Digging Up Bhooro’s grave and throwing his deadbody away :Sign of intolerance for religious minorities- Act is strongly condemned

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Bhooro Bheel’s Deadbody which was dug out and thrown away

Amid high slogans of ALLAHU AKBAR (God is great), a crowd led by some clerics of the extremist outfit of Ahle Sunaat Jamaat dug up the grave of a Hindu man in southern part of Pakistan, known as land of sufis (mystic), and threw the body away which was lying on the road. The crowd dug up the body of Bhooro Bheel, 30 man, who died in a road accident and dragged it through the streets of the Pangrio Town few days ago. Feedback email: rightsnowpak@gmail.com

According to a local journalist, this issue arose of a dispute over the plot of the graveyard. Muslim clerics said the graveyard of Faqir Auliya is reserved only for Muslims. My question was: were there only clerics or common people also joined them in this shameful act? He told me that issue was raised by the clerics which got attention of common people and thus they were trapped into it. The slogans of ALLAHU AKBER mobilized them actually and they joined this as Jihad.”

How Jihad is being misunderstood and misused in Pakistan can be judged from this and such other incidents. This incident has shocked moderate Pakistanis beyond measure who are recalling Sindh, the land of sufis, land of Qalandar Shahbaz, Bhit Shah, Sachal Sami and other sufis and poets who spread the message of tolerance, peace, love and coexistence. This incident has also moved sensitive segments of the society who think the threat of extremism is increasing and there is no willing Pakistani state or the government which keeps check on it or take steps to control this negative trend.

Social scientists are seeing the Pakistani society retrogressing. They think poverty, illiteracy, conflict with neighboring countries, State patronage to religion, and Pakistan’s proxy wars in Afghanistan and wrong policies of Pakistani establishment and agencies are contributing intolerance and extremism in the society where tolerance and nonviolence, which was once built in values of province like Sindh are depleting.

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I am glad people in Sindh, rather majority of people in Sindh, who are still secular, tolerant and peaceful see this increasing threat of extremism as result of State policies and express their solidarity with the religious minorities. Hafeez Kunbhar, a renowned poet and journalist shared his views on social media on this incident as:

…Bhooro Bheel’s corpse is my dead body….I am dragged from my grave by Sindhi molvis …( religious fundamentalists) with common Sindhi people supported them….though I am buried again but my corpse feels as it is on road, in streets till centuries ……my dead body was dug out and thrown because i was non-Muslim ……………Has anybody dare to tackle this issue?
Political scientist are attributing all this to wrong state policies and seeing worse situation for religious minorities in coming days. Lawyers, journalist and other civil society actors are trying hard to deal with such situation but unfortunately they do not sufficient resources, state support.
NGOs from provincial capital and others parts of Sindh and Pakistan visited the place of incident, met Bhooro’s heirs bereaved community and expressed their solidarity with the Bhoor’s family and raised this issue in media but the follow up in this issues and addressing this problem forever is an important question which needs answer. Despite the fact, RightsNow Pakistan highly appreciate the response of NGOs, media, lawyers and civil society actors on this incident.

Pakistan, a country of about 180 million people has all kinds of minorities (religious, ethnic, linguistic, sexual). Among religious minorities are Hindus, Sikh, Christians, Sikh, Parsis, and may be some Jews. Due to insecurity, lack of protection, high level of threats, Hindus have started leaving for India. Christians and Ahmedis are seeking asylum in other countries. Other religious minorities are facing the same situation.

Pakistan, where Guru Nanak Dev, founder of Sikhism was born at Nankana Sahib. He was equally respected by Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and other religious minorities living in Pakistan. When Guru passed away, the local Muslims, Hindus, and other religious communities actively participated in his final rites. Where are those days gone? Said a Hindu business while commenting on the incident of Bhooro Bheel.

Sindh, southern province of Pakistan, is home to most of Pakistan’s Hindus whose approxmate number is 2 million among a population of 180 million. Sindh where Muslims and Hindus once lives in peace and harmony but Pakistan’s rocky relationship with neighboring India, a predominantly Hindus country, has fed tention between the two communities. Digging up Bhooro Bheel grave, throwing it away on the road, is one of the menisfestation of tension between Pakistan and India. The effects of this conflict have reached to a remote place, small town like Pangrio even.
One Hindu lady doctor, who loves Sindh like her mother, expressed her emotions on this incident in this way: “Should Hindus have followed the footsteps of Jews? As once Jews were also living in Pakistan at the beginning of 20th century, they had their workship places, but when their Synagogues were burnt, they got the message and left Pakistan. I think Sindhi Hindus should also read what is written on the wall.”

All citizens are equal citizens as promised in the Constitution of Pakistan and their protection is primary responsibility of the State. It seems Pakistani State is not only unable but also unwilling in fulfilling its responsibilities. In this case, the responsibility of Pakistan civil society, media, legal fraternity and international community increases. There is strong need of a discourse and dialogue to find the causes of increasing intolerance against religious minorities in Pakistan and their redress. There is strong need being felt in Sindh and Pakistan that international community seriously engage Pakistani state/government on issues of religious minorities and seek its commitment and sincerity in addressing their issues. It is also responsibility of international community and donors to build the capacity of Pakistan legal fraternity and civil society which should come forward in such situation to protect the rights of their fellow citizens, particularly when the state has failed to act in this regard.