Pakistan's minority Hindus were being targeted by religious extremists, leading to a sense of insecurity among the community and forcing some to leave the country, lawyers and human rights activists have said.
They were speaking at a seminar organised by the Council for All Under Privileged Segments Eminence on 'What is the Future of Minorities in the Country' on Monday at Mirpurkhas in the southern Sindh province, which has a large population of Hindus.
The minorities have equal rights under the Constitution, but they were deprived of the rights as "no authority was implementing" the statute, president of District Bar Association, Tharparkar, Deedar Baloch said.
Minorities practically have no rights in the country and as a result, a sense of deprivation was prevailing among them, local daily Dawn on Tuesday quoted him as saying.
Speaking on the occasion, chairman of CAUSE Asghar Narejo said incidents of kidnapping and murder of Hindus have increased in Sindh province in recent times.
Kanji Ranomal Bheel, coordinator of the core group of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan in Mirpurkhas, accused some government officials and agencies of "forcing the minorities living in towns and villages near the borders to pay extortion money."
A sense of insecurity was prevailing among the Hindu community due to "atrocities" of the government officials, advocate Bhooro Kolhi said.
Social worker Paul Janson alleged that minorities were being targeted by religious extremists throughout the country and stressed the need for ending extremism.