[Reader-list] Modi is innocent, and not afraid of SIT

Bipin Trivedi aliens at dataone.in
Tue Mar 23 16:40:49 IST 2010 

Dear Pawan,

Thanks for this detail. Hindu anti Gujarat stance proved once again and so
there is no surprise for publishing 2006 data of Gujarat in 2010. Mail I
have sent to editor Mr. N. Ram and Mrs. Indira Hirway is absolutely true and
justifiable.

Thanks
Bipin


-----Original Message-----
From: Pawan Durani [mailto:pawan.durani at gmail.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 4:33 PM
To: Bipin Trivedi
Cc: sarai-list
Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Modi is innocent, and not afraid of SIT

Dear Bipin Ji ,

In actual , the story was 'spread' by The Hindu on 12 March 4: 45 PM .
The Hindu also claims "The Hindu broke the story on its web site,
beta.thehindu.com, at 4:45 p.m. on Thursday. The exclusive was
immediately picked up by television channels, news agencies, and other
websites without crediting the original source."

Check these two links

http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article236613.ece

http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/12/stories/2010031261090100.htm

Now would The Hindu apologize to Mr Modi and rest of country for a
misleading news. The question would still remain ...What was the
motive ? And at whose behest ? What is the conspiracy ?

Regards

Pawan

On Tue, Mar 23, 2010 at 4:16 PM, Bipin Trivedi <aliens at dataone.in> wrote:
> Dear Pawan,
> Thanks for this posting.
> Who is responsible for this? It must have been gimmick of Teesta and Mrs.
Jaffri both since they both were present in ndtv 24x7/India talk show for
this matter and putting their views that Modi must appear against SIT
summon. But, where is the summon? Who will answer? Will SIT answer? Will SC
or SIT scroll the culprit?
> Once again Teesta proved wrong and exposed for her gimmick similarly as in
case of Jahira. Poor Teesta will not get more fund now for this from their
foreign bosses.
> Thanks
> Bipin
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: reader-list-bounces at sarai.net [mailto:reader-list-bounces at sarai.net]
On Behalf Of Pawan Durani
> Sent: Monday, March 22, 2010 6:21 PM
> To: Javed
> Cc: reader-list at sarai.net; Jigish Parikh
> Subject: [Reader-list] Modi is innocent, and not afraid of SIT
>
> Not summoned to appear before panel on March 21: Modi
>
http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/gujarat-riots-probe-modi-speaks-out-on-summon
s-18241.php
>
> Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has said he was not summoned to
> appear before a Supreme-Court-appointed panel probing riots cases on
> March 21.
>
> In a strong statement issued on Monday, a day after he was reported as
> having kept the panel waiting for him to appear before it, Modi said:
> "It is a matter of grave concern and needs investigation as to why and
> who started spreading lies that Narendra Modi has been summoned by SIT
> (Special Investigation Team) on March 21."
>
> He pointed out that March 21 happened to be "a Sunday and a public
> holiday," and said the "purveyors of lies did not even bother to check
> whether the SIT officers appointed by Supreme Court were present in
> Gujarat on March 21."
>
> The date March 21, he alleged, was given out by "some vested interests
> and as part of the effort to interfere in the due process of law."
>
> Modi said in his statement that he would respond to the SIT, "fully
> respecting law and keeping in view the dignity of the body appointed
> by the Supreme Court.
>
> The Gujarat Chief Minister has been asked to appear this month before
> the Special Investigating Team, headed by K R Raghavan, which is
> looking into 9 cases of communal riots. Modi has been asked to appear
> in connection with the Ehsan Jafri case. The former Congress MP was
> burnt alive in Ahmedabad's Gulbarg society. A case filed by his wife
> charges Modi and many of his ministers and bureaucrats of conspiring
> to ensure that calls for help by Jafri and others were ignored.
>
> Earlier in the day, the Gujarat High Court issued a notice to the
> Nanavati Commission asking it to explain, by April 1, whether it too
> would summon Narendra Modi  as part of its inquiry on the Gujarat
> riots of 2002.
>
>
> On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 4:57 PM, Javed <javedmasoo at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Dear Jigish and Malik
>> You are right and I agree that we should wait for the law to take its
>> own course. Why should we worry about it if we have the law - we
>> should be concerned with many other problems of the country, such as
>> what Jigish ji pointed out.
>>
>> But that LAW is the whole problem. If law and order could be ensured,
>> we won't have the Gujarat riots. I know that Godhra was an unfortunate
>> incident which probably took place even before law and police could
>> reach the spot to prevent it. But what happened after the Godhra
>> incident in Gujarat is exactly what we expected not to happen since we
>> are in a country where law and order machinery is supposed to work to
>> prevent riots. If such enormous rioting could not be controlled, and
>> for several weeks, then how do we expect that law will again take its
>> course and treat everyone with justice. We all know that Modi is too
>> arrogant and bullish to accept any of his wrong-doings and is thus
>> avoiding SIT.
>>
>> This is not a "fascination with certain personalities" as you
>> mentioned Mr.Jigish. It is a question of justice for people who have
>> been affected in the riot. And this is not just for what happened in
>> the past (which can be forgotten). It also concerns the future of this
>> country. If politicians want to go to any extreme (including abetting
>> communal riots) to get votes, then such a trend is as important for
>> everyone as Af-Pak situation or the defence budget or whatever.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Javed
>>
>> On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 12:08 PM, Jigish Parikh <parikhjigish at gmail.com>
wrote:
>>> Mr. Javed,
>>> Replying with an assumption that you are Indian. I fully agree with Mr.
>>> Malik..Why people can't give up their fascination with certain
personalities
>>> and let law take its own due course? We have MUCH more pressing issues
in
>>> our country to worry about. One such is tragic/vision-less policies in
the
>>> foreign affairs ministry where the idiots of Congress party have no clue
how
>>> to deal with Af-Pak Situation. Being side-lined in London and having no
plan
>>> B in the aftermath of second bombing of Indian Embassy in Kabul, they
look
>>> stupid on world table. They approach unilaterally to Pakistan for peace
>>> dialogue without explanation to the country for such sudden change in
>>> foreign policy without Pakistan acting on terror infrastructure or
handing
>>> over the 26/11 master-minds. Another area is Defence ministry which is
>>> stalling the BASIC MINIMUM requirements of our forces. NEVER explaining
why
>>> every year funds allocated are returned unused despite the dire need of
>>> equipments/modernization/weapons/resources.  Let's talk such important
>>> issues without meddling in what is less of a problem for nation for NOW.
>>> Jigish.
