Hyderabad:
The conversion of three Hindu sisters and their male cousin – two of them – to Islam in the Sindh blood district triggered a backlash of the local Hindu community on Wednesday. Acting on urgent calls from the parents of Hunain Kumar, 13, Jiya, 16, Disha, 19, and Diya, 22 – as well as the Hindu Panchayat – The police recovered the four on Thursday and arrested the suspect who pretended to conversions.
The three sisters and their cousin had left the house without informing their families on Wednesday morning. Later in the day, they published video messages indicating that they had accepted Islam of their free will, without coercion. They also said they feared being injured by their family for their decision.
During a press conference, mothers of the brothers and sisters – visibly in distress and crying – accused a local computer teacher, Farhan Khaskheli, brainwashing and kidnapping children. “I want my son to come back. He is only 13 years old and cannot understand religion,” said Hunain Kumar’s mother, in tears. She directly called on the president of the Pakistani peoples Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s party to help recover her son.
The mother’s mother also held Khaskheli responsible for the alleged conversion and kidnapping. “I have three daughters and Khaskheli took them all,” she said through tears.
Rajesh Kumar, head of the Hindu Panchayat, described the incident as not only a family tragedy, but also a community tragedy. “These girls are not only Hindu girls-they are Sindh girls,” he said, while showing their photos and wondering if they were mature enough to decide to change their religion.
Kumar added that the Hindu community had always lived in harmony with its Muslim neighbors and had actively participated in Islamic festivals and local customs. He thanked civil society and politicians for their support and announced that the Panchayat had held an emergency meeting in Sanghar on Wednesday.
Sanghar SSP Ghumlam Nabi Keerio visited the Panchayat at the meeting and assured the rapid police community. The FIR was recorded on the basis of the parents’ complaint.
