Muslim cleric in India condemns abduction, forced conversion of Sikh girl in Pakistan

Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 23 (ANI): A Muslim cleric in India has condemned the abduction, forceful conversion and marriage of a Sikh girl in the Buner district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
"In the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a Sikh girl was abducted and forcibly married off and in another city, Rahim Yar Khan some temples were vandalised. This is an extremely sad and shameful incident. Islam never allows such acts," the national general secretary of Tanzeem Ulama-e-Islam, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi said.
Sikh community in Buner organised massive protests after Dina Kaur, daughter of Gurucharan Singh was forcibly abducted and converted to Islam on the evening of August 20.
"Islam promotes peace and teaches love and affection. The prophet has not allowed anyone to convert others' religion either through temptation or through force, nor does it allow the destruction of religious buildings of others' faith", said Razvi, who is based in Bareilly city of Uttar Pradesh.
He added: "These acts are being done by the elements who have nothing to do with the principles of Islam and who have not read the history of Islam. They have not read the teachings of the Prophet. I condemn these acts in strong words."
The minority community, including the Sikhs, Hindus and Christians from different parts of Pakistan have been facing persecution and their girls are regularly being kidnapped, raped and married to their abductors.
Many families from Pakistan have already migrated to India and other countries to protect their daughters and other family members.
"I invite these people to read the history of Islam and acts and behaviours of the Prophet. The Pakistani government should immediately stop the cruelties being done on minorities there," Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi said. (ANI)