>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>
>>>> Message: 1
>>>> Date: Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:47:03 -0700 (PDT)
>>>> From: "A.K. Malik" <akmalik45 at yahoo.com>
>>>> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] If Modi is innocent, why is he afraid of
>>>>        SIT
>>>> To: Javed <javedmasoo at gmail.com>
>>>> Cc: Sarai List <reader-list at sarai.net>
>>>> Message-ID: <179820.63240.qm at web112105.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
>>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>>>>
>>>> Dear Mr Javed,
>>>>              The Congress Party has all along been advocating "Let The
Law
>>>> Have its own Course". Every one knows how they have scuttled the Bofors
>>>> Case. If Modi has not appeared before the SIT, Let the Law find what
next is
>>>> to be done.Is there a punishment for not appearing before the SIT? So
file a
>>>> case and punish him for not appearing before SIT. Let Modi be punished
>>>> according to the prevalent law of the land.Even Kasab is being given
rights
>>>> to defend himself, but poor Modi doesn't even have the rights of an
ordinary
>>>> citizen.Mr Modi, if he is guilty, needs to be punished but according to
>>>> Law.No one including Congress Party wants justice to be done but wants
to
>>>> play POLITICS.
>>>> Regards,
>>>>
>>>> (A.K.MALIK)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --- On Sun, 3/21/10, Javed <javedmasoo at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > From: Javed <javedmasoo at gmail.com>
>>>> > Subject: [Reader-list] If Modi is innocent, why is he afraid of SIT
>>>> > To: "sarai list" <reader-list at sarai.net>
>>>> > Date: Sunday, March 21, 2010, 8:38 PM
>>>> > Gulburg riots case: CM Narendra Modi
>>>> > avoids SIT team
>>>> >
>>>> > PTI, Mar 21, 2010, 07.08pm IST
>>>> >
>>>> > NEW DELHI: Attacking Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi
>>>> > for not
>>>> > showing up before the SIT in connection with a Gujarat
>>>> > riots case,
>>>> > Congress on Sunday said that it was "contemptuous" and
>>>> > showed that he
>>>> > "loves to hide".
>>>> >
>>>> > "The SIT's direction to Narendra Modi to appear before it
>>>> > shows the
>>>> > seriousness and importance attached to the issue by the
>>>> > apex court,"
>>>> > party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.
>>>> >
>>>> > "For Modi to avoid appearing on any ground or pretext is
>>>> > contemptuous
>>>> > and would show that he loves to hide," he said
>>>> >
>>>> > Modi was summoned by the SIT with regard to a complaint
>>>> > filed by Zakia
>>>> > Jaffery, wife of slain former MP Eshan Jaffrey in the 2002
>>>> > Gulburg
>>>> > society riots case.
>>>> >
>>>> > Slamming Gujarat government for spending lavishly on
>>>> > advertisements,
>>>> > minister of state for communications and technology Sachin
>>>> > Pilot said
>>>> > that Narendra Modi has been spending huge money for "self
>>>> > praise".
>>>> > Pilot alleged that Modi took credit of Central schemes in
>>>> > the state,
>>>> > demanding that he comes out with a white paper if he had
>>>> > launched any
>>>> > scheme.
>>>> >
>>>> > He was all praise for UPA government for its efforts in
>>>> > ensuring jobs
>>>> > in rural areas allotment of Rs 60,000 crore for rural
>>>> > development. UPA
>>>> > is the only government to announce unemployment allowance
>>>> > for jobless,
>>>> > Pilot said.
>>>> >
>>>> > Arjun Modhvadiya an MLA from Porbander said Modi has a
>>>> > great skill to
>>>> > divert people's mind and to misguide them by making fake
>>>> > claims.
>>>> >
>>>> > Modhvadiya termed the state government as anti-farmer
>>>> > saying there is
>>>> > no additional tax on fertilizers but Modi government has
>>>> > slapped 23%
>>>> > to 25%t VAT (Value Added Tax) on fertilizers in the state.
>>>> >
>>>> > The BJP remained non-committal on whether chief minister
>>>> > Narendra Modi
>>>> > would depose before the Special Investigation Team in
>>>> > connection with
>>>> > a Gujarat riots case but said the state government "shall
>>>> > act as per
>>>> > the law".
>>>> >
>>>> > Asked if Modi would depose before the Supreme
>>>> > Court-appointed SIT, BJP
>>>> > spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy evaded a direct reply.
>>>> >
>>>> > "The government of Gujarat has made it clear that it shall
>>>> > act as per
>>>> > the law. This government has always supported and respected
>>>> > the law
>>>> > and will abide by it. It has the highest respect for the
>>>> > Supreme Court
>>>> > order and directions," he told PTI.
>>>> >
>>>> > Rudy, however, alleged that the whole process may be an
>>>> > attempt to tarnish Modi.
>>>> >
>>>> > "The BJP feels this is a larger ploy and conspiracy to
>>>> > malign an
>>>> > tarnish the image of the most progressive state and leader
>>>> > in the
>>>> > country," Rudy said.
>>>> >
>>>> > BJP president Nitin Gadkari had heaped praise on Modi last
>>>> > week saying
>>>> > he was a capable leader who had the qualities to become the
>>>> > Prime
>>>> > Minister.
>>>> >
>>>> > "Modi is a role model for the country...," Gadkari said in
>>>> > an
>>>> > interview to a news channel, hailing the development works
>>>> > being
>>>> > carried out in Gujarat.
>>>> >
>>>> > Modi has been summoned by SIT in connection with a
>>>> > complaint of Zakia
>>>> > Jaffery, widow of former MP Eshan Jaffery who was killed by
>>>> > a mob
>>>> > along with 69 others at Gulburg society in February 2002.
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> >
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Gulburg-riots-case-CM-Narendra-Modi
-avoids-SIT-team/articleshow/5708917.cms
>>>> > _________________________________________
>>>> > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the
>>>> > city.
>>>> > Critiques & Collaborations
>>>> > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net
>>>> > with subscribe in the subject header.
>>>> > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
>>>> > List archive: &lt;https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ------------------------------
>>>>
>>>> Message: 2
>>>> Date: Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:55:16 -0700 (PDT)
>>>> From: "A.K. Malik" <akmalik45 at yahoo.com>
>>>> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Hindu-Sikh Minorities in Pakistan: The
>>>>        Vanishing       Communities
>>>> To: Pawan Durani <pawan.durani at gmail.com>
>>>> Cc: Sarai List <reader-list at sarai.net>
>>>> Message-ID: <976371.81148.qm at web112111.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
>>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
>>>>
>>>> Dear Mr Durani,
>>>>               If a similar thing is done in India to a Muslim girl,see
all
>>>> hell being loose. Protests will be 90% from Hindus and 10% from
Muslims.This
>>>> is price of Secularism in our country.Have you heard of any one making
any
>>>> noise on this news item?
