• Until the cycle of abduction, forced conversion, and forced marriage is broken, minority communities will continue to live in fear, their rights repeatedly trampled upon in silence.

By Nasir Aijaz

The recent abduction and forced conversion of three daughters and a son of a Hindu family in Shahdadpur, a city of southern Sindh province of Pakistan, has once again brought the alarming issue of religious forced conversions into the spotlight.

According to the allegations made by the mother, a member of the Hindu community, the minors – Diya Bai, Jia Bai, Disha Bai and their brother Honey Kumar, were abducted and converted under duress, with their minor son publicly claiming he was converted at gunpoint. Despite legislative efforts, such incidents highlight the ongoing failure of authorities to protect minority communities against heinous crimes, raising urgent calls for accountability and stricter enforcement.

Although, the police have arrested the accused, a teacher, who used to take tuition classes, the abducted children were not handed back to their parents, and instead sent to a government Shelter Home, as reported on the social media. The girls and their brother were recovered by the police from Karachi, the provincial capital. And according to latest reports, they were produced in a local court on Friday, but strangely the court allowed the minor boy Honey Kumar and Disha Bai to go with their parents while two elder girls Dia Bai and Jia Bai were refused to be handed over to the parents and were sent to Shelter home. Nobody knows their fate. The parents and the members of Hindu community staged protest demonstration but their protest remained unheeded. The girls were crying to go with their parents but the police took them away.

Meanwhile, another video of a young boy with beard went viral on social media on Friday evening, wherein the boy claimed that he is the husband of Diya Bai, who embraced Islam three years back. According to him, the girl was kept at a shelter home of Jamaat-e-Islami in Karachi. “She embraced Islam reciting the Holy Kalima in front of my sister,” he said.

Sindh, a province historically known for its religious diversity and pluralism, has seen a troubling rise in reports of forced conversions of minority women and children. Human rights organizations and minority advocacy groups repeatedly raise concerns that religious minorities, including Hindus, Christians, and others, are increasingly vulnerable to abductions, forced conversions, and marriages against their will.

The issue is multifaceted, rooted in socio-economic marginalization, social pressures, and sometimes entangled with political and criminal syndicates. The perpetrators often operate under the guise of religious or social norms, exploiting legal loopholes and societal indifference.

Many of these incidents follow eerily similar patterns. In some cases, families have reported their daughters disappearing without trace, only to find them later converted and married, sometimes after police or local officials dismiss claims of coercion. Such cases often evoke protests, legal battles, and media coverage, but despite the efforts, justice remains elusive for many victims. One prominent example was in 2019 when Rinkle Kumari, a young Hindu girl, was abducted and reportedly converted. Her case garnered national and international attention, sparking protests and demands for action, but critics argued that the existing legal framework was inadequate to protect minors from abduction and forced conversion in a timely manner.

Read: Forced Conversion in Sindh: Would there be an end to woes of Hindu Community?

Many cases involve minors as young as 12 or 13, highlighting how vulnerable this segment of society is to exploitation. Reports from Tharparkar, Kandhkot, and other districts have consistently painted a grim picture of women and children being abducted, their right to choose forcibly denied, often under societal pressures or threats. Despite the repeated exposure of these incidents, many argue that the authorities’ response remains weak. Laws such as the Sindh Criminal Law (Protection of Minorities) Bill, which criminalizes abduction and forced conversion, have been enacted, but their enforcement is often criticized as being ineffective. Some officials are accused of turning a blind eye or even colluding with perpetrators, further marginalizing already vulnerable communities.

Many families have openly accused local authorities and police officials of either turning a blind eye or actively participating in such crimes, citing a lack of accountability. A 2022 report by the Human Rights Watch indicated that courts have sometimes validated marriages forcibly entered into by minors, citing notions of “consent” that are often coerced or manipulated. This disconnect between law and practice perpetuates a cycle of impunity which leaves vulnerable minorities in helpless situations.

Statistics provided by the All Pakistan Minority Alliance reveal that approximately 80% of reported abduction and forced conversion cases go unresolved or are dismissed due to lack of evidence or miscarriage of justice. The NGOs also highlight that actual figures could be much higher, as many families fear retaliation and choose not to report incidents. For example, in the year 2021 alone, over 100 cases of Hindu girls being abducted and forcibly converted were officially reported in Sindh, but local sources estimate that the real number could be double or triple that. Such statistics underscore the severity of the crisis and reflect a systemic failure to stem the tide of violence against religious minorities.

