Atrocities on Minority Hindus in Peshawar, Northwest Frontier Province, Pakistan

Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-6225

Majority Phone: (202) 224-4651
Minority Phone: (202) 224-3953

Re: Atrocities on Minority Hindus in Peshawar, Northwest Frontier Province, Pakistan

Dear Honorable Senators:

This petition aims to draw your attention to the disturbing reports in several South Asian media outlets (Nov. 7, 2003)*. These reports quote The Daily Times(http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_31-10-2003_pg7_43), an English daily based out of Peshawar, which is the capital of the Northwest Frontier Province in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, about eviction orders being served by the local authorities upon seventy Hindu families to leave their ancestral homes, and the demolition of the local Hindu Temple.

The Hindu community currently forms less than three percent ** (17\% in 1948) of the present population of Pakistan. They continue to face rampant discrimination and persecution in every sphere of life. The goals of this systematic persecution seem to be the forcible conversion of the minority Hindu community to the religion of Islam as well as the expulsion of Hindus from their homes and lands in Pakistan.

Therefore, we, the undersigned, urgently request your support and action in ensuring the withdrawal of eviction orders from The Peshawar Cantonment Board as well as ensuring immediate security to the Hindu families in Peshawar.

We greatly appreciate your time and consideration in this extremely important matter.


References

* Media reports

http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=13302462

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_449498,0008.htm

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/00107100040.htm

http://www.indiaexpress.com/news/world/20031107-2.html

http://www.keralanext.com/news/index.asp?id=18668

http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/nov/07pak.htm



** Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook 2003

http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/pk.html#People