>>>> Regards,
>>>>
>>>> (A.K.MALIK)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --- On Mon, 3/22/10, Pawan Durani <pawan.durani at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > From: Pawan Durani <pawan.durani at gmail.com>
>>>> > Subject: [Reader-list] Hindu-Sikh Minorities in Pakistan: The
Vanishing
>>>> > Communities
>>>> > To: "reader-list" <reader-list at sarai.net>
>>>> > Date: Monday, March 22, 2010, 11:10 AM
>>>> > "In a recent investigative report it
>>>> > is described how young girls, as
>>>> > young as 12 or 13, have been kidnapped in Sind, converted
>>>> > to Islam,
>>>> > and forcibly married to Muslim boys. “Kidnapping Hindu
>>>> > girls like this
>>>> > has become a normal practice. The girls are then forced to
>>>> > sign
>>>> > stamped papers stating that they’ve become Muslims,”
>>>> > said Laljee
>>>> > Menghwar, a member of Karachi’s Hindu Panchayat (council
>>>> > of village
>>>> > leaders). At least twenty nine similar abduction cases have
>>>> > taken
>>>> > place in Karachi alone, and six in the Jacobabad and
>>>> > Larkana
>>>> > districts."
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > Source :
>>>> >
http://frontierindia.net/wa/hindu-sikh-minorities-in-pakistan-the-vanishing-
communities/632/
>>>> >
>>>> > By Maloy Krishna Dhar | March 19th, 2010 | Category:
>>>> > Latest, Opinion
>>>> > and Editorials |
>>>> >
>>>> > I was inspired to write this essay by a Pakistani
>>>> > journalist friend.
>>>> > Later, during a lecture tour in South East Asian countries,
>>>> > where
>>>> > Indian and Chinese origin minorities are also discriminated
>>>> > I noticed
>>>> > that the minorities are palpably anguished. The latest
>>>> > incidents of
>>>> > organized attacks by Bengali Muslims on hill dwelling
>>>> > Chakma tribals
>>>> > in Khagrachari areas firmed up my decision to chronicle a
>>>> > preliminary
>>>> > account of the conditions of the non-Muslim minorities in
>>>> > Pakistan. I
>>>> > had earlier written a piece on the plight of the Pakistani
>>>> > Christians.
>>>> > I have not touched upon the plight of the Shia and
>>>> > Ahmadiya
>>>> > (non-Muslim) communities in Pakistan, which require
>>>> > international
>>>> > attention. Not a single Indian Muslim religious seminary
>>>> > has so far
>>>> > condemned Pakistan for inhuman treatment of the Shia and
>>>> > Ahmadiya
>>>> > communities.
>>>> >
>>>> > I am indebted to a member of the Pakistan Human Rights
>>>> > Commission and
>>>> > several young Pakistani writers who have boldly portrayed
>>>> > the pitiable
>>>> > condition of the minorities in Pakistan. Their voices are
>>>> > drowned in
>>>> > wilderness. The normal civil society members are also
>>>> > ashamed of these
>>>> > developments. However, I do not want to name them fearing
>>>> > visitations
>>>> > by the ISI goons.
>>>> >
>>>> > Jinnah had said in his speech to the new nation created,
>>>> > called
>>>> > Pakistan, on August 17, 1947 to assure that his fiefdom,
>>>> > for which he
>>>> > fought relentlessly and even organized the Great Direct
>>>> > Action Pogrom
>>>> > of Calcutta in August 1946, to assure the national
>>>> > minorities, after 3
>>>> > millions were killed in communal riots and several million
>>>> > escaped to
>>>> > the safety of Hindustan: “You are free; free to go to
>>>> > your temples,
>>>> > you are free to go to your mosques, or to any other place
>>>> > of worship
>>>> > in the State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or
>>>> > caste or
>>>> > creed-that has nothing to do with the business of the
>>>> > State
We are
>>>> > starting with this fundamental principles that we are all
>>>> > citizens and
>>>> > equal citizens of our State.”
>>>> >
>>>> > People conversant with Jinnah’s rise as a rabid communal
>>>> > Muslim leader
>>>> > (Jaswant Singh’s white washing aside) know that Jinnah
>>>> > Kathiawadi
>>>> > lived by deceit and died in neglect (recall his Quetta
>>>> > visit,
>>>> > breakdown of his car on way to Karachi and apathetic
>>>> > attitude of the
>>>> > people in power). He was not even a practicing Muslim (a
>>>> > Shia), but
>>>> > pleaded fanatic Muslim causes. He never tried to rescue
>>>> > Muslim
>>>> > politics from the clutches of the maulanas. He was the
>>>> > person who
>>>> > boycotted the 1937 interim governments in the Central
>>>> > Legislative
>>>> > Assembly and Congress led provinces. He fabricated or
>>>> > organized the
>>>> > fabrication of charges against Congress’ ruthless
>>>> > suppression of the
>>>> > Muslims. One after another memorandum was submitted to the
>>>> > Governor
>>>> > General; all bundles of lies. The grand finale of
>>>> > Jinnah’s bunches of
>>>> > lies and prevarication included Calcutta pogrom in
>>>> > collaboration with
>>>> > Suhrawardy government, deceitful refusal to sign the
>>>> > Mountbatten Plan
>>>> > for partition, backing out from original agreement that
>>>> > Mountbatten
>>>> > would be the common Governor General for India and Pakistan
>>>> > and
>>>> > finally throwing a grand inaugural lunch on 16th August, a
>>>> > day of
>>>> > Ramadan (later shifted to dinner).
>>>> >
>>>> > With such track record of prevarication, fabrication and
>>>> > falsehood
>>>> > Jinnah’s 17th August 1947 speech assuring the minority
>>>> > was then and
>>>> > even now treated as crocodile’s tears. If he were a
>>>> > democrat he would
>>>> > have not chosen the machetes to kill. He could not stop
>>>> > killing of the
>>>> > Hindu and other minorities in Pakistan even after he
>>>> > assumed the gaddi
>>>> > of the Governor General in true Hollywood style. Since
>>>> > Jinnah the
>>>> > Hindu minorities have continued to suffer in Pakistan and
>>>> > now they
>>>> > have become an endangered community. Those interested may
>>>> > read Jinnah
>>>> > of Pakistan by Stanley Wolpert and Mountbatten’s Report
>>>> > on the Last
>>>> > Viceroyalty, edited by Lionel Carter.
