How Pakistani Hindus Are Facing After-Effects Of Seema Haider's Illegal Entry To India

Even as the authorities are trying to dig deep into the past of Pakistani woman Seema Haider after she illegally entered India to be with her boyfriend Sachin Meena, the situation in her country seems to be getting worse for minority Hindus.

The Hindus and their temples have become the easy target of the radicals who are upset with Haider for ditching her husband to be with her Hindu boyfriend in India.

Last Friday, a 150-year-old-holy shrine Mari Mata Temple was demolished in Karachi's Soldier Bazaar. Locals have claimed that the operation took place late Friday night while there was no electricity in the area. They razed the entire inside structure while leaving the outer walls and the main gate intact, PTI reported.

Residents reportedly claimed to see a police vehicle present to give 'cover' for the individuals operating the bulldozers and other equipment, as per Dawn.

On the following day, yet another temple in Sindh came under attack. The Radhasoami temple in the Kashmore area was targeted with rocket launchers, fortunately without causing any explosions. The authorities attributed the attack to a gang of dacoits.

"This is happening because of Seema Haider. They cannot tolerate a Muslim woman marrying a Hindu man," Dhanraj, who shifted to India from Pakistan four months ago, told the Swaraj website.

A Hindu woman living on the outskirts of Karachi in Pakistan's Sindh province told The Quint that she has not stepped out of her house for two weeks. "My parents told me it's not safe. I think this might have something to do with Seema Haider's case," she told the website over the phone on 18 July.

Mian Mithoo, a high-profile religious leader in rural Sindh, known for using his seminary to convert Hindu girls to Islam and even bandits, has openly threatened to punish Seema if she returns. His supporters have also threatened to attack Hindu worship places in Seema's village.

On July 11, a video lasting about 45 seconds emerged on the internet, showing armed men purportedly from the Jakhrani tribe, to which Seema belongs. In the video, these men made threats to the Hindu community in Pakistan, warning that unless Seema returns home, Hindus in the country will face consequences.

A rights group in Pakistan has raised alarm over criminal gangs holding hostage 30 members of the minority Hindu community, including women and children.

"HRCP is alarmed by reports of deteriorating law and order in the districts of Kashmore and Ghotki in Sindh, where some 30 members of the Hindu community - including women and children - have allegedly been held hostage by organised criminal gangs," tweeted Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

The HRCP has received disturbing reports that these gangs have threatened to attack the community's sites of worship. "Moreover, we have received disturbing reports that these gangs have threatened to attack the community's sites of worship, using high-grade weapons. The Sindh Home Department must investigate this matter immediately and take steps to protect all vulnerable citizens in these areas," tweeted HECP.

Pakistani Woman's Cross Border Love Story

Seema Haider, a married Muslim woman from Pakistan and mother of four, came across 22-year-old Sachin Meen on PUBG during the pandemic in 2020. "We became friends and our friendship turned to love and our chats became longer -- every morning and night -- before we finally decided to meet," AFP quoted the 27-year-old woman as saying.

After falling in love, she left her country and married him in Nepal. She then went back to her country, sold her property for flight tickets and a Nepal visa from where she illegally entered India with her four children to stay with the man whom she married in May.

On July 4, Seema was arrested by local police for entering India illegally and Sachin was held for sheltering illegal immigrants. However, they both were granted bail by a local court on July 7 and have been living together along with her four children in a house in the Rabupura area.

However, Seema and Sachin Meena were questioned by the Uttar Pradesh Police's Anti-Terrorist Squad on Monday and Tuesday as speculations started doing rounds about whether she might be a Pakistani agent.

On the other hand, Pakistan's intelligence agencies have informed the country's government that "love" is the "only" factor that led her to enter India to live with a Hindu man, a media report said on Monday.

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday said it would not be appropriate to say if Pakistani citizen Seema Haider is a spy "unless we have enough proof".

"The matter is related to two countries. Till we have enough proof, it would not be appropriate to say anything in this regard," he said.