Another February 24
Today is February 24. Last year, on the same date, Rinkle was picked up from her house. Her house was left in a state that suggested that a burglary had occurred and valuables were stolen. Her dupatta and her chappals were left lying on the doorstep.
When she was first presented in a court in Mirpur Mathelo, she requested to be returned to her parents. The court, instead of listening to her, replied that she ‘was confused’ and therefore, should spend time reconsidering the predicament and handed her back to her abductors. It was as if the court was confused itself.
She was presented in court again on Feb 28, where, in her statement, she recited the kalma and became ‘Faryal Bibi’ from Rinkle. The entire process took less than 10 minutes. Her conversion to Islam was greeted by aerial firing by her captors who had brought her to court surrounded by armed guards. This was a new victory for them.
‘Faryal Bibi’ was then taken to Dargah Bharchondi’s seat-bearer and PPP’s Mian Mithu, while the gunfire echoed across the town. She was his guest and was taken to and from court surrounded by his guards. Actually, this victory was not the only feather in the dargah’s cap. The dargah’s deeds, ranging from the Manzalgah mosque that became famous for its role during the pre-Partition communal riots in Sindh to the assassination of the singer Bhagat Kunwar Ram of the Hindu faith, were oft repeated. The dargah commonly converted non-Muslims to Islam before the Partition and this exercise continues steadily today.
This dargah is an ideal example in endeavours to increase the Muslim population from every corner of Sindh, starting from the Thar Desert to Kashmore. Then, how was it possible for the tilak-anointed schoolmaster, Rinkle’s father to fight for his kidnapped daughter’s return in this godsend Islamic republic state? Such news usually reaches the ears of human rights organisations or the media, a nutcase or two then run towards the news source just like the mullah runs towards the mosque to take up the case and bring it to justice. Bibi Faryal was familiar with Islam. Either Naveed Shah’s ishq was at its peak or the matter really was one of kidnapping and force that was being blamed upon Bharchondi’s seat-bearer Mian Mithu.
When the hue and cry became unbearable, the dargah’s owners brought Bibi to Karachi Press Club (KPC). But what was she going to say here? The dargah’s guards sat in their vehicles outside while the owners sat beside her inside. Bibi Faryal, fearfully, publicly repeated the kalma and revealed herself to the masses. The incident fanned criticism and protests by the civil society further, due to which, the high court was forced to take notice of the case. In the chambers of Justice Bajwa, a Sindh High Court judge, Bibi said that she ‘had been wronged’. It is unknown whether she was able to say anything else or not.
On March 26, she kept shouting that the court should ‘send her back to her mother instead of the shelter house in the court no. 1 of the Islamabad High Court (IHC). But just like the judge in Mirpur Mathelo’s court, the IHC judge mistook her yelling for anxiety and sent her to a shelter house instead of back to her mother so that she may, once again, reconsider her ‘predicament’. Unable to hug her weeping mother (as she was led away by female police women as if she were the criminal), at least she managed to tell her one thing,
“Mother, who are you asking for help? This country belongs to the Muslims. Everyone from the bottom to the top is an accomplice.”
Rinkle Kumari’s mother seeks justice at the Karachi Press Club. -Photo by author
This wasn’t the lament of the newly-converted Faryal but that of Rinkle whose voice had been suppressed amidst the noise in the courtroom. The next statement was taken in the registrar’s office instead of a courtroom and the newly-converted girl was sent home under police custody.
It was an end to the court’s story but just the beginning of a tale of pain and despair as no one expected any justice from any court. After Rinkle, it was the turn of Asha, Lata, Arvna, Devi and Bhagwanti. The chain of such events had changed so much.
Once, an uncle of another girl Durga came and showed me her birth certificate. Her date of birth was 2001. She was a minor who had been kidnapped from the street. About three days later, the news that she had converted to Islam was published in local newspapers. Her upset uncle asked me if there was any court in this land that would fight his case.
The grandmother of another minor girl, Vijanti from Umerkot who had been raped, broke down as she said that she would migrate to India with her granddaughter and their entire family if they didn’t get the justice they deserved. Their food and water was diminishing. Meanwhile, the Pakistani nation had wrapped itself in the coat of the Muslim ummah and had begun travelling on the road where there was no section for the identification of non-Muslim Pakistanis.
Another February 24 has arrived. The students of influential dargahs and/or madrassas are entering their youth. O you kafirs, protect your girls! The era of ulfat-e-Islam is about to begin for them as the list of young girls, newly-converted to Islam, is being prepared.
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The writer is an activist and columnist who struggles to fit in society.
