse for its remaining religious minorities,” the group stated.
According to the report, more than 1,000 women and girls from Hindu and Christian communities in Pakistan are abducted, forcibly converted to Islam, and forcefully married to their captors every year.
“Young girls have been abducted, forcibly converted, forcibly married, and abused. These cases are not isolated occurrences, but are part of a larger problem that continues to be neglected – the issue of ideologically motivated sexual abuse that targets women from religious minorities. Cases also demonstrate how families are unsuccessful in their attempts to challenge these crimes using legal avenues, which highlights how such despicable atrocities are facilitated by institutions in Pakistan,” it highlighted.
The group noted that the UK should be deeply concerned by the persecution of minorities in Pakistan since it is one of the largest donors of overseas aid to Pakistan and considers freedom of religion and belief to be a fundamental human right.
–IANS
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