Pakistan: Hindu lawmaker targeted for objecting to forced conversions of minorities

New Delhi [India], August 8 (ANI): A Hindu member of Pakistan's National Assembly (MNA) Lal Chand Malhi is being targeted in the country for his stance against forced conversions of minorities. Pir Ayub Jan Sarhandi, a Sindhi cleric, who is allegedly involved in forced religious conversions in Pakistan, has accused Malhi of being an agent of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India's foreign intelligence agency. Shumaila H. Shahani, founder of All Pakistan Feminists' Association, has said that these accusations against Pakistan's religious minority are a common tool of harassment and blackmailing. "Whenever a Hindu speaks out against injustices these extremists try to shut them up by accusing them of anti-nationalism, blasphemy. Allegations of being a RAW agent is/should be considered hate speech," she said in a series of tweets <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Lal Chand Malhi is being targeted for his stance against forced conversions. <a href="https://t.co/qKxbTgENUl">https://t.co/qKxbTgENUl</a></p>&mdash; Shumaila H. Shahani (@ShahaniSays) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShahaniSays/status/894617257464168450">August 7, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Whenever a hindu speaks out against injustices these extremists try to shut them up by accusing them of anti-nationalism, blasphemy. <a href="https://t.co/7MRprQ1rky">https://t.co/7MRprQ1rky</a></p>&mdash; Shumaila H. Shahani (@ShahaniSays) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShahaniSays/status/894616669854855168">August 7, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">These accusations against Pakistan&#39;s religious minority are common tool of harassment and blackmailing. <a href="https://t.co/527lJwIuTe">https://t.co/527lJwIuTe</a></p>&mdash; Shumaila H. Shahani (@ShahaniSays) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShahaniSays/status/894615323177046016">August 7, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Peer Jaan Sarhandi, notorious for forced conversions, accused (Hindu) MNA Lal Chand Malhi of being a RAW agent.<a href="https://t.co/tAQii8wON9">https://t.co/tAQii8wON9</a></p>&mdash; Shumaila H. Shahani (@ShahaniSays) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShahaniSays/status/894611723440795648">August 7, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Pakistan's National Assembly had last year adopted a resolution, urging the government to take necessary steps to stop forced religious conversions and marriages of women belonging to minorities. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's MNA Lal Chand Malhi had tabled the resolution and stated that the issue was more serious in Sindh. Hindus and Christians are insecure in Pakistan, as unfortunately religious minorities are worst victims of religious extremists in Pakistan as the government has so far proved unable to protect their religious minorities. Malhi has worked as a Journalist with different media organizations since 1996 before being nominated on Reserved Seat for Non-Muslim in National Assembly by the PTI in 2013. He has also been working as a member of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, also incumbent Chairman of Sami Foundation. (ANI)