Recently to a report on the condition of religious minorities that was compiled by the Members of the European Parliament (MEP) was released in Brussels on May 13, 2019. The report was prepared by MEPs Alberto Cirio, Fulvio Martusciello, Ryszard Czarnecki, Indrek Tarand and Heinz K. Becker. The report contains figures and facts on the institutionalized discrimination and the oppression faced by religious minorities at the hands of the majority community in Pakistan.

 

 

 

Decline in population of minority community in Pakistan 

 

In a startling revelation, the report claims that the percentage of minorities in Pakistan has been reduced at a rapid pace from 23% to 3.7% of the total population. The report even cites the violence against minorities and forced conversions as possible reasons for this decline. The report claims that since Pakistan declares Islam as the State religion, the source of discrimination is its Constitution. The report says, “Even though the clause goes on to provide that adequate provisions will be made for minorities to practice their religion, it still continues to subject the minorities to the principles ‘of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice as enunciated by Islam”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It elaborates how the Constitution of Pakistan denies its minorities various rights by reserving them exclusively for the majority community. An example of this discrimination is embodied in Article 41(2) which reserves the right of becoming the President to Muslims only thus depriving the religious minorities the right to hold high positions in the government. The education system is highly Islamicised and teaches hatred towards other religions, especially Hinduism. Even the children of the minority community are forced to study the Islamic religious texts as the reading of the Quran, the Jihad and the Shahadat path is compulsory in the schools of Pakistan, claims the report. School curriculum does not make the reference to the contribution made by other religious community and in fact, denigrates them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another example of institutionalized discrimination against religious minorities is the vague Blasphemy law of the country. Section 295-C of Pakistan Penal Code criminalizes any act, spoken or written which defiles the name of prophet Mohammad. The offense is punishable by death, or imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to fine. The report says that desecration of the places of worship of the religious minorities is also common in the country. In some areas, minorities are made to pay a historically imposed annual tax paid by non-Muslims for residing on Muslims land.

 

 

 

 

 

Forced conversion 

 

Rape, abduction and forced conversion of women are among the biggest threats faced by the minority communities. The report claims that around 1000 girls from religious minorities are forcibly converted to Islam every year. The local police are often biased in favour of the majority community. As soon as the incidents of abduction and rape become public, the abductors tend to marry off the victim in an attempt to clear the suspicion of sexual assault. This is often followed by abductors filing counter-complaints against the victim’s family of harassing the girl and conspiring to convert her back. Even the courts are unable to deliver justice to the victims. On the contrary, the victims face harassment in the court of law, as most of the victims are forced to live in the custody of the victimizer during the course of court proceedings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The report reveals that “In Islam, it is considered an achievement to convert a Hindu to Islam and in doing so one can earn a blessing. These conversions are often backed by powerful shrines, seminaries, and clerics, as well as local politicians. The arrangement surrounding forced conversions is often controlled by clerics who offer money and housing to new Muslim converts. These cases are seen as an attempt by the majority community to spread Islam through forced conversions”.