Signed The Petition "Help us secure the release of a revered Hindu leader in Pakistan"

By Arvind Iyer (PHP Coordinator, Human Rights)
Tuesday, March 15, 2011

 (Photo : Garji 82, the abducted Hindu spiritual leader in Balochistan, Pakistan)

Namasty,

         Please signed the petition "Help us secure the release of a revered Hindu leader in Pakistan" and wanted to see if you could help by adding your name.

Our goal is to reach 100 signatures and we need more support. You can read more and sign the petition here:

http://www.change.org/petitions/help-us-secure-the-release-of-a-revered-hindu-leader-in-pakistan?share_source=share-petition_em&ue=sei

Thanks!

OVERVIEW

Lakki Chand Garji is a revered Hindu leader from Balochistan province in Pakistan. He is one of the most revered and respected Hindu leaders both nationally and internationally. He was kidnapped by a gang of armed men on December 21st, 2010. He is yet to be recovered despite both local and provincial gubernatorial efforts.

Sri Garji's kidnapping demonstrates the vulnerable state of minorities in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Even in Balochistan, with its secular and tolerant history, Hindu businesspeople and religious leaders have been targeted for murders, kidnapping, and ransom. Many Hindu families have fled the area or applied for asylum in India. Despite protests by local groups, the government has demonstrated its inability to protect the Hindu population both in Balochistan and elsewhere in Pakistan.

PETITIONING

• Pakistani Ambassador to the United States(Ambassador Haqqani)
  • USCIRF(Leonard Leo)
    • President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan(President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan)
      
      

STARTED BY Pakistan Hindu Post

 

Read Petition Letter

PETITION LETTER

Secure the timely release Sri Garji

Greetings,

We, the petitioners, seek the timely release of Sri Garji. He was kidnapped by armed robbers 2 months ago in Balochistan in Pakistan. He is one of the most revered and influential Hindu leaders in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and his kidnapping highlights the vulnerable state of minorities there. Hindus are frequently the target of armed robberies, often for ransom, as well as kidnapping. Local authority intervention has been quite lacking, and families often have to pay hefty sums of ransom for their release. So far, the Mandir which Sri Garji belongs to has not received any request for ransom, indicating that Sri Garji may have been targeted because he was a Hindu leader.

While this issue is very difficult to fathom, it only augments the difficulties faced by Hindus in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Without proper gubernatorial support, provision for education,or proper security, the Hindu minority is quickly disappearing. By recovering Sri Garji, the government can demonstrate its commitment to the security and spiritual well being of the Hindu community.

We call upon the government to:

1) Recover Sri Garji and allow him to resume his duties at Kali Mandir
2) Employ a commission to look into the kidnapping/ransom/killings of local Hindu businesspeople and religious leaders and work with the Hindu community on solutions
3) Catch the perpetrators and ensure maximum sentences per the Pakistan Penal Code.

We encourage the government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Balochistan government to catch the perpetrators, recover Sri Garji, and send a message of zero-tolerance for crimes against women and minorities.

[Your name]

NOTE : Mr.Kailash Kumar, a  PHP Balochistan says , Maharaj Lakki Chand Garji a Hindu spiritual leader  who has been kidnapped 2 months ago in Balochistan, There is Rs 3 crores Pakistani rupees in ransom demanded by his kidnapper for his safe release or else he has to convert into Islam or get kill. This is the way Hindus are tortured in Balochistan and rest of Pakistan nowdays.

The PHP Team