ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday said that forced conversions of non-Muslims were against Islam and a “violation of Allah’s commands”.

While addressing a minority convention, the former prime minister condemned the forced conversions of Hindu girls to Islam in Sindh.

“There is an ayat (verse) in the Holy Quran [that] there is no coercion in Islam. This is Allah’s commandment. Whoever forcefully converts a non-Muslim is disobeying Allah.” He added that Allah even asked the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to only ‘preach His message’, and not worry about people entering the fold of Islam as this was not his responsibility.

Mr Khan said that while there was a lot of hate in the world based on colour and religion, Islam did not believe in it.

“Once a person starts practising Islam, he becomes a blessing for all hu­­m­ankind,” said Mr Khan, adding that Islam stresses on justice and equality.

He cited the example of two caliphs who were summoned by the courts.

“A Jew brought the case against Hazrat Ali but he lost the case, despite being the caliph, because the qazi [judge] refused to admit his [Hazrat Ali’s] son’s testimony.”

He added that Islam stresses on justice and that’s why, 26 years ago, he decided to name the party as ‘Insaf ki tehreek’ (Movement for justice). Mr Khan also mentioned the killing of four Muslim men in the US state of New Mexico, claiming that their killing was a result of Islamophobia.

However according to media reports, Albuquerque police has arrested the primary suspect who was also a Muslim and had developed differences with the decea­sed men over ‘personal animus’.

Mr Khan also urged the masses to attend the public gathering on Aug 13 on the eve of Independence Day in Lahore’s National Hockey Stadium.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2022