KARACHI, PAKISTAN, January 7, 2017 (Pakistan Christian Post): The Governor of Sindh, Saeeduzzaman Siddique, refuses to ratify the forced conversion bill passed by Sindh Assembly in November 2016 following protests by MQM, JI and other Muslim religious parties. Religious minorities here say they have lost confidence in so-called moderate Muslim political groups also.
The Forced Conversion Bill was presented in Sindh Assembly by Hindu MPA Annand Kumar of Pakistan Muslim League Functional Group PML (F) and unanimously adopted by ruling Pakistan Peoples Party PPP, Muthidda Quomi Movement MQM, Pakistan Tehreek Insaf PTI and other in November 2016. The Forced Conversion Bill was passed and sent to Governor of Sindh to sign, but the governor has refused to do so.
The said bill was first criticized by Jamaat Islami Pakistan Ameer Senator Siraj Ul Haq who termed it un-Islamic as it was set in bill that conversion of any one to Islam will be not legal if the age of converted individual is not 18 years and conversion to Islam will be supervised for 120 days to confirm. The Christians, Hindus and other religious minorities in Pakistan view this bill as protection of minorities’ bill as it will prevent forced conversion of their women to Islam who were abducted and forcibly converted to Islam.