Pakistan ‘threatens’ Hindu-American advocacy group for exposé on 1971 Bangladesh genocide

Washington: Pakistan nefarious tactics to intimidate dissenting voices continues rampantly across the globe, as now a Hindu-American advocacy group has alleged that Islamabad has threatened them for doing an exposé on the Pakistan Army’s genocide during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.

The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) claimed that it received a communication from Pakistan’s Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Web Analysis Division, threatening that it should “within 24 hours” take down the ‘Bengali Hindu Genocide’ website that documents perspectives on the genocidal deeds of the then West Pakistan’s (now Pakistan) military.

The warning letter further stated that the Pakistan government will “remove or block” access to the web page in the country.

The nearly-10-month genocidal campaign by the Pakistan Army left around 30 lakh people dead, 2,00,000-4,00,000 women raped and more than 1 crore people displaced – most of them Hindus, the HAF said in an official statement.

“Your website i.e. https://www.hinduamerican.org/1971-bangladesh-genocide is involved in dissemination of content with intent to ridicule, defame the Armed Forces of Pakistan in order to provoke anti-state sentiments, cause disharmony, feelings of enmity among masses at large, which is prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty and security of Pakistan,” the Pakistan communication said, according to a report by news agency PTI.

The HAF, meanwhile, has refused to pull down the website.

“The government of Pakistan’s feeble attempt to threaten and intimidate a respected American non-profit organisation is just the latest example of its anti-American, anti-Hindu acts. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan has a proven track record of killing, forcibly converting or driving out Hindus, Christians, Ahmaddiya Muslims and other religious minorities in Pakistan, and now it appears that it is going after these same religious minorities in other countries, too,” Deepali Kulkarni, HAF director of human rights, said.

The Hindu American Foundation claimed that its website has been blocked for the people in Pakistan.