>>>> >
>>>> > For which Pakistan Jinnah had struggled? His idea of
>>>> > Pakistan was
>>>> > limited to the vision of Dr. Iqbal-whole of Punjab, Sind,
>>>> > Balochistan,
>>>> > NWFP, FATA areas and Kashmir. He had no plan for Bengal and
>>>> > Assam and
>>>> > other Muslim majority areas in India. Later the Bangistan
>>>> > theory of
>>>> > Chaudhry Rahmat Ali propelled the Pakistan protagonists to
>>>> > amalgamate
>>>> > Bengal and Assam and create the eastern wing of Pakistan.
>>>> >
>>>> > However, it must be said to the credit of Jinnah that in
>>>> > the absence
>>>> > of Dr. Iqbal and any other Muslim poet he could trust, he
>>>> > had
>>>> > commissioned a Hindu to write the original national anthem
>>>> > of
>>>> > Pakistan. India and Pakistan have another anomalous
>>>> > situation in
>>>> > common. Iqbal, the progenitor of Pakistan, had composed the
>>>> > national
>>>> > song Sare Jahan se Accha—. It is still used as one of the
>>>> > national
>>>> > songs. Jinnah, on the other hand had summoned Jagannath
>>>> > Azad, son of
>>>> > Lahore-based poet Tilok Chand Mahroom, just three days
>>>> > before the
>>>> > creation of Pakistan, to write the country’s first
>>>> > national anthem. It
>>>> > had stirred up a debate in that country. It is claimed that
>>>> > Jinnah
>>>> > sowed the seed of secularism by inviting Jagannath Azad to
>>>> > write the
>>>> > national anthem. However, Pakistan’s first national
>>>> > anthem composed by
>>>> > a Hindu was discarded by Pakistan in 1950. What a great
>>>> > disrespect to
>>>> > the father of the nation! Some leading Pakistani thinkers
>>>> > correctly
>>>> > said that Pakistan exists on the venom of anti-Hindu
>>>> > elixir.
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > Demographic distribution of Hindus in Pakistan (source
>>>> > Wikipedia)
>>>> >
>>>> > At the time of Partition in 1947, the Hindu population of
>>>> > Pakistan was
>>>> > estimated at approximately a quarter of the total
>>>> > population. For
>>>> > example, the population of Karachi, Pakistan in 1947 was
>>>> > 450,000, of
>>>> > which 51% was Hindu, and 42% was Muslim. By 1951,
>>>> > Karachi’s population
>>>> > had increased to 1.137 million because of the influx of
>>>> > 600,000 Muslim
>>>> > refugees from India. In 1951, the Muslim population of
>>>> > Karachi was 96%
>>>> > and the Hindu population was 2%. In 1998, the Hindu
>>>> > population in all
>>>> > of Pakistan was 1.6%, and the most recent census would
>>>> > certainly be
>>>> > expected to demonstrate consistent dwindling demographic
>>>> > trends and
>>>> > further diminution of Hindu population.
>>>> >
>>>> > According to certain official estimates NWFP has slightly
>>>> > over 4,924
>>>> > Hindus, whereas in FATA area total known Hindu population
>>>> > is 1,921.
>>>> > After the rise of the Taliban in Pakistan and military
>>>> > operations
>>>> > hundreds of Hindus had escaped under dual pressure-demand
>>>> > of Jizya, a
>>>> > Sharia tax by the Taliban and army harassment.
>>>> >
>>>> > Pakistan’s Constitution, prima facie, provides for
>>>> > freedom of
>>>> > religion. In practice, however, the government imposes
>>>> > limits on this
>>>> > freedom by using several subterfuges. Since Pakistan
>>>> > proclaimed itself
>>>> > an Islamic republic at the time of independence, Islam has
>>>> > become a
>>>> > core element of the national ideology. Since the struggle
>>>> > for separate
>>>> > homeland for the Muslims was seemingly waged against the
>>>> > Hindus and
>>>> > not the British Pakistan’s political soul is filled with
>>>> > hatred
>>>> > against the Hindus. Thus, religious freedom is subject to
>>>> > law, public
>>>> > order, and morality as decided by the reigning government.
>>>> > Actions or
>>>> > speech deemed derogatory to Islam or to its Prophet are not
>>>> > protected.
>>>> > In addition, the Constitution requires that laws must be
>>>> > consistent
>>>> > with Islam and imposes some elements of Quranic law on both
>>>> > Muslims
>>>> > and religious minorities. This observation has been
>>>> > supported even by
>>>> > the U.S. State Department’s report on International
>>>> > Religious Freedom
>>>> > report of 2004. After spate of riots against the Pakistani
>>>> > Christians
>>>> > the IRF had expressed similar views.
>>>> >
>>>> > Government regulations and laws shaped by Islamic Sharia
>>>> > injunctions
>>>> > discriminate against the Hindu minority as well as other
>>>> > minorities in
>>>> > Pakistan. Section 295-C of the Pakistan penal code mandates
>>>> > the death
>>>> > sentence for blasphemy against the Prophet or desecration
>>>> > of the
>>>> > Koran. Dozens of blasphemy cases are pending in the courts,
>>>> > and the
>>>> > accused spend long periods in jails under brutal conditions
>>>> > once the
>>>> > accusation has been made, although most such allegations
>>>> > of
>>>> > desecration are the result of personal grudges. On March
>>>> > 24, 2005,
>>>> > Pakistan restored the discriminatory practice of mandating
>>>> > the mention
>>>> > of religious identity of individuals in all new passports.
>>>> > The
>>>> > Pakistan federal cabinet, with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz
>>>> > in chair,
>>>> > had directed the Ministry of Interior to reintroduce the
>>>> > rule after
>>>> > its repeal under the Zafaraullah Khan Jamali government.
>>>> > The move was
>>>> > seen as a concession to the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA),
>>>> > a coalition
>>>> > of hard-line religious parties that supported Pakistan’s
>>>> > former
>>>> > President General Pervez Musharraf.
>>>> >
>>>> > The rights of minorities continue to erode at an alarming
>>>> > pace in
>>>> > Pakistan. I.A. Rehman, Director of the Human Rights
>>>> > Commission of
>>>> > Pakistan, associates this erosion with the continued
>>>> > Islamization of
>>>> > Pakistan that President General Zia-ul-Haq initiated in the
>>>> > 1980s.