The emotional toll is devastating. Victims often find themselves entirely powerless in courts that are slow to act or sympathetic to the accused. The abduction, coercion, and conversion of minors are often cloaked in societal acceptance or silence, making it difficult to combat this phenomenon effectively. High-profile cases have brought international attention, but concrete change remains elusive.

This ongoing crisis underscores the urgent need for coordinated action. The government must do more than pass laws; it must ensure these laws are vigorously enforced, with independent oversight and swift judicial proceedings. Community awareness programs are equally crucial for empowering families to recognize early warning signs and report crimes without fear. Religious leaders and civil society must collaborate to promote tolerance and protect minority rights. Only a collective, persistent effort can break the cycle of abduction and forced conversion that has beleaguered Sindh for far too long.

The failure to effectively implement laws and provide safeguarding mechanisms underscores a complex nexus of legal loopholes, societal acceptance, and political will. Minority communities continue to demand stronger protections, independent investigations, and stricter punishments for perpetrators, but the cycle persists. The recent incident in Shahdadpur highlights how the problem remains urgent and unresolved. The viral video of the young boy claiming he was converted at gunpoint has moved many to question whether laws are enough or if systemic societal changes are necessary to tackle these deep-rooted issues.

The challenge lies not just in criminal justice but also in addressing the underlying social prejudices and vulnerabilities. Many minority families live in fear of abduction and conversion, sometimes feeling abandoned by the very state institutions meant to protect them. There is a growing call from activists, human rights organizations, and community leaders for more proactive measures, including watchdog organizations monitoring law enforcement’s role, awareness campaigns to educate families about their rights, and stricter legal action against those involved in such crimes.

Despite the national and international condemnation, the problem of forced conversions in Sindh remains a stark reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by religious minorities. It exposes the gaps between legislation and enforcement, highlighting the need for a collective effort that transcends mere laws to create a societal shift against such violations. Until the cycle of abduction, forced conversion, and forced marriage is broken, minority communities will continue to live in fear, their rights repeatedly trampled upon in silence.

Read: Constitution of Commission suggested to deal with Forced Conversion issue in Pakistan

______________

The writer is a senior journalist based in Karachi. He can be accessed at nasir.akhund1954@gmail.com

Courtesy: The AsiaN, Seoul, South Korea (English and Korea)

The post Sindh Govt. Fails to Protect Minorities first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Naeem Sahoutara

Sixteen-year-old Muskaan bursts into cheerful laughter, as she sings hymns during a Christmas party in a shelter home in Karachi.

The Catholic Christian teenager, whose name literally means a smile, says she had almost lost the very hope that she would ever get back her innocent adolescence smiles again.

Her smiling face quickly turns pale as she recalls the events of the past nine months: her kidnapping, continuous physical torture and sexual abuse, forced conversion of her Christian faith to Islam, and her purported marriage to a Muslim man.

“I was very sad, as I went through mental and physical pain every single day, I spent in captivity of that man who falsely claimed to be my husband”, Muskan tells The Friday Times.

“I would cry and ask him to let me go to my parents, but he would not listen,” adds the teenager beginning to share her ordeal, with the signs of fear now becoming visible on her face.

Muskaan says a Muslim man Arsalan Khaskheli, whom she had never acquainted with, kidnapped her from her house in Badin district on March 11 this year.

“For some days Arsalan kept chasing me on my way from and to school. Then, one day he along with others kidnapped me, blindfolded me, and drove away in a car,” she later told the police.

“Once at his house, I kept begging him to let me go to my parents, but he started beating me up mercilessly”, she added.

But the worst was yet to come, she discloses as she speaks again after taking a deep sigh.

“The accused Arsalan Khaskheli subjected me to rape the very same day. As I begged him not to do this, he took out a gun and threatened to kill my brothers and parents”, she told the Tando Ghulam Ali police.

At just sixteen, this teenager says she braved this sexual torture every day for nine months.

