September 2nd, 2021
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE
The federal religious affairs ministry is still vetting draft of the proposed bill on forced conversion prepared by the human rights ministry, sources in the ministry told Voicepk.net.
The religious affairs ministry has received copy of draft bill on forced conversion as well as copy of the report of the Parliamentary Committee to Protect Minorities from Forced Conversions from official channels, sources in the ministry confirmed. The human rights ministry had used the committee report to draft the forced conversion bill.
An official in the religious affairs ministry said the draft bill was discussed in an initial meeting while inputs from all stakeholders including members of minority communities will be considered in the next meeting scheduled in the coming days.
The religious affairs ministry also came under criticism when it did not invite members of the minority community to the meeting chaired by Federal Minister Religious Affairs Pir Noorul Haq Qadri to discuss the draft anti- forced conversion bill. The officials of Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) and clerics had attended the meeting. The religious affairs minister also raised objections that his ministry had not been consulted over the draft bill by the human rights ministry.
Separately, the National Commission for Minorities decided to formulate its own recommendations on the proposed bill on prevention of forced conversion, according to a statement from the Religious Affairs Ministry after the commission’s meeting on August 25. Chela Ram Kewlani, chairperson of National Commission for Minorities, chaired the meeting which took up desecration of the temple in Rahim Yar Khan and other issues facing the minority communities in the country.
The statement said the Joint Secretary of the Interfaith Harmony Wing told the meeting that suggestions had been received from all stakeholders on the draft Minorities Protection Act. A final draft would be sent to the Ministry of Law after formulating these proposals, the joint secretary said.
The Council of Islamic Ideology is also separately vetting the proposed bill on forced conversion. A committee constituted under the director research CII was vetting the draft bill in the light of the parliamentary committee report. Qibla Ayaz, chairman of the CII, did not respond to request for comments on the proposed bill.
In the last meeting of the Parliamentary Committee to Protect Minorities from Forced Conversions, it was decided that the federal religious affairs ministry was to vet the proposed bill on forced conversion within a month’s time. The parliamentary committee had deliberated for about two years over legislation on forced conversions in the country.
Besides, the National Commission for Minorities would formulate its recommendations on the proposed bill on prevention of forced conversion, according to a statement from the Religious Affairs Ministry after the meeting on August 25. The meeting was chaired by Chela Ram Kewlani, chairperson of National Commission for Minorities.
The statement said the Joint Secretary of the Interfaith Harmony Wing told the meeting that suggestions had been received from all stakeholders on the draft Minorities Protection Act. A final draft would be sent to the Ministry of Law after formulating these proposals, the joint secretary said.
In the last meeting of the Parliamentary Committee to Protect Minorities from Forced Conversions, the federal religious affairs ministry was to vet the proposed bill within a month’s time. Pakistan has come under increasing criticism over reported forced conversions and marriages of Hindu and Christian girls in the country.
In a report, the Center for Social Justice (CSJ) stated that around 162 questionable conversions had been reported in the media between 2013 and 2020, adding that most of alleged forced conversions had occurred in Punjab and Sindh provinces.
