Washington: Activists, politicians voice concern over human rights violations in Pakistan's Sindh

Human Rights activists and politicians have shown concern over the growing state-run violations of human rights in Sindh and other provinces of Pakistan at a seminar here on Saturday.

The event titled 'Rights, Security and Development in Sindh: Realities for Pakistan's Southern Province' was organised by the World Sindhi Congress.

A panel of speakers including Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Michael Kugelman, the Deputy Director of the Asia Program and Senior Associate for South Asia at the Wilson Centre and T Kumar, former International Advocacy Director Amnesty International USA, highlighted the persecution of Sindhi political activists in the hands of state and non-state actors in Pakistan.

The speakers deliberated on issues of US-Pakistan relationship, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Human Rights in Sindh and Sindh's key geopolitical role.

Lakhu Luhana, Secretary General of World Sindhi Congress said, "The overwhelming message of the seminar was that Pakistan is a security state, currently with an absolute control of all policy and institutions that has resulted in unprecedented violations of human rights of Sindhi people and other oppressed nations, Baloch and Pashtuns, and threat to regional and global security."

Baloch and Pashtun activists including Dr Naseer Dashti, Executive President Baloch Human Rights Council and the Coordinator of the Sindhi Baloch Forum and Siraj Khan Moomand, President Pashtun Council Canada and member PTM Committee Canada also attended the seminar and revealed about the violations of human rights in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

There is growing dissatisfaction among the people of Sindh as they have been facing issues ranging from arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, torture, extra-judicial killings and political repression.

The minorities, including the Christians and Hindus, living in Sindh province are facing persecution in the hands of Islamic fundamentalists. Young Hindu and Christian girls are forcibly converted to Islam.

A 2015 report by the South Asia Partnership - Pakistan in collaboration with Aurat Foundation found that at least 1,000 girls are forcibly converted to Islam in Pakistan every year. It is girls from lower-caste, poor Hindu families who are forcibly converted.

-ANI