Predicament of Minorities in Pakistan
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BJP PRESIDENT SHRI RAJNATH SINGH ADDRESSED A GREAT GATHERING CONSISTING OF BUREAUCRATS, JOURNALISTS, STUDENTS, AT IIC, NEW DELHI, HIGHLIGHTING THE PLIGHT OF MINORITIES IN PAKISTAN.
Feb 2, 2013, India International Centre, New Delhi
Released by: Chief Guest Shri Rajnath Singh, National President Bharatiya Janata Party
Keynote Address: Ms. Anne Isabelle Tollet, Senior French Journalist
Guest of Honour: Syed Faisal Ali, Group Head, Rojnama Rashtriya Sahara
The horrific stories of discrimination and violence that minorities in Pakistan everyday are more than enough to give severe jitter to the world. India being equal partner of partition which is the primary cause of these predicaments is yet to show any conviction towards addressing the plights of the minorities in Pakistan. It is a feeling of destitution and urgency that stirred IPF to come up with an intervention paper by Jagdish N Singh named “Predicament of Minorities in Pakistan”. The paper contains meticulous account of all concerned issues. The intervention paper provided comprehensive observation of different facts and incidents and come out with suggestions.
Releasing the book, BJP president Shri Rajnath Singh said that with the creation of Pakistan, not only geographical division but also cultural division of India has taken place. Charging Indian Government for its inaction, Singh said, it is not only a failure on part of Pakistan but the Indian government is equally responsible for the miserable condition of minorities in Pakistan. “The UPA government’s lackluster policy has been such that it could not even send a stern message to Pakistan on attacks on minorities”, he said.
“The condition of minorities in Pakistan is such that the use of a well by the Non-Muslims makes it blasphemous for others. The misuse of blasphemy law is continuing unchallenged in Pakistan to squeeze its minorities." - Anne Isabelle Tollet
Nehru-Liyakat Pact was signed in 1950 in which a decision was taken to set up consulate office at all important places to take care of the interest of the minorities in Pakistan. A consulate was set up in Karachi, which had also functioned for some time but was closed under pressure from the Taliban.
Highlighting the pathetic condition of minorities, Anne Isabelle Tollet, French journalist who took the case of Asia Bibi (victim of the draconian blasphemy law of Pakistan) to the international forums described the story once again. Asia Bibi, a poor Christian and mother of five found herself trapped into the country’s blasphemy law when she offended some villagers by fetching water from the village well. Anne said that in Pakistan the minorities generally belong to poor and deprived section of the society and catch regular wrath of Muslims.
Roznama Rashtriya Sahara Group Head, Syed Faisal Ali said that there are cases of Manisha Kumari, Rinkal Kumar, Hafiza and several others who were victims of violence in Pakistan. Citing some reports, he said, 47 per cent minority women are physically harassed and 76 per cent are sexually harassed in Pakistan.
