WASHINGTON — HinduACTion is scheduled to hold a congressional briefing on Capitol Hill on January 16 to highlight what the organization describes as the persecution, forced conversions, and trafficking of Hindu, Christian, and other religious minorities in Pakistan.
The briefing, titled “Our Lost Daughters of Sindh,” is aimed at members of Congress, congressional staff, officials from the U.S. State Department and National Security Council, human rights advocates, and groups working to combat human trafficking, according to the organization.
Organizers said the session will bring together historical research, visual art, personal testimony, and documentary material to present what they characterize as an underreported human rights crisis in South Asia.
The program will include a visual presentation tracing the millennia-long history of Hindu communities in Pakistan, along with an immersive art exhibit by artist Kiran Chukkapalli depicting the experiences of Hindu refugees fleeing persecution. Testimonies from civil rights defenders based in Pakistan are also planned.
A documentary produced by Indus Valley Minorities will be screened as part of the briefing. The film focuses on cases of forced conversions and trafficking involving Hindu, Christian, and other minority communities in Pakistan.
“This briefing is designed to move policymakers beyond statistics and headlines,” said Utsav Chakrabarti, executive director of HinduACTion. “By centering lived experience, historical truth, and documented evidence, we aim to inform and galvanize U.S. leadership to confront ongoing religious persecution.”
In a statement, HinduACTion encouraged participants to invite their local elected officials to attend and engage with the briefing.
Separately, organizers said a nationwide peaceful rally is planned across U.S. cities on January 31 to raise awareness about violence against Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh. The rally is being described as a non-political, humanitarian initiative open to people of all faiths and backgrounds. (Source: IANS)
