The rising power and intolerance of Islamic religious fanatics

There is no denying the fact that
Jihadis in Pakistan are day by
day growing intolerant of the
country’s minorities – Hindus, Christians,
Ahmedies and Muhajirs. However,
the crime against Hindus has recently
worsened as the community is suffering
serious problems of kidnapping, ransom,
and conversions. It is ironic that
the perpetrators of such heinous crimes
are openly supported by officials in administration,
army and judiciary. The
growing chaos and lawlessness has
forced many Hindu families to seek permanent
refuge in India. Fleming had
rightly said: “Once is happenstance,
twice is coincidence and the third time
is enemy action."
The religious prejudice and violence
against the minorities and Pakistan government's
insensitiveness to the issue
underlines the grim reality that a certain
section of society is not in favour of their
stay in the country. That could be the
reason for their dictums to minorities either
to convert to Islam or leave the
country. In some cases related to blasphemy
law, the fundamentalists have
not even spared Muslims. The tragedy of
Governor Salmaan Taseer’s assassination
and that of a minister is sufficient to
buttress this argument.
The Constitution of Pakistan enshrines
that all citizens, without religion,
faith and colour are equal, yet fundamentalist
forces see minorities as an unnecessary
burden. The founding father
of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad
Ali Jinnah, while addressing the Constituent
Assembly in Karachi in August
1947, had declared religion to be a personal,
not public, issue in the new state,
which should be practiced freely by citizens
of different faiths, and all were
equal before the law. How unfortunate
that the followers of Jinnah are deviating
from his ideals and committing atrocities
against the people to whom he had
assured religious freedom and security.
The ever increasing intolerance and
persecution has forced many Hindu
families to migrate to India from Sindh
and other parts of Pakistan. The Hindus
maintain that they don't enjoy any freedom
of speech, free justice, right to
choose and the right to make their own
decisions anymore in the country which
boasts of equal rights for all citizens. The
injustices have increased particularly
after the country slipped into the hands
of Jihadis patronised by the ISI. According
to reports, around 20 to 25 forced
conversions take place every month in
Sindh. The so-called Islamisation, starting
from Zia’s era, has resulted in religious
intolerance within the society and
lack of direction for the state.
Many Hindus from troubled Balochistan
and Sindh provinces have travelled
to India on 30-day pilgrim visas granted