Pak Hindus: India in a bind,allows visa for longer stay

A large number of about 5,000 Hindus who are learnt to have come to India from Pakistan in the past couple of years have chosen not to return.

A large number of about 5,000 Hindus who are learnt to have come to India from Pakistan in the past couple of years have chosen not to return. They came to India on short-term visas,which allow them a stay for 30 days,but many of them expressed desire to stay for a longer period.

With India not having an asylum policy for these Hindus who are Pakistan nationals New Delhi is caught in a bind. Deliberations are underway between the ministries of External Affairs and Home Affairs on the issue.

So,pending the decision on how to deal with this influx of Hindus from Pakistan into the country,the Home Ministry has decided to grant them long-term visas,allowing them a stay of six months to a year.

The issue has gained prominence in the past couple of days,as about 250 of them crossed over to India after getting visas.

The recent turn of events a 14-year-old Hindu girls abduction was reported in Pakistans Jacobabad city in Sindh province three days ago led the Pakistan immigration control authorities to detain a delegation of 150 Hindus for seven hours on Friday,before being allowed to enter India. On Saturday,another batch of over 100 Pakistani Hindus crossed into India via the Wagah border.

They are visiting India on a month-long pilgrimage.

On Saturday,as Pakistan observed Minorities Day the day on which in 1947 Mohd Ali Jinnah had laid the contours of a modern and tolerant Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari said,We cannot be unmindful of hopes and fears of minorities in the country8230;let us also pledge8230;ending violence and extremism as well as alleviating the sufferings of our non-Muslim brethren.

India has not officially reacted to the recent events. However,External Affairs Minister S M Krishna had in May 2 this year told Parliament in response to a Zero Hour mention by BJPs Murli Manohar Joshi that it is the responsibility of the Pakistani government to discharge its constitutional obligations towards its citizens,including those from the minority community.

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Krishna had also said while the Simla Agreement of 1972 between India and Pakistan specifically provides for non-interference in each others internal affairs,nevertheless,based on reports of persecution of minority groups in Pakistan,New Delhi has taken up the matter with Islamabad in the past8230;the Pakistan government has stated that it was fully cognisant of the situation and looked after the welfare of all its citizens,particularly the minority community.

Zardari forms panel

Taking serious note of reports of a sense of insecurity among Hindus in Sindh,Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has set up a three-member committee of parliamentarians to visit different parts of the province to reassure the minority community about their security. Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the committee comprises Hari Ram,Lal Chand and federal minister Moula Bakhsh Chandio. The President has also asked the authorities in Sindh to assess the situation and to submit a report to him. PTI