The kidnappings of young women belonging to the Christian and Hindu faiths across the country, particularly in Punjab and Sindh provinces, are meant for some other purpose: forced conversion of their religion

“Ever since he would sexually abuse me. I would not like it and ask him not to do this, but every time we would pull out a gun and threaten to kill my family, if I refused to obey the demand,” she adds, embarrassingly looking at the ground.

While kidnappings of women for sexual exploitation aren’t new in the country, the kidnappings of young women belonging to the Christian and Hindu faiths across the country, particularly in Punjab and Sindh provinces, are meant for some other purpose: forced conversion of their religion.

Muskan, who appears to be the latest victim of such forced conversions taking place frequently, disclosed to the Tando Ghulam Ali police that her kidnapper Arsalan Khaskheli forcibly converted her religion.

“The next day they physically tortured me and asked me to make a false statement before a Muslim cleric: that I am 19 years old, I have converted my religion to Islam of my own choice and I want to marry Arsalan out of my free will.” she disclosed to the police.

“However, I told the Moulvi (cleric) clearly that I am 16. I am Christian and will remain Christian. I also told the Moulvi (cleric) that neither I want to embrace Islam as my new religion nor I want to marry Arsalan”, she told TFT.

She alleges that the cleric too was complicit in this whole drama created by the accused Arsalan along with his mother Azizah, his maternal grandfather Muhammad Hasan, maternal uncle Inayat, and Jameel, a cousin of Khaskheli.

“Despite my answers, the Moulvi (cleric) forcibly took my thumb impression and signatures on the certificates of conversion of religion and marriage”, she added.

After the cleric, the teenager says she was taken to the court, where she was presented with her new Muslim name, Fatima.

To legalise their offensive acts, the accused persons took Muskan to a local court, where Muskan says she was once again forced to make another statement under duress and pressure.

“Before taking me to the court, Khaskheli and others threatened to kill my brothers and parents if I did not tell the judge that I am 19 years old and had not only converted to Islam but also that I had married Khaskheli of my own free choice to be my Muslim husband”, she said.

“I was very scared because they had guns and had threatened to kill my brothers and parents, so I made a statement before the judge as I was asked by them”, she later told the police.

Ever since, Muskan says, she was in illegal custody of the accused Arsalan, who did not allow her to meet with her family.

There could be hundreds of women belonging to the Christian, Hindu, and other religious minorities, who have been kidnapped under a country-wide campaign by influential Muslim clerics to forcibly convert the religion of these women to Islam against their wish

After months, however, the teenager managed to escape from the clutches of her purported husband on December 15 this year.

Muskan seems to be fortunate enough to make an escape and reunite with her family, but the rights activists say hundreds of other young girls from Hindu and Christian religious minorities are still going through the same ordeal.

Rights activist, Luke Victor, who is handling the case on behalf of Muskan’s parents for a legal action against her kidnappers, claims that they have provided shelter to nine teenage girls – seven of them Christians, one each Hindu and Sikh – in the recent months.

“There could be hundreds of women belonging to the Christian, Hindu, and other religious minorities, who have been kidnapped under a country-wide campaign by influential Muslim clerics to forcibly convert the religion of these women to Islam against their wish.

Even for this purpose, Mr. Victor says, inhuman practices such as kidnapping, rape, and physical torture are being used by these radical Islamist groups to achieve their “religious” goals.

Hindus population is around 4.9 million – according to the 2023 census – in Sindh, which is home to the largest population of this religious minority.

Christian population in Sindh, is 546,968, which is 0.98% of the province’s total population, according to the census.

Muslim clerics Mian Mithu and Ayub Jan Sarhandi’s patronage forced conversions

Advocate Victor says a Umerkot-based cleric Ayub Jan Sarhandi is directly involved in the incident of kidnapping and forced conversion of Muskan, like numerous other incidents reported from that region of Sindh province.

Read: Hindus Forced to Convert in Pakistan under State Patronage – Foreign Media

“We have credible information that Moulana Ayub Jan Sarhandi has patronized illegal forced conversion and underage marriage of my clients’ daughter”, he claimed, adding that this is just the tip of the iceberg.