>>>> > Upon Pakistan’s declaration as an Islamic republic, the
>>>> > rights of
>>>> > religious minorities, particularly Hindus, Christians, and
>>>> > Ahmadiyas,
>>>> > diminished dramatically. These minorities live under the
>>>> > fear of
>>>> > threats to their lives and property, desecration of their
>>>> > places of
>>>> > worship, and the Blasphemy Act that carries a penalty of
>>>> > death.
>>>> > Nuzzhat Shirin of the Aurat Foundation adds, “It’s
>>>> > Muslims winning by
>>>> > intimidation. It’s Muslims overcoming a culture by
>>>> > threatening it, by
>>>> > abducting young girls so that an entire community moves out
>>>> > or
>>>> > succumbs to the Muslim murderers.”
>>>> >
>>>> > There are several instances of attacks against the Shias by
>>>> > the
>>>> > Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipha Sahaba, two hardcore Sunni
>>>> > militant
>>>> > outfits. “Justice M. Munir commission investigated the
>>>> > large-scale
>>>> > riots against the Ahmadiya sect in Pakistan in 1953. His
>>>> > report is an
>>>> > eye-opener. It shows that our ulema are not even able to
>>>> > agree on a
>>>> > definition of who a Muslim is. Justice Munir had called
>>>> > heads of all
>>>> > Islamic schools of thought and asked them the definition of
>>>> > a Muslim.
>>>> > No two ulema agreed. It also exposes the pusillanimity of
>>>> > our
>>>> > so-called scholars of Islam and their near-total disregard
>>>> > of the
>>>> > beauty and generosity of Islam.” Sultan Shahin, Editor,
>>>> > New age Islam.
>>>> >
>>>> > Violence against women in general continues throughout the
>>>> > world, but
>>>> > more so in Pakistan, particularly against Hindu women.
>>>> > Violence
>>>> > against women is rampant in the forms of rape, honor
>>>> > killings, and
>>>> > domestic abuse. In Pakistan, a woman is raped every two
>>>> > hours on
>>>> > average, and at least ten women a day die in honor
>>>> > killings. Moreover,
>>>> > Pakistan’s existing Hudood Ordinance is used to imprison
>>>> > thousands of
>>>> > women who report rapes. The Hudood Ordinances are a set of
>>>> > laws that
>>>> > were introduced by Presidential decree in 1979 under the
>>>> > then
>>>> > President General Zia Ul Haq. These laws were intended
>>>> > “to bring in
>>>> > conformity with the injunctions of Islam” certain aspects
>>>> > of the
>>>> > criminal justice system and make certain offences
>>>> > punishable by hadd,
>>>> > which is defined as “punishment ordained by the Holy
>>>> > Quran or Sunnah.”
>>>> >
>>>> > The quotations are from the Offence of Zina (Enforcement of
>>>> > Hudood)
>>>> > Ordinance, 1979, Ordinance No. VII of 1979, 9 February
>>>> > 1979, preamble
>>>> > and sec. 2(b), respectively. Hereinafter: Zina Ordinance. .
>>>> > The laws
>>>> > introduced under the Hudood Ordinances cover the offences
>>>> > of Zina
>>>> > (various forms of unlawful sexual intercourse) Qazf
>>>> > (wrongful
>>>> > accusation of Zina crimes), and offences Against Property
>>>> > and
>>>> > Prohibition. An offence of Zina occurs, under the
>>>> > Ordinance, whenever
>>>> > “a man and a woman
 willfully have sexual intercourse
>>>> > without being
>>>> > validly married to each other.” Section 4 of the Zina
>>>> > Ordinance.
>>>> > Offences of rape are called Zina bil Jabr (literally
>>>> > meaning ‘forced
>>>> > adultery’ in the Arabic original) as they have occurred
>>>> > without the
>>>> > consent of the victim. Significantly, however, the Zina
>>>> > Ordinance
>>>> > excludes marital rape from the definition of that offence.
>>>> >
>>>> > According to the Ordinance, a rape victim must present four
>>>> > male
>>>> > witnesses to the crime in order to prove the rape occurred.
>>>> > If the
>>>> > victim is unable to do so, she is at risk for being whipped
>>>> > for
>>>> > adultery because she has acknowledged illicit sex, which is
>>>> > banned in
>>>> > Islam. Despite repeated calls by women’s rights and human
>>>> > rights
>>>> > groups for the reform and repeal of the Hudood Ordinance,
>>>> > the Pakistan
>>>> > government has yet to take action. Readers may have not
>>>> > forgotten the
>>>> > famous case of Mukhtar Mai that had created international
>>>> > indignation.
>>>> > Women, Muslim or Hindu, can expect very little from the
>>>> > majority
>>>> > sections of people in a country that still lives in the
>>>> > barbaric
>>>> > Middle Ages.
>>>> >
>>>> > Hindus continue to be the target of kidnappings, rape, and
>>>> > intimidation in Pakistan. There are reports of desecration
>>>> > and
>>>> > destruction of Hindu temples and lands, theft and looting
>>>> > of Hindu
>>>> > property, discrimination, abuse, and abduction of Hindu
>>>> > females.
>>>> > Unfortunately, few reports about specific and targeted
>>>> > human rights
>>>> > abuses against Hindus are available, not only due to the
>>>> > continued
>>>> > decreasing population of Hindus in Pakistan, but also
>>>> > because reports
>>>> > of such attacks are either poorly covered in the local
>>>> > media or
>>>> > completely ignored. In most cases police do not register
>>>> > cases
>>>> > reported by Hindu victims.
>>>> >
>>>> > A worrisome trend in Pakistan, particularly in the Sind
>>>> > province, is
>>>> > that of Muslims kidnapping Hindu girls and forcing them to
>>>> > convert to
>>>> > Islam. One of the most egregious cases of intimidation and
>>>> > kidnapping
>>>> > of young Hindu women occurred in September 2005. On
>>>> > September 14,
>>>> > Hindu parents alleged that four men abducted their daughter
>>>> > in Sind,
>>>> > and forced her to marry one of the accused and convert to
>>>> > Islam. The
>>>> > authorities arrested two of the abductors, but the court
>>>> > dismissed the
>>>> > case when the girl was forced to provide a legal statement
>>>> > that she
>>>> > willfully married and converted. Gayan Chand Singh, than a
>>>> > legislator
>>>> > in Pakistan’s Parliament, said that the kidnapping should
>>>> > be
>>>> > categorized as rape and should be registered as such an
>>>> > offense for
>>>> > the abductors.
