"Embrace Islam or pay Jazia"

Hindus in Battagram District of NWFP told to embrace Islam or pay tax

Chief of the Hindu community in the Battagram city of Battagram District said on June 28 that the Taliban had threatened them to pay Jazia (tax) or accept Islam, Dawn reported. “It depends on you to choose between Jazia and Islam otherwise you would face abduction and suicide attacks,” Dr Oam Parkash quoted the Taliban as saying. He said that so far he had received two calls during the last two days: first by a Taliban commander and then by a militant. “They demanded Rs6 million from me,” the Hindu leader added. The Taliban is reported to have threatened that “if you or any other member of your community were kidnapped then we will not release the kidnapped person even after payment of Rs10 million as ransom”. Parkash said that he had made clear to both callers that the Hindus in the region were not in a position to pay such a huge amount. Parkash said that 15 Hindu families were living in Battagram but none of them had enmity with anyone in the District. “The government should take precautionary measures to protect the Hindu community as the Taliban have threatened even to target our place of worship in Battagram,” he added.