The rights groups have named the chief of the Barchundi Sharif shrine Moulana Abdul Haq alias Mian Mithu (in Ghotki) and Ayub Jan Sarhandi (in Umerkot) for spearheading such campaigns aimed at kidnappings and forced conversions of young girls and women of the Hindu, Christian and other religious minorities.

Both the clerics Mian Mithu and Sarhandi, who are prominent in Sindh with connections in Punjab as well, have on occasions denied the allegations of being involved in forced conversions and underage marriages. However, the rights groups’ fact findings refuted their claims.

Legal loopholes

The rights groups – including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) of the Catholic Bishops Commission of Pakistan – have long been struggling to get a separate law passed and enforced that should criminalize the act of forced conversions as well.

They argue that while acts of kidnapping, rape, and criminal intimidation are offenses punishable with certain sentences under the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), a separate law is needed to give tooth to the police to specifically deal with offences of forced conversions.

Therefore, in 2016 the Sindh Assembly had unanimously passed a bill against forced conversions. But this much-awaited bill has yet to be signed into law due to pressure by some religious quarters, say the rights activists.

“Because there is continuous pressure from the religious groups, the Pakistan Peoples Party’s government had been unable to touch this bill again despite the lapse of around eight years. So, we do not know how long this will take the government to enact the proposed law,” says Mr. Victor.

In 2022, the British government banned the cleric Moulana Abdul Haq alias Mian Mithu from entering the UK because of his involvement in forced marriages and forced conversion of people, including minors, from the Hindu religious minority in Sindh.

On the other hand, the Pakistani government seems least bothered to take action against such clerics and their groups.

Read: Constitution of Commission suggested to deal with Forced Conversion issue in Pakistan

_________________

Courtesy: The Friday Times Lahore

The post “Lost Muskan”: Pakistan’s Latest Victim of Forced Conversions first appeared on Sindh Courier.

• The commission may after being satisfied may order for the validity or otherwise of conversion or marriage after conversion of such person
• No court shall have the jurisdiction of recording the statement of such person or quashing the case or proceedings until and unless the commission has made an order in writing regarding such conversion

Advocate Mukesh Kumar G. Karara | Sukkur Sindh

Pakistan, a country with a rich cultural heritage and diverse religious landscape, has been grappling with the pressing issue of forced conversions for decades. The phenomenon of forced conversions, where individuals are coerced or deceived into renouncing their faith and embracing another, has been a persistent blight on the country’s human rights record.

The majority of forced conversion cases in Pakistan involve Hindu and Christian girls and women, who are often abducted, married off to Muslim men, and forced to convert to Islam. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, at least 1,000 Hindu and Christian girls are forcibly converted to Islam every year.

The issue of forced conversions is complex and multifaceted, with deep-rooted societal, cultural, and economic factors at play. In many cases, victims are lured by false promises of marriage, education, or employment, only to find themselves trapped in a web of coercion and exploitation. Others are abducted and subjected to physical and sexual violence, with their families often powerless to intervene.

At least 1,000 Hindu and Christian girls are forcibly converted to Islam every year.           

The perpetrators of forced conversions often enjoy impunity, with the police and judiciary turning a blind eye to these crimes. In some cases, the victims are even accused of blasphemy, a charge that can carry the death penalty in Pakistan.

The Sindh Government had taken some steps to address the issue, including the passage of the Sindh Forced Conversion of Religion Act in 2019, (but it did not have its approval due to the strong resistance and reservation shown by the scholars). However, more needs to be done to protect the rights of religious minorities and ensure that the perpetrators of forced conversions are brought to justice.

Read: Hindus Forced to Convert in Pakistan under State Patronage – Foreign Media

The international community has also expressed concern over the issue, with the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) designating Pakistan as a “country of particular concern” for its treatment of religious minorities.

However, these issues can be well taken care of, if a Commission be constituted with a clear mandate of inquiry and final determination as to the conversion of religion by way of force or consent. The Commission be notified, by way of a little amendment and insertions of the followings in the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.

