NewsDecember 22 , 2016
Zardari calls JI Chief, assures to repeal forced conversion bill
DUBAI: Former president and Pakistan People’s Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari made a telephonic contact with Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan Chief Senator Sirajul Haq and assured him that PPP Sindh government was ready to tack back recently passed forced conversion bill in the provincial assembly.
According to JI Spokesman, the PPP Co-Chairman, , who is due to return to Pakistan on December 23, called Sirajul Haq and apprised him that Pakistan People’s Party was ready to strike down objectionable protection of minorities’ bill in the Sindh Assembly which imposed restriction on age for embracing Islam for non-Muslims.
JI Chief welcomed the decision, saying that minorities in the country were fully independent to spend lives in accordance with their religions. He added each citizen have equivalent rights to live in Pakistan, anyone belongs to any religion.
Last month, the provincial assembly had unanimously passed into law the Sindh Criminal Law (Protection of Minorities) Bill 2015 in a bid to prevent and criminalise forced religious conversions and subsequent forced marriages.
Under this law perpetrators could face a minimum of five years and a maximum of life in prison, while minors are forbidden from converting to another religion until 18 years of age.
The Controversial bill engrossed wrath of religious parties which termed newly-adopted bill against basic tenets of Islam. The religious parties were of the view that the new law would make it difficult for members of religious minorities to adopt Islam.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk
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