>>>> >
>>>> > In a similar case, Sapna Giyanchand was taken to a shrine
>>>> > in the
>>>> > Shikarpur District by Shamsuddin Dasti, a Muslim married
>>>> > man and
>>>> > father of two children. The custodian of the shrine, Maulvi
>>>> > Abdul Aziz
>>>> > converted Sapna to Islam, changed her name to Mehek, and
>>>> > married her
>>>> > to Dasti. When Sapna’s case was presented in court,
>>>> > Muslim extremists
>>>> > deluged her with rose petals and chanted religious verses.
>>>> > Sapna,
>>>> > terrified by the setting, could not manage to speak to her
>>>> > parents,
>>>> > who were also present in court. Aziz, also in attendance,
>>>> > is claimed
>>>> > to have said, “How can a Muslim girl live and maintain
>>>> > contact with
>>>> > kafirs; non-believers of Islam?”
>>>> >
>>>> > In a recent investigative report it is described how young
>>>> > girls, as
>>>> > young as 12 or 13, have been kidnapped in Sind, converted
>>>> > to Islam,
>>>> > and forcibly married to Muslim boys. “Kidnapping Hindu
>>>> > girls like this
>>>> > has become a normal practice. The girls are then forced to
>>>> > sign
>>>> > stamped papers stating that they’ve become Muslims,”
>>>> > said Laljee
>>>> > Menghwar, a member of Karachi’s Hindu Panchayat (council
>>>> > of village
>>>> > leaders). At least twenty nine similar abduction cases have
>>>> > taken
>>>> > place in Karachi alone, and six in the Jacobabad and
>>>> > Larkana
>>>> > districts. Wasim Shahzad, the Minister of State for
>>>> > Interior, had
>>>> > upset legislators in the National Assembly when he was
>>>> > quoted by the
>>>> > state-run APP news agency as saying, “These incidents are
>>>> > taking place
>>>> > to force the Hindus to leave Pakistan where they have been
>>>> > living for
>>>> > the past 5,000 years.”
>>>> >
>>>> > In a shocking incident, it was reported that three young
>>>> > Hindu girls
>>>> > had suddenly converted to Islam. The three girls, Reena
>>>> > (21), Usha
>>>> > (19) and Rima (17) – daughters of Sanno Amra and Champa,
>>>> > a Hindu
>>>> > couple living in the Punjab Colony section of Karachi,
>>>> > Pakistan – went
>>>> > missing on October 18, 2005. According to a widely
>>>> > circulated report
>>>> > in the Pakistan newspaper Dawn, entitled “Conversion
>>>> > losses,” the
>>>> > London based Pakistani commentator, Irfan Hussain,
>>>> > described the shock
>>>> > experienced by Sanno Amra and Champa when they returned
>>>> > home after
>>>> > work on October 18, 2005 to discover their three daughters
>>>> > had
>>>> > unexpectedly disappeared. Only after desperate queries to
>>>> > the police,
>>>> > the parents received affidavits stating the daughters’
>>>> > conversions to
>>>> > Islam. Private visits with their daughters, free from
>>>> > chaperones and
>>>> > even police officers that have supervised their only
>>>> > interactions thus
>>>> > far, have been consistently denied. After their
>>>> > disappearance from
>>>> > home, the girls have been living at a madrassa (Islamic
>>>> > seminary) in
>>>> > the vicinity of their home and may potentially be denied
>>>> > the freedom
>>>> > to return home.
>>>> >
>>>> > Earlier in 2005, Shazia Khalid, a doctor, reported that she
>>>> > was
>>>> > gang-raped in a government natural gas plant. Instead of
>>>> > providing her
>>>> > with medical treatment, officials drugged her into
>>>> > unconsciousness for
>>>> > three days and then transported her to a psychiatric
>>>> > hospital to
>>>> > prevent her from reporting the rape. Due to her persistence
>>>> > of
>>>> > reporting the rape, Khalid was placed under house arrest in
>>>> > Karachi.
>>>> > The police insinuated that the presence of cash in her
>>>> > house meant
>>>> > that she was working as a prostitute. Although her husband
>>>> > has stood
>>>> > by her, his grandfather was quoted as saying that Dr. Shazi
>>>> > disgraced
>>>> > the family and should be killed.
>>>> >
>>>> > Although violence against women transcends their religion,
>>>> > it is
>>>> > disproportionately focused on Hindu women in Pakistan. In
>>>> > May 2005, a
>>>> > group of middle-class Pakistani women held a demonstration
>>>> > for equal
>>>> > rights in Lahore. In response, the police beat them and
>>>> > took them to
>>>> > police stations. In particular, they targeted Asma
>>>> > Jahangir, a U.N.
>>>> > special rapporteur, who was also the head of the Human
>>>> > Rights
>>>> > Commission of Pakistan. Ms. Jahangir said an intelligence
>>>> > official
>>>> > close to General Musharraf told the police to “teach the
>>>> > (expletive) a
>>>> > lesson (and) strip her in public.” The police tore her
>>>> > shirt off and
>>>> > tried to remove her trouser. That was General Musharraf,
>>>> > the Kargil
>>>> > invader and soldier of fortune in a military dominated
>>>> > country.
>>>> >
>>>> > Between 2003 and 2009 about 100 cases of kidnapping of
>>>> > Hindu women
>>>> > were reported from Punjab. Besides a temple in Lahore two
>>>> > other
>>>> > temples in Multan and Gujranwala were desecrated. According
>>>> > to
>>>> > estimates over 900 acres of Hindu land were forcibly
>>>> > occupied in
>>>> > Sialkot, Lahore, Multan, Zhang etc places. Hindu students
>>>> > studying in
>>>> > government schools are made to read Quran and offer namaj.
>>>> >
>>>> > I have personal respect for the liberation struggle of the
>>>> > Baloch
>>>> > people and had written two essays in this portal. However,
>>>> > in
>>>> > Balochistan there are about 36, 686 Hindus. There are
>>>> > several
>>>> > instances of Hindu traders being kidnapped and released
>>>> > after hefty
>>>> > ransom. They are pressed both by the rebellious Baloch
>>>> > elements and
>>>> > the Pakistan army. The police and armed forces suspect that
>>>> > the Hindus
>>>> > are used as conduit by the Indian Intelligence agencies.
>>>> > Only in 2009
>>>> > five Hindu traders were kidnapped from Quetta for ransom.
