Pakistani Minister opposes restrictions on the religious conversion before turning 18

Islamabad (Pakistan) – Pakistan’s Minister for Religious Affairs, Noorul Haq Qadri, has rejected the proposal to impose strict rules against converting religion before turning 18.

1.Senate Parliamentary Committee on minorities’ rights member, Noorul Haq Qadri said that religious conversion before 18 years of age depends on their wish. Nobody can obstruct it. If, after having completed 14 years of age someone wishes to convert to another religion, it cannot be stopped. I do not support the restriction on religious conversion before 18 years of age. In Islam, there were several incidents when someone expressed their wish to convert their religion out of their own choice before turning 18. However, the minimum age limit for marriage can be decided by law and we can discuss it with the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII).

Pakistani minister opposes restrictions on the religious conversion of minors, says ‘it’s their choice’https://t.co/VajRmJ3JGX

— OpIndia.com (@OpIndia_com) July 15, 2021

2. Sindh in Pakistan has a high Hindu population. Incidents related to conversion have been rampant there. That is why this issue has been pending for many years. Qadri said that if anyone was involved in forced conversion, then the inquiry will be conducted. (Practically, every day many Hindu and Christian young girls are being abducted and later converted. How many inquiries of such cases were done ? How many people were sentenced so far ? It appears that the opposition to the proposal to impose strict rules against converting religion before turning 18 is to convert young Hindu and Christian girls conveniently to wipe out both. – Editor)

3. Danesh Kumar, a member of the Senate Parliamentary Committee on minorities told that a religious leader in Dalbandin in Baluchistan was encouraging conversion. (Although, it is also true that Pakistan would never take any action against him. – Editor)