'Hindu & Christian girls being forcibly converted in Pakistan's Sindh': US Lawmaker

Making a huge claim on forced conversion, an influential US lawmaker recently opined that Hindus and Christians are forced to get converted in Pakistan's Sindh province. Congressman Brad Sherman has also urged the Biden administration to take cognizance of the matter and ensure the region receives US aid. The US politician also raised his voice against alleged human rights issues in Sri Lanka during a Congressional hearing with USAID Administrator Samantha Power.

Sherman, who is a Member of the US House of Representatives from the state of California, was speaking at a Congressional hearing where he expressed hope that US aid reaches Pakistan's Sindh because of the atrocities people are dealing with there, including 'forced disappearances and conversions'. 

“Sri Lanka's civil war ravaged the northern and eastern parts of that country. And I hope that we are directing our aid to those areas in Sindh in southern Pakistan. I hope that you're making sure that region gets its fair share of US aid, particularly because they're dealing with the forced disappearances and forced conversion of Hindu and Christian girls,” Sherman was quoted by PTI. 

There was no direct response from Administrator Samantha Power. 

US & Pakistan's earlier claims & counter-claims over forced conversion

This is not the first time when the US raised its voice against forced conversion cases. Earlier, in December 2020, the US State Department had declared Pakistan "a country of particular concern” for violations of religious freedoms. The US Commission at that time had given opinions on International Religious Freedom while talking about underage girls in the minority Hindu, Christian, and Sikh communities getting “kidnapped for forced conversion to Islam."

Pakistan had instantly issued its response rejecting the US's claims over forced conversion rackets. Pakistan had termed the media reports 'rubbish and baseless' and had added that it is safer for minorities than many developed countries. Pak foreign ministry spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri had additionally mentioned that there are no institutionalized forced conversions in the country. 

Forced Conversion cases in Pakistan 

Recently, a Europe-based advocacy group submitted a petition to Pakistan missions in western capitals urging measures after reports of abduction and conversion of 13-year-old Christian girl Nayab Gill came out. Reportedly, Gill was married off to a 30-year old Muslim man in May. According to an official release, it has been estimated that over 1000 women and girls from religious minorities are abducted and forcibly converted in Pakistan every year. Even the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan mentions that every month 20 or more Hindu girls are abducted and forcibly converted in the country.

(With PTI inputs)