The bill is designed to prevent forced conversions and the manipulation of children. How could anyone oppose this?
An update on this story. “Pakistan ministry rejects age bar on Islamic conversion,” by Kamran Chaudhry, UCA News, September 24, 2021:
Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has rejected a bill that proposed regulations on conversions to Islam.
“Clauses related to the 18-year age bar on religion conversion, appearance before a judge, and a 90-day waiting period in the proposed bill are anti-Sharia, illegal and in violation of the fundamental constitutional rights,” Religious Affairs Minister Pir Noor ul Haq Qadri said in a Sept. 23 press statement.
“The draft Anti-Forced Conversion Bill has been returned to the federal Ministry for Human Rights. The proposed law in its present form clashes with Islamic Sharia. There is a fear that this bill can be used to stop embracing Islam. It will cause hatred among Muslim and non-Muslim communities. Islam rejects forced conversions and it is after all necessary to stop this. Such cases are very few in Pakistan but they cause notoriety.”
Muslim clerics in Pakistan had been voicing opposition to the bill that would only allow “mature people” to change their religion. A parliamentary committee to protect minorities from forced conversions recommended in February that only a “mature person” (adult) may be allowed to change religion after appearing before an additional sessions judge.
The committee suggested that the judge set a date for an interview within seven days of receipt of the conversion application. An additional clause empowered the judge with the option to grant the person 90 days to undertake a comparative study of the religions concerned before returning to his office for a final decision. The additional sessions judge may issue the certificate of conversion only after being completely satisfied, the committee recommended.
Earlier this week, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) invited Mian Mithu, a cleric known for his alleged involvement in forced Hindu conversions, to discuss these cases during a session….
Infidel says
I prefer the Taliban’s candor, when they call their equivalent of this Paki department ‘Ministry for the promotion of virtue and the prevention of vice’. It’s light years more honest than any Paki department that has ‘Interfaith Harmony’ in its name
gravenimage says
Yes, Infidel–this is pure Taqiyya.
Ray Jarman says
I know the answer but I would love to ask Khan and other members of the Paki government if it is ok for Christians to endeavor to convert Muslims? We all know that to do so would be committing suicide in Pakistan and many other Islamic countries but maybe the not so free world would be enlightened by the answer.
mortimer says
What a lie! Islam doesn’t oppose forced conversions as they claim. Mohammed FORCED CONVERSIONS himself, so they cannot disagree with Mohammed … unless they are blasphemers. Nice try. Nevertheless, I hope this bill can be adopted to protect vulnerable girls from forced conversions.
For Pakistan not to adopt this bill would be reprehensible … but it would be NORMATIVE, 7th-century Islam.
Michael Copeland says
“Islam rejects forced conversions” – Religious Affairs Minister
“Does Islam, or does it not, force people by the power of the sword to submit…? Yes!” – Osama bin Laden
Michael Copeland says
“Our Prophet has taught us that the sword should be raised against kafirs ….for the enforcement of the religion of Islam on this earth.”
Khabeebur Rehman Qazi, Pakistani Cleric
https://www.memri.org/jttm/pakistani-cleric-khabeebur-rehman-qazi-says-allah-has-ordered-muslims-take-weapons-and-has
“Islam is a religion of power, fighting, jihad, beheading and bloodshed.” — Imam Hussein Bin Mahmoud, prominent writer
gravenimage says
Pakistan: Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony rejects bill placing age limit on conversion to Islam
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Of course they did. Muslims there regularly kidnap and forcibly convert minors–especially girls, who are often raped and otherwise brutalized.
God, I hate Islam.