Religious persecution and violence against women are some of the most salient features of Pakistan, said Sindhi-American Human Rights activist Fatima Gul at the United States House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on `Human Rights in South Asia` here on Tuesday (local time).
"Religious persecution remains a salient feature of Pakistan. Hindus, Christians, Ahmedis, Shias, Balochs continued to be victimised by religious extremists who operate with the government impunity. Pakistan is the only country in the world that legislated against its own citizens," Gul informed the US House panel over incidents related to violence committed by Pakistan against the ethnic minorities in its own soil."
Also read: Hindu temples, houses attacked in Pakistan after alleged blasphemy by a school principal
Pakistan ranks as Sixth most dangerous country for women in regards to violence and rape.
According to Human Rights Watch, child sexual abuse remains disturbingly common in Pakistan. Around 141 cases have been reported just in Lahore in Punjab province of Pakistan.
In the first half of 2018, according to the police reports, more than 1,000 Hindu girls have been abducted and converted to Islam. Nearly, 33 per cent rise in child abuse cases have been witnessed in the country," the activist added.
Elaborating on more facts of victimising minorities in Pakistan, Gul said that on September 15 this year, religious extremists attacked temples, houses, schools, and Hindus in Ghotki town of Sindh province in Pakistan.
She said that the mob left chaos and terror across neighbourhoods as the attacks were carried out on the pretext that a Sindhi Hindu professor named Notan Lal had committed blasphemy. Despite a lack of evidence he was taken into police custody, she said.
"These attacks which lasted for over a week were completely blacked out by Pakistani media," Gul said while stressing on the seriousness of the human rights situation in Pakistan who is rather flagging baseless arguments over the atrocities in Kashmir.
https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/...s-of-pakistan-sindhi-american-activist-257729
"Religious persecution remains a salient feature of Pakistan. Hindus, Christians, Ahmedis, Shias, Balochs continued to be victimised by religious extremists who operate with the government impunity. Pakistan is the only country in the world that legislated against its own citizens," Gul informed the US House panel over incidents related to violence committed by Pakistan against the ethnic minorities in its own soil."
Also read: Hindu temples, houses attacked in Pakistan after alleged blasphemy by a school principal
Pakistan ranks as Sixth most dangerous country for women in regards to violence and rape.
According to Human Rights Watch, child sexual abuse remains disturbingly common in Pakistan. Around 141 cases have been reported just in Lahore in Punjab province of Pakistan.
In the first half of 2018, according to the police reports, more than 1,000 Hindu girls have been abducted and converted to Islam. Nearly, 33 per cent rise in child abuse cases have been witnessed in the country," the activist added.
Elaborating on more facts of victimising minorities in Pakistan, Gul said that on September 15 this year, religious extremists attacked temples, houses, schools, and Hindus in Ghotki town of Sindh province in Pakistan.
She said that the mob left chaos and terror across neighbourhoods as the attacks were carried out on the pretext that a Sindhi Hindu professor named Notan Lal had committed blasphemy. Despite a lack of evidence he was taken into police custody, she said.
"These attacks which lasted for over a week were completely blacked out by Pakistani media," Gul said while stressing on the seriousness of the human rights situation in Pakistan who is rather flagging baseless arguments over the atrocities in Kashmir.
https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/...s-of-pakistan-sindhi-american-activist-257729