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
“Pakistan” was created on Aug 14th 1947 because Muslims in “British ruled India” felt that they were not given enough opportunities and are not being respected as 2nd most populous religion (a.k.a minority). What happens after 66 years from then… Hindus, Sindhis or Christians from “Islamic republic of Pakistan” can’t breathe at ease and they are forcibly converted to accept Islam as their religion. Why does religion always take precedence over nation/nationality in Pakistan?
I know there are many educated, professionals in Pakistan who don’t want this happening in their country but its high time & they need to raise their voice against people doing it. For once just forget that you are a “Muslim” and they are not & remember that you are a “pakistani” and so are the 2,800,000 christians,2,600,000 hindus, 2,000,000 Ahmadis and 100,000 people following other religions. Love your fellow pakistanis & respect them. So what if they go to church & read bible…so what if they worship Krishna and read geeta…. they are still your brothers & sisters and belong to the same land. They deserve some respect and need your help at this time.
I hope I haven’t offended anyone reading my message and I appeal to each of the Pakistani Countrymen to respect each other’s individuality irrespective of what religion they belong to.
Peace !!!!
There can be no compulsion in religion according to Islam Surah Al Baqarah, Ayat ul Kursi
It is interesting how many muslims I meet from around the world that tell me that Pakistanis have ruined Islam’s reputation including their country’s. Sadly Pakistanis live in a bubble where every one believes himself to be Bin Qasim bent on Jihad. As cliched as it may sound religion is the opiate of the masses and so many of our fellow countrymen as truly high on it.
Logic failing all over the world. One can hardly see any logical comments here – all emotions. First of all this is not news but an opinion of a single person. Dawn is great which has given place and time to this article but it will be good to hear the other side and people should open their mind and ask for it. How many girls in Hindu families get killed once they chose to Mary for love. SO it may not be safe for Rinkle to be handed over to parents. I hope the honorable judge take notice of this letter and take appropriate action and proven that this was done forcefully then the culprits must be punished.
What is going on in the 21st century? Is sectarian divide so important that we must forcibly impose our religious beliefs on someone else. Yesterday I was reading a news bulletin where in the constituency of Mulayam Yadav, in UP, India a muslim boy was murdered for marrying a hindu girl. How long will this go on in the Indian subcontinent? The rest of the world is moving forward and we are keen on holding onto mideval age values? I applaud the courage of the writer of this article and applaud Dawn for publishing it.
This is really heart wrenching ! I am an Indian and happened to look at this news paper.
Though many of you have expressed your aghast to the story , its not about you. Its about the masses who still would rejoice at this news of forcing a non-believer to be converted to Islam. Till the time the masses refuse to tolerate such incidents, nothing much can be achieved. And to be able to do so you need courage to make changes to some of the ancient scriptures of Islam itself.
Maybe that my post will never get printed. However if it gets printed , pls think of this as my sincere and humble request (rather than as a blasphemy of a chauvinistic Indian) to the youth of Pakistan to challenge some very ancient concepts of Islam.
What a shame. No words to protest, but silence, deep silence…
I do not have words to describe sadness and anger i feel for these despicable acts purported in the name of Islam. Have the culprits not read the Quran that there is “no coercion in faith, truth is made distinct from error …..”? No one person is responsible for another’s faith and every human being is answerable to Allah individually. These incidents bring bad name and alienation to Islam and none respects Pakistani society when they hear or read such atrocities carried out by the society (people, police, other law enforcement agencies, judiciary, civil society, military etc.) as a whole in the name of Islam. This is not the Pakistan I knew.
Where is the tolerance that Islam taught us towards non-Muslims? I am so sad, ashamed, and disappointed. People should have the right to practice their religion (right or wrong). Who are we to judge and force our will? I have lived in the Christian majority United States for over 30 years and no one has ever questioned me about my religion (Islam).
I’m ashamed to be a PAKISTANI muslim.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. I am ashamed. Our judges have failed to do justice. They should be reminded that when a Muslim and a non Muslim appeared before the Holy Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) with a dispute he gave his decision against the Muslim because the Muslim was wrong. No favourtism, no discrimination is Islamic justice and those who don’t follow this approach are not following the Holy Prophet. Hence they are ……….
This is how Dawn had reported on the case on March 13, 2012 and April 18, 2012. It would appear that either Dawn was not telling the truth then or this writer is making up some ‘facts’ about the case.
http://dawn.com/2012/03/26/sc-allows-three-weeks-for-decision-in-forced-conversion-case/
http://dawn.com/2012/04/18/sc-issues-release-orders-for-convert-girls/