Forced conversion means when someone forcefully coerces or threatens to another person to change their religious beliefs, dogmas or practices against their wishes.
It is a profound and extreme state of excruciation and anguish that a family countenances when their daughter is forcefully taken-away, leading to a heartbreaking outcome of losing her religious, cultural, and familial connections.
As per the report, backed up by thorough research, circulated by the national and international organizations that the minority rights in Pakistan, are violated in a terrible manner in aspect of forced conversion against minorities and are made to marry men sometimes twice-thrice their age. Forced conversions and marriages of young women from minority religions, including Hindus and Christians, is a growing problem in Pakistan. About 124 incidents of forced-faith conversion were committed last year, the girls were between the ages 12-25 years old and it can be said as “ human rights catastrophe”.
The perpetrators evade the legal repercussions because these forced conversions are often framed as a religious matter and call it so-called “marriages by consent” by threatening and harassing the victims and their family members..
These forced conversions are reportedly backed by the religious extremists and political mobsters as are carried-out by imposition of coercion and threats to the victims and their family members and is sometimes due to the assistance provided to the defendant by the state institutions.
This has caused damage to the positive, harmonious and balanced image of our religion, whatever opinion does the rest of the world keep about us is all because of these cruelties.
In the recent past and as of now , several such cases of forced conversion have been committed and surprisingly enough no such robust legislation has been enacted which may curb that crime even the spirit of the constitution of the land is crystal clear pertaining to the Protection and rights of the minorities but unfortunately those provisions are disregarded and open to contempt often times.
What perspective has Pakistan created regarding religious freedom by abolishing the Protection of the Rights of Religious Minorities Bill?
The decision by Pakistan’s parliament in 2020 to abolish the protection of the Rights of Religious Minorities Act, 2020, has struck fear in the hearts of marginalized religious minority groups. These legislative failures have fostered a” lawlessness social milieu” and created sense of insecurity for the Minority groups.
SUMMATION:
Despite Pakistan’s efforts to introduce laws against forced conversions and to safeguard religious minorities, experts lamented the persistent absence of justice for victims and their families.
Pakistan, being the Signatory of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms that “the right to freedom of religion and that no one should face pressure to change their faith.” However, there is substantial evidence to indicate that Pakistan has not upheld its international commitments.
“The Constitutional Provisions”:
- “Article 37” Pakistani constitution guarantees the mandatory promotion and protection the rights of minorities, including their culture, language and religion by the state.
- “Article 38” ensures that the state shall provide special safeguards to minorities and take measures to protect their legitimate interests.
In last, to combat these forced conversions, awareness must be raised about this issue, the civil society should advocate for stronger laws to protect minority rights, and support the organizations working to prevent such atrocities and there is a need of sheer and thorough implementation of the “Minority protection act” to effectively safeguard the people who are the part of us. - My Heart goes out to all those innocent girls, who are victims of this brutality.
#StopViolatingMinorityRightsAndForcedConversions
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