ajay@mercury.aichem.arizona.edu (Ajay Shah) (03/16/91)
Hindus being 'persecuted' in Pakistan Washington, February 3 (UNI): A US state department report has highlighted the complaints and harassement and persecution of minorities, including Hindus and Christians, in Pakistan. Hindus complain of continued kidnapping and forced conversion of young women, confiscation of Hindu shrines and temples, disruption of prayer services and the burning of Hindu texts as well as the torture of detained Hindus, says the human rights report for 1990 which the state department submitted to the US congress on Friday. It however, says the Hindu community has not been barred from celebrating its festivals. In April, the Hindu community approached the federal government with a recommendation to show their festivals and cultural programs on television, it added. The state department's documents says Christians have had difficulty obtaining permission from local and federal officials to build new churches and recently began working through the courts to regain possession of educational institutions that were nationalized in 1970s. Ajay Shah --------------------------------------------- Edited By Surekha Reddy Gaddam. Please mail your news articles to gaddam@remus.rutgers.edu ________________________________________________