Over 25 Pakistani Hindu families seek political asylum in India

Over 25 Pakistani Hindu families in Balochistan have sought political asylum in India citing growing cases of kidnapping for ransom and target killing of members the minority community in the restive province.

"As many as 27 Hindu families from Balochistan have sent applications to the Indian embassy for asylum in India," a top official at the federal ministry of human rights was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper today.

Hindus had been living in Balochistan for centuries, but in recent weeks several members of the minority community had been kidnapped or murdered, forcing them to seek asylum in India, regional director for the federal ministry of human rights Saeed Ahmed Khan said.

"It is a matter of great concern and urged the government to take immediate measures to improve the law and order situation in Balochistan," Khan told a seminar titled "Provincial Conference on Balochistan Crisis" in Quetta.

According to statistics of the ministry of human rights, violation of human rights has been committed at a large scale in Balochistan and people are being abducted for ransom.

Baloch youths had become frustrated because they had been denied rights and their national identity had not been recognised, National Party's vice president Ishaq Baloch said, adding arrest and disappearance of youths had damaged efforts to secure peace in the province.

Hazara Democratic Party chairman Abdul Khaliq Hazara blamed "hidden hands" for the poor law and order situation in the province. He said over 100 groups involved in kidnappings for ransom were operating in Balochistan.

Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party's provincial president Usman Khan Kakar said Pakistan would get stability, peace and prosperity if the centre recognised the identity and languages of all nationalities in the country.