Chicago, IL, July 31st, 2024 — The Sindhi Foundation, organized a powerful demonstration outside the Consulate General of Pakistan in Chicago, demanding justice for Priya Kumari, an 11-year-old girl who was abducted while she offering water to mourners of the Shaheeds of Karbala, on muharram event. Sindh, Pakistan, in August 2021.
The Sindhi Foundation and local community came to protest all Hindu community around the world demands the immediate release of Priya Kumari, a Sindhi Hindu minor abducted three years ago in Sindh-Pakistan, whose captivity highlights the broader struggles of the Sindhi Hindu community. They also raise concerns about state-sponsored human rights abuses against Sindhis, including land occupation, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings, aimed at homogenizing society in favor of Islam and Urdu.
Priya was just seven years old when she was kidnapped while offering water to mourners of the Shaheeds of Karbala, a significant event in the Sindhi Hindu community. The circumstances surrounding her abduction are distressing, with reports indicating that the kidnappers are connected to influential political and military figures, allowing them to evade justice and leaving Priya’s family and community in anguish.
Under the banner “Sindh’s Strength is the World’s Strength,” The Sindhi Foundation united to call for an end to the crimes against Sindhi Hindus and the safe return of Priya Kumari. The protesters voiced their concerns not only for Priya but also for the broader issues of systemic discrimination and violence faced by Hindu religious minorities in Sindh.
In addition to demanding justice for Priya, the community is advocating for the nullification of the controversial Census 2023, calling for a new and transparent census to ensure accurate representation of Sindhi Hindus and the challenges they face.
Mr. Sanjesh Dhanja, the president of the Hindu Sindh Foundation, attended the event and emphasized that he and his team have been raising voice for Priya’s freedom for the past three years. Despite their efforts, he lamented that the global community has not taken this issue seriously.
The community has pledged to escalate their demands to international forums if necessary, reflecting their determination to seek justice for Priya Kumari. As they continue their fight, they call upon social organizations and the United Nations to expedite efforts to recover the young girl and address the ongoing plight of the Sindhi Hindu community.
The parents and relatives of Priya Kumari remain deeply worried, hoping that their cries for help will resonate with those who have the power to intervene and bring their daughter home. The demonstration in Chicago marks a significant moment in the ongoing struggle for justice and the protection of minority rights in Sindh.
The Sindhi Foundation is unwavering in its commitment to protest until their demands are met, particularly the safe return of Priya Kumari. They are calling on international agencies to halt aid to Pakistan until the egregious human rights violations against Sindhis come to an end.The powerful protest in Chicago is just the beginning, as the Sindhi Foundation has organized a series of demonstrations next week, all designed to shine a spotlight on the struggles of the Sindhi community and rally global support for their fight for justice in Pakistan.
For more updates and detailed coverage of this case and other issues affecting the Hindu and Sindhi communities in Sindh, Pakistan, stay tuned to Sindh Renaissance.
