Interview: ‘Growing Up As A Hindu In Pakistan Has Made Me More Sensitive To The Issues Of Minorities Elsewhere’

Born in 1973 to middle-class Hindu parents in Umerkot town of Sindh province, Lal Chand Malhi was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan in the 2013 General Election. Malhi contested the polls on a ticket from the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf led by former cricketer Imran Khan and won from a reserved seat. Known for his efforts to defend human rights, especially of the minorities in Muslim-dominated Pakistan, the journalist-turned-politician spoke to INNLIVE on a wide range of issues. Excerpts:

Tell us about your background?
I come from Umerkot, a typical moffusil town near the India-Pakistan border in Sindh province. I studied in government schools in Umerkot and went on to do my intermediate from Hyderabad city in Sindh before graduating from the University of Sindh, Jamshoro.
While I was in the university, I was also into social work and founded an NGO called Sami Foundation. In 1995, I started working for the Pakistan Human Rights Commission. After graduation, I became a journalist and worked for various organisations until 2001, when I returned to my hometown and contested for the post of the head of the local government body. I won and went on to join the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). Over the years, however, I was disappointed with the existing political parties and attracted by Imran Khan’s dynamic and secular leadership. In 2013, I quit the PPP and joined Khan in his fight for a new Pakistan.

Speaking as an outsider, I feel it is dangerous to be a journalist and a politician in Pakistan. Are you attracted by danger?
I love both journalism and politics because these two professions are meant to address the issues and problems of the people. Journalism can identify grave issues that are hidden, while politics is where you can resolve those issues. Once you enter either profession, it is difficult to leave it behind forever. Yes, journalism in Pakistan is going through its worst phase in the post-independence era. 

A large number of journalists are being attacked and killed, mostly the low-paid and less-celebrated rural journalists, whose killings don’t get much national attention. They run into trouble once they start reporting on human rights violations and transgressions by the feudal lords. Baluchistan is a classic example. It takes incredible guts to report from there as the feudal lords and the feudal elements in the police will join hands to finish you. Moreover, petty fights between media groups are also affecting journalism in Pakistan and there is a tendency not to report attacks against the journalists of your rival group.

Hindu right-wing forces in India are saying that Hindus from all parts of the world should return to India and those who don’t accept Hindutva should leave the country.
We are Hindus but Pakistan is our homeland. Why should we leave our homeland? I know some Hindus who believed the propaganda of the Sangh Parivar and migrated from Pakistan to India in recent years. They are treated as second-class citizens in India. Even highly skilled migrants are facing difficulties in finding good jobs that match their qualifications.

Are the Hindus in Pakistan happy that ‘Hindu Samrat’ Narendra Modi is ruling India?
When I visited India, I found that some of my relatives and friends were praising Modi. They said, “Modi succeeded in sidelining the Muslims in Gujarat.” But as a practising Hindu living in Pakistan, I hate the majoritarian politics of Modi. Hindus are living in different countries. What will happen if majoritarian religious fundamentalists in all these countries start saying, “Hindus should go to their homeland”? The Sangh Parivar should not forget that a major chunk of their funds are coming from rich migrants working in the US and Europe.

So, are you a Hindu MP from Pakistan who is critical of Modi’s Hindutva?
My experience of being born and brought up in the Hindu minority community in Pakistan has made me more sensitive to the issues of minorities elsewhere. When the Babri Masjid was demolished by Hindutva zealots, the Hindus in Pakistan were drowned in panic, especially those living in Sindh province. But the Muslim leaders of the secular parties ensured that no temples or Hindus were attacked in retaliation. Similarly, during the time of the Gujarat genocide (which I believe was politically supervised by Modi), we were scared of possible retaliatory violence. 

But as far as I know, not a single Hindu was attacked. Modi’s attitude to secularism was very clear when he infamously refused to don the Muslim skullcap. Once Imran Khan came to Umerkot to attend a function organised by the Hindu community. When we gifted him a ‘Hindu’ turban, he happily wore it. By accepting it, he was sending out a message to the minorities that they are part of Pakistan. The massive mandate received by the Aam Aadmi Party in the Delhi state election is a warning to Modi that India is not Gujarat.

But the minorities are also attacked in Pakistan. How do you explain that?
Yes, that is unfortunately true. In India, the RSS is trying to suppress the liberal traditions of Hinduism and reinvent it in the Hindutva mould. Similarly, the liberal Sufi traditions of Islam are under tremendous attack in Pakistan from terrorist and fundamentalist organisations. And some of these non-State actors also attack the minorities, sometimes in connivance with the feudal elites. There are instances of forced conversions and sexual violence also. And, interestingly, there are also striking caste dimensions to this. Most of the victims are Dalit Hindus and Dalit Christians.

Are terrorists infiltrating the Pakistan Army?
By and large, our armed forces are secular and professional. But there can be isolated incidents. Even in India, Hindutva terrorists succeeded in infiltrating the army, which was exposed by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad.

Given the repeated incidents of terrorist attacks in Pakistan, including the brutal attack on a school in Peshawar, where do you think is the country heading?
The attitude of political parties has changed after the Peshawar attack. Parties who traditionally support negotiations with the terrorists have changed their stance and unanimously declared their support for stern action against all terrorist groups. Now, we do not distinguish between the so-called good and bad Taliban. 

The imposition of martial law in the country at regular intervals has created vested interests in all the institutions. It also brought in politicians who do not genuinely represent the people of Pakistan. Consequently, corruption, nepotism, lawlessness and injustice became deep-rooted. These roots strengthen the status quo and resist change. I hope Imran Khan’s creative and secular politics will ensure the defeat of the status-quoist powers.

Do you expect Indo-Pakistan relations to become more friendly after Imran Khan comes to power?
As the big brother, India should initiate the dialogue. I am sure the common people in both the countries love peace. Khan’s politics is based on progressive and democratic ideals.

What is your opinion about an Indian falling in love with a Pakistani?
Love has no boundaries. It has no religion. I support marriage between lovers regardless of their country of origin or religion. Most of the Rajput Hindus in Pakistan get married in India. Those who cannot afford a visa or are denied the same face a lot of suffering. In several instances, the Indian authorities are denying them visa.