>>>> > Only three
>>>> > lucky traders returned; the two others could not pay in
>>>> > cash, but paid
>>>> > with life. Minorities, particularly Hindus and Ahmadiyas,
>>>> > continue to
>>>> > face a wave of violations in Balochistan, the area where
>>>> > Pakistan
>>>> > conducted its nuclear tests on the orders of President
>>>> > Musharraf in
>>>> > October 1999. The native Balochis experience a severely
>>>> > degraded
>>>> > status since the occupation. Although the exact number is
>>>> > unknown,
>>>> > more than 5,000 Hindus were forced to escape from the
>>>> > unrest in
>>>> > Balochistan and enter Sind in 2005. Militant Muslim groups
>>>> > have
>>>> > desecrated Hindu temples, set their homes on fire, and
>>>> > destroyed Hindu
>>>> > shops and property. Here too, Hindu females, particularly
>>>> > school
>>>> > students, are forcibly converted to Islam.
>>>> >
>>>> > On March 21, 2005, sixty civilians were killed and one
>>>> > hundred and
>>>> > fifty were injured in Dera Bugti, Balochistan when
>>>> > Pakistan’s Frontier
>>>> > Corps attacked the town with “artillery shelling,
>>>> > rockets, and
>>>> > indiscriminate machine gun fire.” Among those killed were
>>>> > innocent
>>>> > Hindu women and children as well as dozens of Bugti
>>>> > tribesmen
>>>> >
>>>> > The famous Hindu temple town of Hinglaj, in a narrow valley
>>>> > of Hingol
>>>> > river is however, respected by the Baloch political
>>>> > leaders. In 2008
>>>> > Pakistan government had urged the Baloch provincial agency
>>>> > to confirm
>>>> > a resolution for construction of a damn on Hingol River.
>>>> > Balochistan’s
>>>> > Irrigation and Power Minister Sardar Mohammad Aslam Bizenjo
>>>> > and other
>>>> > provincial ministers moved a resolution on the floor of the
>>>> > assembly
>>>> > over the weekend that categorically objected to the dam
>>>> > being
>>>> > constructed near the historical Hinglaj Mata Temple, where
>>>> > an annual
>>>> > festival is held every April. The Baloch Assembly
>>>> > resolution warned
>>>> > that if the dam was constructed, the temple could go under
>>>> > water
>>>> > sooner than later, and this would hurt the sentiments of
>>>> > all Hindus.
>>>> > It requested the federal government to have the dam
>>>> > constructed
>>>> > elsewhere. Taking into consideration the plight of the
>>>> > Hindus in Sind
>>>> > and Punjab it can be said that Balochi Hindus generally
>>>> > enjoy trust of
>>>> > the original Baloch tribes; but they are under pressure
>>>> > from Punjabi
>>>> > settlers.
>>>> >
>>>> > Pakistan’s education system is constructed in such ways
>>>> > that Hindu,
>>>> > Sikh and Christian students are automatically
>>>> > discriminated. Extracts,
>>>> > translated from Urdu to English, from the
>>>> > government-sponsored
>>>> > textbooks approved by the National Curriculum Wing of the
>>>> > Federal
>>>> > Ministry of Education demonstrate the derogatory and
>>>> > inflammatory
>>>> > portrayal of Hinduism to the youth of Pakistan:
>>>> >
>>>> > Grade IV: “The religion of Hindus did not teach them good
>>>> > things, and
>>>> > the Hindus did not respect women.”
>>>> > Grade V:  “The Hindu has always been an enemy of
>>>> > Islam.”
>>>> > Grade VI: “The Hindu setup was based on injustice and
>>>> > cruelty.”
>>>> > Grade VII: “Hindus always desired to crush the Muslims as
>>>> > a nation and
>>>> > several attempts were made by the Hindus to erase Muslim
>>>> > culture and
>>>> > civilization.”
>>>> > Grade VIII: “Before Islam people lived in untold misery
>>>> > all over the world.”
>>>> > Grade X: “Islam gives a message of peace and
>>>> > brotherhood
There is no
>>>> > such concept in Hinduism.”
>>>> >
>>>> > Minority hatred and persecution is built in the Pakistani
>>>> > system.
>>>> > Pakistan’s Constitution at face value guarantees
>>>> > fundamental human
>>>> > rights and equality in front of the law to its citizens.
>>>> > However,
>>>> > Article 19 of the Constitution states, “Every citizen
>>>> > shall have the
>>>> > right to freedom of speech and expression, and there shall
>>>> > be freedom
>>>> > of the press, subject to any reasonable restrictions
>>>> > imposed by law in
>>>> > the interest of the glory of Islam or the integrity,
>>>> > security or
>>>> > defense of Pakistan,” thus securing the supremacy of
>>>> > Islam in the
>>>> > country.  Freedom of religion is guaranteed by Article
>>>> > 20 which
>>>> > states, “Every citizen shall have the right to profess,
>>>> > practice and
>>>> > propagate his religion; and every religious denomination
>>>> > and every
>>>> > sect thereof shall have the right to establish, maintain
>>>> > and manage
>>>> > its religious institutions.”  Unfortunately, Hindus,
>>>> > Sikhs,
>>>> > Christians, and the Ahmadiyas continue to be persecuted in
>>>> > Pakistan
>>>> > today despite the assurance provided by the
>>>> > Constitution.  Temples are
>>>> > desecrated, deities are destroyed, and they risk
>>>> > persecution,
>>>> > particularly because of the Blasphemy Act.
>>>> >
>>>> > Article 25 of the Constitution maintains, “All citizens
>>>> > are equal
>>>> > before law and are entitled to equal protection of
>>>> > law
There shall be
>>>> > no discrimination on the basis of sex alone.”  Rape,
>>>> > honor killings,
>>>> > and domestic abuse are common types of violence that the
>>>> > women of
>>>> > Pakistan face.  Despite the constitutional guarantee
>>>> > of equal
>>>> > protection, these women are left to fend for themselves, as
>>>> > the
>>>> > Pakistani laws do not provide adequate protection.
>>>> > They continue to
>>>> > face a myriad of inequalities in the judicial system, and
>>>> > will
>>>> > continue to do so, as long as the Hudood Ordinance is not
>>>> > repealed.
>>>> > Article 35 mandates, “The State shall protect the
>>>> > marriage, the
>>>> > family, the mother and the child.”  Article 36
>>>> > states, “The State
>>>> > shall safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of
>>>> > minorities,
>>>> > including their due representation in the Federal and
>>>> > Provincial
>>>> > services.”  In reality, however, neither families
>>>> > nor minorities are
>>>> > being protected by Pakistan today as kidnappings or forced
>>>> > conversions
>>>> > of Hindu girls continue to occur without convictions of the
>>>> > felons.
>>>> > Curiously, Pakistan has taken no action toward ratifying or
>>>> > signing
>>>> > the UN’s International Covenant on Civil and Political
>>>> > Rights (CCPR),
>>>> > although it did ratify the International Convention on the
>>>> > Elimination
>>>> > of All Forms of Racial Discrimination on September 19,
>>>> > 1966.
