A 17-year-old Hindu girl in Pakistan’s Sindh was kidnapped and converted to Islam.
The minor is a resident of Naukot, Mirpur Khas district in Sindh province in Pakistan. According to her family, the girl was kidnapped on February 15 from Naukot market where she had gone with her younger brother to purchase vegetables.
Her younger brother said the girl was being taunted by one Rouf, a resident of Umerkot and his two friends. On February 15, when the siblings reached Naukot market, Rouf along with his friends forcefully took the girl away with them.
The girl’s father Ramesh Bheel said that the Naukot Police only made entries in the records of missing persons and had not registered the FIR against Rouf and his friends.
Bheel said that the police personnel stressed that she must have left with Rouf of her own will and he should wait another week before a kidnapping case can be registered against the accused.
On February 19, Naukot Police called the father and gave him a copy of the certificate dated February 18 which mentioned that the girl had embraced Islam of her own free will. Police said the girl’s name has also been changed after the conversion.
According to Inspector, Naukot Police Station, “the girl in a telephone call confirmed her acceptance of Islam and said she desires to reside with Rouf’s family in SamandKhala, Umarkot.”
The girl’s father now fears that he may not meet her daughter anymore as she would be married to her kidnapper when she turns major in three months.
Abduction, forcible conversion to Islam and marriage of Hindu girls, mostly minors to Muslims, continue unabated in various areas of Pakistan, particularly in Sindh without invoking any concern and attention of the administration, human rights organisations, mainstream media and social media platforms in Pakistan.