Ali Eteraz has an informative column on Comment is Free about discrimination against Pakistan’s 3 million Hindus.
The immediate inspiration is a recent lynching of a Hindu factory worker in Karachi, after it is alleged that he uttered blasphemous words about Islam and the Prophet Muhammed. The family of the man who was murdered have suggested that he may have been killed for other reasons, and his co-workers have merely invoked blasphemy as a convenient ruse for a murder committed for more prosaic reasons. It is unclear whether his killers will be prosecuted, though there does appear to be some legal interest in doing so.
In his column, Ali Eteraz rightly condemns the institutional discrimination that exists against religious minorities in Pakistan, including the establishment of separate electorates for Hindus (dating from 1973), and an anti-Ahmadiyya blasphemy law that was first instituted by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and then enhanced by Zia ul-Haq in 1982.
One of the commenters on Comment is Free also linked to this article in the Washington Post, which describes Pakistan’s anti-blasphemy laws in greater depth. Reading that article reminded me how complex Pakistan’s legal system is. I think Ali Eteraz’s sincere hope is that the Blasphemy Law in particular ought to be immediately repealed. For my part, I must admit I have no idea whether that is a realistic possibility or not. However, we might remember that Pakistan’s legal community took a heroic stance last fall in the face of Musharraf’s anti-democratic actions. Perhaps they can do so again.
Here is a good one by Chris Hitchens about Benazir and how she supoprted the TAliban.
http://www.slate.com/id/2180952/
Like a parasite, Islam needs to cling on to a host so that it can feed. If you visit Hampi you will find several badly mutilated hindu idols in temples, apparently done when the muslims overtook Hampi.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampi#History Quote: Sadly the city is in ruins as it was not able to defend itself against Islamic aggressions who treat Idol worship as blasphemy, Many statues have been destroyed or damaged
Amardeep, I really feel for Hindus in Pakistan. I grew up in India in a town where there were frequent Hindu Muslim riots. It was hard then! Please post more information about how Hindus live in Pakistan. I really believe, they are the forgotten family.
As per Rahul’s comment on why don’t pakistani Hindus leave pakistan to go to India. Why should they? It is their home. Just as a LOT of Muslims live in India and they are given equal rights by the state, Pakistani Hindus should also be treated with equal rights as Muslims.
Hasan, I am going to ignore your comments as a load of rubbish. I am from Gujarat and I know that Massacre of Hindus took place first.
Sujata – You should be the last person to talk about Human Rights after what we saw in 2002 Gujarat riots.
Congie,
Genocide > Riots.
pak is very hard or hindus as terrorists and musamad followers are more hay kill and kill even brothers if leave islam i ask y? no independent?if no then tell muhammad alsso leave hisreligion y he is not been killes/ and simply i other religion also apply same no muslim will be on world? how do muslim want us to do this????????????????????????????????????
I don’t blame the Congress for protecting the minotirties even though minorities are just a vote bank for them. I say this because being liberal and disciplined comes from the top. If the leadership of a country believes and enforces equality for all in a democratic set-up, citizens are bound to follow it. I have several friends in India from the muslim community and I happily celebrate their festivals. This happy feeling of existing together is only possible because of the strong sense of democracy. Being intolerant towards other faiths would only increase riots and bitterness. Let’s work together to make India a progressive and tolerant nation and not indulge in debates over faith and followers. Democracy is a bigger religion. My religion is my country and I hope my Pakistani counterparts take a similar stand for their nation.
Here in India my secular congress govt provides subsidy of 1500 crore INR every year to visit the haj, which is a tax money collected from hard earned Hindus. non-Hindus beat up the Hindus while in the festival procession, while the secular government security forces attack the Hindus and not the guilty non-Hindus.
Hi, I’am an Indian from India and was going through the blog and various points discussed, I have sort of got a picture anyway the Pakistan problem is for the Pakistanies to solve, however i feel not everyone is as educated as you people are in Pakistan.
