Hindus want minister out, swear they’ll protest for security

KARACHI – The Pakistan Hindu Foundation (PHF) -A rights group representing the Hindus of Sindh – has demanded that Minority Affairs Minister Mohan Lal Kohistani should be sacked immediately as “he has failed to provide security to the Hindus of the province.”
PHF President DM Maharaj also announced that a protest drive would be launched against the Sindh government from March 10, if it does not meet the demand. “The PPP has always claimed that it believes in providing rights to the minorities and for the first time in the country’s history, a separate minority ministry was set up by the current government for which a Hindu minister was appointed, but in the last three years, Kohistani did nothing for the Hindus of the province and that is why we want him ousted,” said Maharaj.
He said that the Hindus of Sindh were planning to celebrate Shivaratri, a religious festival, on March 2 in Mirpurkhas division for which the PHF contacted Kohistani, but he refused to provide them any security. “We repeatedly contacted Kohistani to provide us security but he did give a positive reply,” said Maharaj.
However, Kohistani rejected these allegations and said that he is always available to help not only Hindus, but other minorities as well. “Nobody has contacted me for security so far. I am not aware that anyone is under threat. However, I would certainly help if somebody asks for it,” said Kohistani.
Maharaj said that he has a copy of the request that he sent to the office of the minister asking for security and also the reply he received. “I am surprised that he is claiming that he has not been contacted for security. Besides, there are reports in almost every local newspaper about the kidnapping of Hindus in province,” said Maharaj.
Hundreds of Hindus throughout the province are being kidnapped for ransom and recently, a very dangerous trend of child kidnapping has increased in the northern districts of Sindh, but still the minority minister is doing nothing about it, said Maharaj. “The PPP government must remove him otherwise the minorities will take to the streets,” he warned.
“It was for the first time in all
four provinces that the minorities were given a separate ministry, but unfortunately, it was handed over to a controversial person, who is involved in corruption, instead of helping the minorities,” claimed Maharaj.