Proposed draft of amendment in PPC with insertion of Sections

– Insertion of new section 10-A, in Chapter II (General Explanations) Pakistan Penal Code, 1860,

-10-A. Commission; The Government (either Provincial or Federal) shall notify in the Official Gazette, as defined in chapter II of the Code of Criminal Procedure under section 25-A;

-Insertion of new section in Pakistan Penal Code, 1860

-Section 365-C. Kidnapping or abduction or inducing any person for forcible conversion to any other religion. Whoever kidnaps or abducts any person with intent that such person may be compelled or knowing it to likely that such person will be compelled to forced conversion against his/her will or in order that such person may be forced or seduced or induced to marriage after forcible conversion or knowing it to be likely that such person may be forced or induced for forced conversion to any other religion, shall be punished with imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to fine, and whoever by means of criminal intimidation as defined in this Code or of abuse of authority or any other method of compulsion or induces any person to go from any place with intent that such person may be, or knowing that it is likely that such person may be forced or induced to forcible conversion to any other religion, shall also be punishable as aforesaid;

Provided that if the commission, as defined in this Code, after being satisfied from the conduct and religious education (into which conversion took place) of such person may send him / her to a neutral Shelter place for making an independent opinion, or being so satisfied, may issue an order in writing that the conversion is not by force or inducement but is with free will of such person;

Provided further that any conversion to any other religion of any person who is a minor or under the age of eighteen years shall be treated as forcible conversion and shall be punishable as aforesaid unless the parents of the minor have consented to such conversion;

Provided that the commission may after being satisfied may order for the validity or otherwise of conversion or marriage after conversion of such person;

No court shall have the jurisdiction of recording the statement of such person or quashing the case or proceedings until and unless the commission, as defined under this code, has made an order in writing regarding such conversion (forcible or otherwise) of religion, as aforesaid;

Provided that the commission may after being satisfied may order for the validity or otherwise of conversion or marriage after conversion of such person;

In case of conflict in the order, the opinion of Majority of the members shall prevail.

Proposed draft of amendment in Code of Criminal Procedure 1898, with insertion of Sections

Insertion of new section 25-A in the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898;

Section 25-A. The Provincial Governments, so far as regards the territories subject to its administration, may by notification in the official gazette appoint such persons resident within Pakistan and not being the subject of any foreign State as it thinks fit to be, members of the Commission;

Provided that the Chairman of the Commission shall be the sitting or retired Judge of the High Court or Supreme Court, while two members shall be known scholars of Islamic studies, two members shall be the Human Rights activist or social workers, Two members shall be of the religion of the person, who is subject to conversion, and a Deputy Commissioner of the District to which the person under conversion of religion belongs,

Provided that the commission, so notified in the official gazette, may allow the parents of the person who is subject to conversion at the time of recording of proceedings.

Insertion of section 25-B in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898;

Section 25-C. Powers of the Commission. Subject to the provisions of this Code, a Commission, shall have the powers –

a) Vested in a Court or Magistrate for the purpose of inquiry;

b) To record the statement of the person under conversion to other religion;

c) For summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person or witness connected with the inquiry;

d) Of compelling production or discovery of documents;

e) For inspecting any place connected with the inquiry;

f) To medically examine the person for the purpose of determining the age;

g) To take the custody of the person for keeping him/her into neutral Shelter place;

In conclusion, the issue of forced conversions in Pakistan is a serious human rights violation that requires immediate attention and action. The government, civil society, and religious leaders must work together to protect the rights of religious minorities and ensure that all citizens are free to practice their faith without fear of coercion or persecution.

Read: Forced Conversion in Sindh: Would there be an end to woes of Hindu Community?

_________________

Mukesh Kumar G. Karara, Advocate Supreme Court, is President, Pakistan Young Hindu Forum, and Member Legislative Committee.

The post Constitution of Commission suggested to deal with Forced Conversion issue in Pakistan first appeared on Sindh Courier.

London

World Sindhi Congress is going to organize 35^th International Conference to highlight the issues faced by Sindh in October this year at the University of Westminster, Harrow Campus UK.

The one-day International Conference, scheduled to be held on October 28, 2023, will discuss human rights situation prevailing in Sindh, transnational projects, Sindhi National Self-Determination, regional security, issue of forced disappearances, forced conversions, Sindhi Diaspora and oppressed nations of Pakistan.

According to Dr. Lakhu Lohano, Secretary General of World Sindhi Congress, the invited speakers will make presentations while Sindhi soul music will also be arranged.

_____________

The post International Conference in UK to discuss Sindh issues first appeared on Sindh Courier.