Thanking you
hindus in pakistan? you mean there are still some left. woah
iam a pakistani hindu.here r nt few 9 million hindus r in pakistan,karachi has 1 million of hindus.interior sindh tharparkar omerkot,mirpurkhas r hindu majority. though pakistani mslims r not coprative, bt we know to live.they r nt good enough,bt hindu can live.we r nt having equal rits.iam frm karachi.here r many old temples indian hindus dnt have mch knowledge abt us, hey we e 9 million here.7 million in sindhwe r 8%of pak pop and biggest minorty.actually we r nt proviked enogh to go forward bt due to extremist muslims we r pushed back. for 1 mosque in india 80 temples were martyred in pakistan,paki mslms should know and indians 2.80 hindus were killed in karachi only in sindh mslm abduct hindu girls forcly make them mslm and marry, i ask paki mslm is this way mslm treated in india?there were 3 presidnt mslms ,and pakistan islam impose band on non mslm to becme. we hindu beleve one day pak govt has to accept us equally. in india media cant say abuse to mslm,bt here every channel abuse hindus ans other.i fell embrasment to use tilak on strret people ask y i came frm india? syuppose is this way mslm burga asked in india? pakoistani mslms have to build them up and be clear for hindus cuz they r living on hoindu land neither hindu.i am nt bios wit mslms.i have sme gud mslm friendas,bt all pakis need improvment
any 1 can have paki hindu info visit pakistan hindu post . dnt believe on 1.6% hindu pop in pak or 2% its atleasr 8 % nw. that was 1981 census. those website r not up dated frm taht tym by gove even educational sites dnt contain name of univrsities of last 20 years.so dnt believe any govt.idiotic sites
I am a Nepalese Hindu.I believe that the life of Hindus living in Pakistan is really miserable.My elder brother has gone to China for study.In that campus, there r a lot of Pakistanis.When they come across him,they say r u muslim?It reflects their attitude.THey r just indulged in gossip of religion.
I am a Nepalese Hindu.I believe that the life of Hindus living in Pakistan is really miserable.My elder brother has gone to China for study.In that campus, there r a lot of Pakistanis.When they come across him,they say r u muslim?It reflects their attitude.THey r just indulged in gossip of religion.
Pakistan as a country is based on being anti-India, anti-Hindu, anti-secular and anti-pluralist. Without these features, it ceases to be Pakistan, and its very raison d’etre goes away. India has that freedom where you can be just about anything you want to be,including an atheist or agnostic, and openly.
law is wat is made by sensible people in a nation not by majority………………………………..log to apne liye television.gadi,bangale ka law bana denge……….law is wat is right ………india is a secular nation unlike pakistan which is a islamic nation………people cme away from pakistan n take citizenship of india….(muslims) adnan sami ……n islam is a terroristic religion…..fuck the prophet…muhmmad who made physcic laws of islam which doesnt give freedom to an individual….every islamic nation is like that…….fuck off u physco ‘s
Can you believe the fools claiming that only 3.5% of west Pakistan was non muslim in 1941? I would really love to see these so called facts. Fortunately in 1941 the census was carried out by the British Raj and not the thoroghly corrupt succession of governments that have done nothing for Pakistan other than edge it closer to the 7th century ideals of its viralent relgious nutcases.
Hi All, I cant belive 3 millions hindus r living in pakistan. And how they r living there in an-terrorist, anti hindus,anti indian country. Actully i beleave that ISLAM is a great religion , it never says to hate any human being. My muslim frends in mumbai always says our religion never sya to hate any human being.Pakistani govenrnment shuld protect the Hindus in Pakistan or else let them migrate to INDIA. In india we hindus . muslims and others religions r living together with peace, except few incident such as Babri Masjid beause of or politicians. But then also we dont hate islam or other religion. I agree some people hate pakistan , due to some terrorist activity of pakistan.
I hope one day all the disputes between India and Pak will close.
Mangesh