International
oi-Prakash KL
Islamabad,
Jan
29:
Houses
of
Hindus
and
Christians
have
been
demolished
in
Rawalpindi
in
Pakistan
and
police
and
judiciary
have
become
mute
spectators
to
the
harassment
of
minorities,
ANI
reported.
They
have
been
living
in
the
Cantonment
area
of
Rawalpindi
for
the
last
70
years
and
the
houses
of
five
minorities
were
destroyed
on
January
27.
Apart
from
Hindus,
a
Christian
family
and
Shias
are
also
victim
of
this
harassment.
The
report
claims
that
their
belongings
were
thrown
on
the
streets.
The
Hindu
families
have
found
shelter
in
a
temple,
but
Shias
and
a
Christian
family
are
forced
to
live
without
shelter.
credit:
ANI
Their
attempt
by
the
affected
minorities
to
bring
a
stay
order
from
the
court
did
not
come
to
fruition
and
the
authorities
used
force
to
destroy
their
houses.
“They
are
mafias
and
came
in
a
group
of
at
least
100
people.
They
even
harassed
us,
attacked
us
as
we
tried
to
counter
them.
They
are
so
powerful
that
no
FIR
was
registered
at
the
police
station,”
a
victim
said.
He
added,
“We
tried
to
oppose
them
in
a
court,
but
the
Cantonment
Board
has
only
one
judge,
Naveed
Akthar,
who
takes
their
favour.
We
were
having
all
the
papers
as
we
have
been
living
here
for
over
70
years.
They
have
not
given
us
any
notice
and
no
time
to
save
our
household
goods.
We
have
no
option
but
to
take
the
family
to
a
temple”.
Hindus
and
other
minorities
have
been
persecuted
in
Pakistan
in
the
last
seven
decades
with
police
and
judiciary
turning
a
blind
eye
to
the
harassment
on
minorities
in
the
country.
“Persecution
of
Hindus
and
minorities
in
Pakistan
is
not
something
that
is
new
to
us.
Since
the
inception
of
this
illegal
and
fake
country
that
was
created
in
the
name
of
religion
by
dividing
the
living
body
of
Hindustan,
we
have
seen
persecution
of
Hindus,
Sikhs,
Christians
and
Shins
now,
and
has
been
at
the
forefront
of
Pakistan’s
atrocities
against
its
own
people,”
ANI
quoted
Dr
Amjad
Ayub
Mirza,
an
expert
on
Pakistan’s
Affairs,
as
saying.
Abduction,
rape
and
forced
conversion
of
young
girls
are
frequently
reported.
A
few
weeks
ago,
a
group
of
top
independent
UN
human
rights
experts
expressed
alarm
at
the
reported
rise
in
abductions,
forced
marriages
and
conversions
of
underage
girls
and
young
women
from
religious
minorities
in
Pakistan.
The
group
called
for
immediate
efforts
to
curtail
such
practices
and
ensure
justice
for
victims.
“We
urge
the
government
to
take
immediate
steps
to
prevent
and
thoroughly
investigate
these
acts
objectively
and
in
line
with
domestic
legislation
and
international
human
rights
commitments.
Perpetrators
must
be
held
fully
accountable,”
the
experts
said.
While
noting
Pakistan’s
previous
attempts
to
pass
legislation
that
will
prohibit
forced
conversions
and
protect
religious
minorities,
the
experts
deplored
the
ongoing
lack
of
access
to
justice
for
victims
and
their
families.
They
noted
that
abductors
force
their
victims
to
sign
documents
that
falsely
attest
to
their
being
of
legal
age
for
marriage
as
well
as
marrying
and
converting
of
free
will.
