Author: Waqar Gillani
Publication: Daily Times
Date: June 19, 2005
URL: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_19-6-2005_pg7_22
A report published by a Human Rights
Commission of Pakistan fact-finding team has claimed that a sizable Hindu
community is being oppressed in Sindh Chief Minister Dr Ghulam Arbab Rahim's
hometown of Khait Lari, Tharparkar.
The HRCP team visited Khait Lari
at the end of May after a Hindu family complained about being victimised
by Arbab's relatives. Mai Dhuno, a 60-year-old widowed mother of four,
complained that her son, Atam, had been kidnapped by the chief minister's
relatives, the same people who she alleged had tried to rape Atam's wife
two years ago. According to the report, local reporters said that the chief
minister suppressed any news of exploitation in his village. It said that
the people lived in fear of the Arbab waderas and nobody was ready to talk
about the Dhuno case openly.
Some people admitted that they had
heard rumours about such an incident. One resident said that Atam was being
kept in the house of Arbab Anwar, Safety Commission chairman. However,
no evidence could be unearthed.
The report said that the element
of fear was evident in the chief minister's hometown. It said that the
Hindu community felt "harassed and victimised". It demanded that the police
ensure their safety and the government or NGOs start a rights awareness
campaign in the "backward area".
The report was submitted to the
HRCP head office recently. It was drafted by the HRCP team, which was headed
by council member Jam Saqi. After the team returned to Lahore, Saqi and
his wife were arrested, allegedly on Arbab's orders.
