Washington DC [US], March 13 (ANI), A landmark congressional briefing was held on Wednesday at the Rayburn House Office Building, drawing urgent attention to the plight of Hindu and Christian minorities in Pakistan. The event, organized by HinduACTion, brought together key policymakers, human rights advocates, and media experts to address the dual challenges of religious persecution and the trafficking of minority women.

The briefing saw participation from Members of Congress, including Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA), and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), as well as staffers from the office of Rep. Zach Nunn (R-IA) and Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Chair of the Subcommittee on South and Central Asia. Additionally, a representative from the office of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was in attendance, signaling the national security implications of these human rights abuses.

Representative Shri Thanedar issued a powerful call to action, urging the U.S. State Department to take immediate steps to:

Exert diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to secure the swift and safe release of kidnapped Hindu women and girls. Demand that Pakistan enact laws preventing the forced conversion of Hindu, Christian, and Sikh girls through abduction and coercion and condition any future economic aid to Pakistan on measurable improvements in the safety, welfare, and demographic health of its religious minorities.

Expressing admiration for the diversity of the audience that supported this briefing, Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi expressed deep appreciation to the organizers for shining a light on the tragedy facing the minorities in Pakistan, reaffirming his commitment to advocating for persecuted minorities everywhere.

The event's keynote speaker, Danish Kaneria, one of Pakistan's most successful cricket players and the last Hindu to represent the national team, delivered a poignant speech. Kaneria detailed the systemic discrimination he faced throughout his career, which was abruptly cut short due to religious bias and bureaucratic persecution. His story is emblematic of the struggles faced by Pakistan's Hindu community--where talent and dedication are often overshadowed by a systemic hate for Hindus.

'I am a refugee from Pakistan. I am a Hindu, and I am here to be the voice for Pakistan minorities through my story. I will highlight the plight of Pakistani minorities -Hindus Sikhs Christians - who are less than third-class citizens & who are subjected to State sanctioned persecution and discrimination and are daily traumatized by instances of abductions....' he lamented.

A distinguished panel of speakers provided firsthand accounts and expert analysis on the challenges facing religious minorities in Pakistan:

Asra Q. Nomani - A veteran journalist and former Wall Street Journal reporter, who investigated the brutal murder of journalist Daniel Pearl by Al Qaeda in Pakistan.

'Pakistan is a country that thrives on radicalism and hate....hate and sectarianism. You are treated as a lesser human if you are a Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Ahmadiyya or Shia.' she said.

Zeba Mohammad, a Shia Hazara, who spend years living as a refugee in Pakistan gave a detailed presentation on the brutality with which Hazaras are treated in Pakistan. She called upon the US Congress to extract security guarantees from Pakistan as a pre-condition for giving aid.

Dr. Rajat Mitra - A clinical psychologist specializing in trauma resulting from religious persecution and forced conversions presented his research on the generational trauma Hindus in the Pakistan and Bangladesh face.

Geeta Sikand - A media analyst and Board Member of A4H, discussing the role of narratives in suppressing religious persecution and gave a detailed analysis of the lack of media coverage in the legacy media, when it came to highlighting the plight of Hindus and other religious minorities in Pakistan.

Richa Gautam - Executive Director at Cares-Global, leading rehabilitation efforts for persecuted refugees gave a touching presentation.

'We call upon the US to condemn the systematic pattern of brutality and genocidal rape of Hindu Christian and Sikh girls. It is time that the US applied economic sanctions against Pakistan to stop the ongoing persecution of Hindus', she said. 'The only way to save defenseless girls like Chanda Maharaj is to make every financial aid conditional and every economic package contingent upon a healthy demographic diversity in Pakistan,' she added.

Anjalee Swamy, Board Member of HinduACTion and Project Lead, hosted the event and movingly shared her personal journey--a path marked by discovery, conviction, and a deep sense of purpose--that led her to become a passionate advocate for the Hindus of Pakistan.

This historic briefing marked a crucial step in exposing the dire situation of religious minorities in Pakistan. The powerful testimonies and policy recommendations made today underscore the urgent need for U.S. leadership in confronting these egregious human rights violations. HinduACTion and its allies continue to advocate for diplomatic interventions, legal protection, and global awareness to safeguard persecuted communities. (ANI)