History repeats its self: PPPP’s Policy of Appeasement

It seems that the Hindu minority in Sindh will continue to suffer the wrath of the majority. No respite for the victims of forced conversions is in sight, as the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), the largest party of Sindh is all set to destroy the essence of the recently passed Sindh Criminal Law (Protection of Minorities) Bill, 2015. This move, which is nothing more than political appeasement will be a serious setback to the efforts of minority lawmakers in the Sindh assembly, who have spent more than three (03) years for the law to get passed from the assembly. The law, awaiting approval from the Governor of Sindh will now be reviewed.    

The Former President of Pakistan and the co-chairman of PPPP, Mr. Asif Ali Zardari is following  somewhat a similar policy of appeasement that Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto once did; that move not only cost him his life, but also resulted in the strengthening of the narrative of the religious right, which is the main reason why our society and our image as a country has been ruined. I sincerely hope this move doesn’t prove fatal for the party and its leadership once again.

The law primarily aims at prohibiting the practice of forced conversions, which is rampant in Interior Sindh. The thorn in the religious right’s side is the clause that sets eighteen (18) years as the age-limit for conversion. The religious right argues that in Islam there is no age-limit for conversion. The law further sets a transition period of twenty one (21) days for a newly converted person, so that he or she can take the time to rethink his or her decision to convert. Both these clauses seem very logical, as a person below the age of eighteen (18) is not mature enough to take a life changing decision of converting to another religion. Similarly, the transition period provides ample opportunity to the newly converted person to think about the decision from various angles. However, it must be noted that forced conversion as a problem in Interior Sindh has mostly been limited to the female gender especially young Hindu girls. These girls are abducted and forcibly converted.

This Sindh Criminal Law (Protection of Minorities) Bill, 2015 has been backed by all the political parties represented in the Sindh assembly and it should be noted that the religious right has little or no representation in the provincial assembly. The decision of reviewing or a possible amendment in the law is being single-handedly taken by PPPP’s co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari, without giving a serious consideration to the views of other parties. This decision is only been taken to politically appease the religious parties, who have threatened to lay siege of the Sindh assembly. This appeasement will help PPPP to form government in Sindh in the next general elections, which are going to the held next year.  

I personally believe that this decision will be a political suicide for the PPPP; a history repeats its self moment for all of us. More importantly, the minorities will once again be orphaned politically. The majority will once again prove that the white in our flag holds no importance. The Hindus that are already migrating to India will speed up the process leaving an open playing to the majority to paint it all green.