Karachi, October 24 (Dawn/newsin.asia): Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that forcibly converting Hindu girls to Islam after abducting them is “extremism” and a “wrongdoing” and not Islam.
Extremists mistakenly believe that forcibly converting someone to Islam will bring them religious merit,” he said addressing the Hindu community at a ceremony connected with Diwali.
“The PTI would empower the weaker segments of Sindh. Injustices to the Hindu community in Pakistan should be brought to an end. The weaker segments of society are challenged because the rule of law does not prevail in the country. The founder of Pakistan. Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, was considered as an ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity,” Khan said.
But in September 2015, Pakistan’s Hindu community was up in arms against Imran Khan for extending an invitation to the controversial former Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from Sindh ,Pir Abdul Haq alias Mian Mithu to join the PTI..
Pakistan Muslim League (N) MNA from Tharparkar ,Ramesh Kumar Vankvani, said that Mithu was forcibly converting Hindu girls to Islam.
Vankvani who is also Patron in Chief of Pakistan Hindu Council said that if Mithu is admitted to the PTI, Imran Khan will lose the support of Pakistani Hindus.
Imran whose party PTI is in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan had in the past been stating that Hindus who had fled the country after being persecuted should return home when his party comes to power.
Reacting on Imran’s statement, Vankvani said “No, Khan has not done anything to restore in the Hindu community nor he has addressed their issues even in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where his party is in power”.
Mithu is the Pir of Dargah Barchoondi Sharif which is known for “welcoming” Hindu boys and girls who wish to embrace Islam and providing them shelter in case they feel unsafe.
The Pakistan Peoples’ Party had denied Mithu him the party ticket after his name was linked to the alleged kidnapping and conversion of a Hindu girl Rinkle by a Muslim boy Naveed Shah.
(The featured image at the top shows Imran Khan surrounded by Hindu admirers at a Diwali function in Umerkot)
