I think this is a logical step to avoid discrimination.
AMRITSAR: Many Pakistani Hindu’s from Sindh and Punjab have started ‘willingly’ embracing Islam and many others have renamed themselves taking Muslim names to avoid revelation of their true identity from public in wake of the recent spate of their persecution , informed Rajesh Kalyan, a Hindu priest and preacher with Pakistan Hindu Seva (PHA), a Karachi based Hindu organization while talking to TOI over phone from Karachi on Wednesday.
He said, as a preacher he travels in wider parts of Pakistan and was surprised to know that many Hindu’s families had converted to Islam in recent past. "There are families in Rahimyar Khan in Pakistan who have embraced Islam, call it willingly or under pressure,"he said adding that he had personally seen Hindu’s dubbed as Kafirs in many areas of Pakistan .
“Hindus are not allowed to sit in hotels and have food and are discriminated in Rahimyar Khan,” he said, adding that there were 77000 Hindu’s in Rahimyar Khan alone.“Reports of their forced conversions, abduction for ransom were not false and this is the reason those who don’t want to leave country prefer to embrace Islam” he said.
President of PHS Sanjash S Dhanja said “Karachi was considered to be most liberal and safe place for Hindus but now there is a fear in air”. Also, there had been certain incidents of persecution of Hindu’s in many areas of Pakistan in recent past that had panicked the Karachi’s Hindu populace.
This is the reason that many Hindu’s have changed their names to names which resemble Muslim names. Giving an example, he said,"A person Manohar Chand now calls himself Manvar Chand. He said PHS holds various functions to restore the shaken confidence of Hindu community. "The Hindu politicians are not playing a positive role for the community,"he complained.
Re: Pakistani Hindus 'willingly' embracing Islam to avoid discrimination
strange that they can hide their identity by just changing their names. As far as Sindh is concerned, we can recognise Hindus because they can't pronounce some words like Muslim do.
PS: Its a pity that these conversions are being taken place in a society, which is otherwise not religious.
Re: Pakistani Hindus 'willingly' embracing Islam to avoid discrimination
The conversion should be willfully.Discrimination against Hindus should stop.not allowing to eat in restaurants is against Islam.
I don't think that willful conversion is possible considering the acts of existing Muslims, which don't persuade anyone to convert.
As far as restriction in not eating in restaurants is concerned, its neither official nor culturally accepted. My hometown got town's biggests bakers and sweet marts run by Hindu owner. We find many hotels and restaurants owned by Hindus (some of them are made in buildings which used to be Mandirs)
Re: Pakistani Hindus 'willingly' embracing Islam to avoid discrimination
The discrimination of minorities need to stop first, if they still want to convert that's up to them. But at the moment even if they willfully convert, the first thing that comes into mind is discrimination against them. I know of one woman who used to work in my Father's clinic, she converted to Islam from Christianity to avoid discrimination but her children were still discriminated against in schools.
Re: Pakistani Hindus 'willingly' embracing Islam to avoid discrimination
It is possible in India, it is part of right to freedom of religion but some state like** TN **had anti conversion laws too:)
thats a news for me,especially considering they have a large christian minority plus thier dravida parties have ideology of Anti brahmin/hindu
when i was in chennai,espcially near my college i can see beef stalls
sorry if i offend someone, it was disgusting to see all the ultra modern women purchasing beef openely,especially seeing those little calf(baby cows tied infornt of shops)
Re: Pakistani Hindus 'willingly' embracing Islam to avoid discrimination
thats a news for me,especially considering they have a large christian minority plus thier dravida parties have ideology of Anti brahmin/hindu
when i was in chennai,espcially near my college i can see beef stalls
sorry if i offend someone, it was disgusting to see all the ultra modern women purchasing beef openely,especially seeing those little calf(baby cows tied infornt of shops)
During Jayalaitha's tenure she made that law, beef is on open sale in entire south, I have seen it everywhere not in Nothern India, one cannot even think about such thing in north, in jatland there will be riots in such case.
as far hindus are considered they were always dumb, when entire world is communalist they are secular:D
Re: Pakistani Hindus 'willingly' embracing Islam to avoid discrimination
During Jayalaitha's tenure she made that law, beef is on open sale in entire south, I have seen it everywhere not in Nothern India, one cannot even think about such thing in north, in jatland there will be riots in such case.
as far hindus are considered they were always dumb, when entire world is communalist they are secular:D
It is best to be the type of secular where no religion is promoted unlike the type of secularism in India where they try to "promote" and equalize all religions.
Re: Pakistani Hindus 'willingly' embracing Islam to avoid discrimination
I dont know about pakistan but in india I had seen hindus who converted to islam!
I know of a family of 68 who all converted to Hinduism from Islam in Hyderabad, India in the year of 1998. Its sad that they had to change homes after every 6 months because their muslim friends and relatives from their earlier days were a big threat now. It was covered by some local newspapers but with some political backing, the media stopped covering it as the Muslim MLAs felt they might cause "negative" influence over other muslims.
I also know lots of muslim girls (at least 10-12) from my college days who are married into Hindu families. Most of the inter-religion marriages that I have seen in the recent past have had no conversions at all. The marriages are registered under the "Special Marriages Act of India" and both the partners keep their own religions.
Re: Pakistani Hindus 'willingly' embracing Islam to avoid discrimination
During Jayalaitha's tenure she made that law, beef is on open sale in entire south, I have seen it everywhere not in Nothern India, one cannot even think about such thing in north, in jatland there will be riots in such case.
as far hindus are considered they were always dumb, when entire world is communalist they are secular:D
beef is big no in my state,even in muslim dominated areas in hyderabad still i haven't found one.....
you can't generalize kerala and parts of tamil nadu with christian population with entire south india,almost 70-80 percent of the places you won't find any beef here
Re: Pakistani Hindus 'willingly' embracing Islam to avoid discrimination
i really don't understand what business the govt has in telling people what they can eat and can't. this isn't saudi arabia, people should be free to eat their choice of foods. your neighbour's religious values shouldn't be the cross on your back, and vice versa. and this in a country where most people can't seem to get full balanced meals on a daily basis. so petty.
Re: Pakistani Hindus 'willingly' embracing Islam to avoid discrimination
beef is big no in my state,even in muslim dominated areas in hyderabad still i haven't found one.....
you can't generalize kerala and parts of tamil nadu with christian population with entire south india,almost 70-80 percent of the places you won't find any beef here
you know where aghapura is in hyderabad?
go there and you will see shops of beef............:D