>>>> >
>>>> > However, only in rural and semi urban Sind Hindus have some
>>>> > visible
>>>> > presence, 12, 3821. As shown on the map the Hindus are
>>>> > more
>>>> > concentrated in Hyderabad and areas bordering India (notice
>>>> > green
>>>> > colour in the map). Besides Soda Rajput, most of the Hindus
>>>> > are
>>>> > classified as “Low Caste”, engaged in scavenging work,
>>>> > night soil
>>>> > carrying job and other menial works. Except for the
>>>> > appointment of
>>>> > Bhagwan Das as the Chief Justice of Pakistan (took oath on
>>>> > Quran) no
>>>> > other Hindu has so far succeeded in climbing up the ladder
>>>> > in the
>>>> > Pakistani armed force, civil services and other spheres of
>>>> > national
>>>> > activities. We propose to discuss several atrocious attacks
>>>> > on the
>>>> > Hindu minority in Pakistan in later chapters of this
>>>> > essay.
>>>> >
>>>> > Though numerically insignificant the Hindus of Pakistan
>>>> > have organized
>>>> > a few representative bodies to espouse their welfare and
>>>> > other causes
>>>> > with the provincial and federal governments:
>>>> >
>>>> > * Pakistan Balmiki Sabha
>>>> >
>>>> > * Pakistan Hindu Council
>>>> >
>>>> > * Pakistan Hindu Foundation (PHF)
>>>> >
>>>> > * Pakistan Hindu Panchayat
>>>> >
>>>> > * Pakistan Hindu Party (PHP)
>>>> >
>>>> > * Pakistan Hindu Welfare Association
>>>> >
>>>> > * Pakistan Minority Welfare Council (PMWC)
>>>> >
>>>> > * Walmik Gur Mukh Sabha
>>>> >
>>>> > Pakistan Hindu Panchayat has branches in all the provinces
>>>> > important
>>>> > towns. They hold annual conferences and represent with the
>>>> > provincial
>>>> > Nazims (district collectors), police officials and
>>>> > political leaders.
>>>> > Pakistan Minority Welfare Council is also a broad
>>>> > representative body
>>>> > which works in close liaison with the Human Rights
>>>> > activists in
>>>> > Pakistan.
>>>> >
>>>> > ” In a latest development Ramesh Lal, a PPP MNA and other
>>>> > Hindu MNAs
>>>> > walked out of the Pakistan National Assembly in protest
>>>> > against highly
>>>> > derogatory and biased comments by a Pakistani High Court
>>>> > judge.
>>>> > “Chafing at a Lahore high court judge’s comment that
>>>> > Hindus were
>>>> > financing terror attacks in that country, nine Hindu
>>>> > members of
>>>> > Pakistan’s national assembly staged a walkout in protest
>>>> > on Wednesday.
>>>> >
>>>> > “The sentiments of four million Pakistani Hindus are hurt
>>>> > by Justice
>>>> > Khwaja Sharif’s uncalled for remarks,” said Pakistan
>>>> > People’s Party
>>>> > lawmaker Ramesh Lal. He was then joined by other Hindu
>>>> > lawmakers who
>>>> > then walked out. Members of the Awami National Party, too,
>>>> > joined in.
>>>> > Their protest was described as the first in Pakistan’s
>>>> > national
>>>> > assembly against the judiciary. Justice Sharif had made the
>>>> > remark
>>>> > while hearing a petition on barring the deportation of
>>>> > Afghan Taliban
>>>> > leaders on Monday.
>>>> > The apparent trigger for the comment was a lawyer’s
>>>> > observation that a
>>>> > US security firm was responsible for the blasts in
>>>> > Pakistan, including
>>>> > the recent ones in Lahore. Justice Sharif rebutted him
>>>> > saying,
>>>> > “Muslims, and not Hindus, are involved in terror acts in
>>>> > Pakistan.
>>>> > Hindus might be the financiers of such attacks.”
>>>> >
>>>> > As a member of ruling PPP, Ramesh Lal called for
>>>> > intervention from
>>>> > president Asif Ali Zardari and prime minister Yousuf Raza
>>>> > Gilani,
>>>> > saying Justice Sharif’s questioning the patriotism of
>>>> > Pakistani Hindus
>>>> > had left the latter hurt and angry. He also asked Supreme
>>>> > Court chief
>>>> > justice Iftikhar Chaudhary to take suo motu note of the
>>>> > “highly
>>>> > objectionable” remark. The protesters later returned to
>>>> > the assembly
>>>> > after some persuasion.” As reported in Times of India on
>>>> > March 18.
>>>> > 2010.
>>>> >
>>>> > On the other hand, the Sikhs are a microscopic
>>>> > community-slightly more
>>>> > than 20,000. They live mostly in Peshawar, Lahore, Nankana
>>>> > Sahib and a
>>>> > few other places of worship. Pakistan’s population is
>>>> > more than 96%
>>>> > Muslims; Hindus 1.6%, Christians 1.6 % and rest are Sikhs,
>>>> > Zoroastrians, and Buddhists etc. There is one traffic
>>>> > inspector from
>>>> > the Sikh community in Punjab, one army officer, one singer,
>>>> > a poetess
>>>> > and a MLA in the province of Punjab (PPP). After Taliban
>>>> > rampage in
>>>> > Afghanistan a few hundred Sikhs migrated to Pakistan and
>>>> > settled with
>>>> > their relatives in FATA, NWFP and Lahore areas.
>>>> >
>>>> > They were again uprooted from FATA area when
>>>> > Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan
>>>> > of Baitullah Mehsud demanded rupees 20 crores (200 million)
>>>> > as Jizya.
>>>> > About 5 Sikhs were taken to custody and they were released
>>>> > after
>>>> > paying rupees 20 lakhs (2 million). Most of the uprooted
>>>> > Sikhs are
>>>> > still living in camps and have not gone back to FATA
>>>> > locations.
>>>> >
>>>> > Like the Hindus, the Sikhs have also been persecuted. The
>>>> > Sikh temple
>>>> > at Naulakha Bazar in Lahore was taken over by the Muslims
>>>> > in August
>>>> > 2007. The Pakistan Evacuee T
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ------------------------------
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> reader-list mailing list
>>>> reader-list at sarai.net
>>>> https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> End of reader-list Digest, Vol 80, Issue 76
>>>> *******************************************
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Thank you,
>>> Jigish Parikh.
>>>
>>> http://www.linkedin.com/in/parikhjigish
>>>
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