In the context of multiple recent reports on forced conversion of Hindu girls into Islam in Pakistan, a video is being shared on social media claiming that a Hindu MP of Pakistan is begging for mercy on Hindus. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Speech of a Hindu MP of Pakistan pleading for Mercy on Hindus.
Fact: The name of the person in the viral video is ‘Tariq Masih Gill’. He is a Christian and a member of the Provincial Assembly (equivalent to an MLA in India) from Pakistan’s Punjab Province. During a National Minority Convention held at National Assembly Hall on 11 August 2022, he spoke about an incident of forced conversion of a young christian girl to Islam and the plight of minorities in Pakistan. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
An internet search with relevant keywords led us to the full video live streamed on the ‘PTV parliament’ YouTube channel on 11 August 2022. The title suggests that it is a National Assembly Meeting. In this video, the speaker of the house addresses the person in the viral clip by the name ‘Tariq Masih Gill’.
Taking a cue from this, we further searched for his details on Pakistan Government websites. According to the website of ‘Provincial Assembly of Punjab’, Tariq Masih Gill is a member of the provincial assembly(equivalent to an MLA in India) from Pakistan’s Punjab Province. He is a Christian. He has been re-elected as a Member of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab for the second consecutive term in General Elections 2018 in one of the eight seats reserved for non-Muslims.
As per the media reports, a National Minority Convention was held at the National Assembly Hall on 11 August 2022 to commemorate the speech of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah regarding the freedom and equality of minorities in the then constituent assembly on 11 August 1947. Several current and former members from the minority communities of the national and provincial addressed the convention. In his speech, Gill talks about an incident of forced conversion of a young Christian girl to Islam and the overall situation of minorities in Pakistan.
To sum it up, the person in the viral video is neither a Hindu nor an MP of Pakistan; he is a Christian and a member of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab in Pakistan who spoke about plight of minorities in Pakistan.