Pakistan Hindu Council expresses serious concern over move to amend Conversion Bill

Patron-in-chief of Pakistan Hindu Council, Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, has expressed serious concern over reports of likely amendment or abrogation in the Sindh Criminal Law (Protection of Minorities) Bill, 2015, and warned that any action under pressure of 'extremist religious parties' would increase insecurity among non-Muslims.

He also cautioned that Pakistan might face isolation at the international-level if the bill was abrogated as the legislation had addressed growing complaints against increasing incidents of abduction and forced conversion of underage minor Hindu girls, reports the Dawn.

Dr Vankwani, who is also a Member of National Assembly of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, said in a statement issued on Sunday that they were not against the conversion of religion but their concerns were linked only to forced conversions. "Why only underage Hindu girls in Sindh are changing religion?" he said.

He termed the protest of religious parties against the law as unjustified.

"I am inviting all honourable leaders of religious parliamentary parties to visit Sindh to observe ground facts to see for themselves how the name of a peaceful religion is being exploited by some extremist elements for their personal designs, and due to this, sentiments of non-Muslims are continuously getting hurt," Dr Vankwani said, adding the situation was causing outrage and trauma among the non-Muslim population.