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ISLAMABAD, Dec 04 (APP): school incidentMinister of State for Religious Affairs Kesoo Mal Kheal Das on Thursday informed the Senate that the Sindh government had taken prompt notice of the reported incident at Mirpur Sakro Girls High School involving allegations of pressuring non-Muslim students to convert to Islam.
Responding to a calling attention notice moved by Senator Danesh Kumar, the minister said the affected family had raised the issue through a press conference, alleging that the school headmistress had coerced minority students.
He stated that Islam did not allow compulsion in matters of faith and that the Constitution guaranteed full protection of minority rights.
He said the matter fell under the provincial education department, and the Sindh education minister had constituted an inquiry committee which visited the area and conducted a detailed investigation.
The minister added that, according to available information, the issue had been resolved locally between the families and the teacher concerned.
Kesoo Mal Kheal Das said Sindh had a long tradition of interfaith harmony, and people of different religions participated in each other’s festivals. He said isolated incidents caused concern but did not reflect official policy at any level of government.
The minister, who also belongs to the Hindu community, said no provincial or federal government supported forced conversions or forced marriages.
He underscored the need for curriculum reforms and coordinated policies to prevent any form of religious pressure in educational institutions.
He assured the house that the inquiry report would be provided to Senator Danesh Kumar and reaffirmed that the Sindh government and Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah were committed to ensuring the protection of minority communities. “No injustice against any citizen will be tolerated,” he added.
Separately, the house took up amendments to the Senate’s procedural rules. Senator Shahadat Awan sought — and was granted — leave under Rule 278(4) to move a substitution of Rule 209 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 2012.
The proposed new rule clarifies that all pending notices, except those pertaining to introduction of a bill, amendments to a bill, questions of privilege, and questions, shall lapse upon prorogation of a session and must be reissued for the next session.
Senator Awan subsequently moved that the proposed substitution be taken into consideration. The house approved the motion, and the amended Rule 209 was adopted.