[DAWN] "We are not Moslem, we are not Hindu, but first and foremost, we are Sindhi. There is a conspiracy to force Sindhi Hindus to leave Sindh, but we will not allow nefarious elements to succeed," a political activist was sloganeering in English outside the Hyderabad Press Club.Like most nationalists, he was hoping his message would be heard not only everywhere in Pakistain but also all across the world.
But the sad reality is, all these protests are of no use; the messages all fruitless. Despite their community's strong resistance, the situation is very much the same as it was yesterday. Hindu girls were converted in the past, are being converted today, and I'm sure, will be converted down to the very last Hindu remaining on the soil of Sindh.
It is true that whenever a Hindu girl in Sindh is kidnapped or converted, a large number of Sindhi Hindus -- in the face of fear and hopelessness -- are forced to migrate to India.
After the alleged kidnapping of Anjali Bai Meghwar from Daharki, Kajul Bheel from Matiari district and Karin from Nawabshah (most people not aware of these names), many people including my dear friend Ajeet Kumar are forced to consider the idea of migration.
"As a last resort we have decided to migrate to India," Ajeet told me a few days ago.
"We are completely insecure here. We are looted but our voice is not heard by the people in the saddle, our temples are attacked in broad daylight but no one takes action, our girls are kidnapped and forcibly converted only to hear more empty promises of justice.
"Nothing happened in the last 65 years and we don't expect any improvement in future. Things will only become wore."
All the political parties have condemned and protested the forced conversion of 12 year-old Anjali and subsequent marriage to a young man. But while Bilawal Bhutto, the ruling party's chairman, has taken cognizance of it, most PPP leaders have kept mum as they know there is no way to turn the situation around. Intolerance of faith differentials has gone so far in this country that not only Hindus but Christians, Ahmadis and Shias are equally targeted every now and then.