Abductions, forced conversions and forced marriages of girls and women from the minorities background has become a serious concern in Pakistan.&nbsp;

It is estimated that approximately 1,000 — mostly Hindu and Christian — girls, are abducted, forcibly converted and forcibly married every year.

Human rights activists say the practice has accelerated during lockdowns against the coronavirus, when girls are out of school and more visible, bride traffickers are more active on the Internet and families are more in debt.

The US State Department this month declared Pakistan “a country of particular concern” for violations of religious freedoms — a designation the Pakistani government rejects. The declaration was based in part on an appraisal by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom that underage girls in the minority Hindu, Christian, and Sikh communities were “kidnapped for forced conversion to Islam… forcibly married and subjected to rape.”

While most of the converted girls are impoverished Hindus from southern Sindh province, two new cases involving Christians, including Neha’s, have roiled the country in recent months.

The girls generally are kidnapped by complicit acquaintances and relatives or men looking for brides. Sometimes they are taken by powerful landlords as payment for outstanding debts by their farmhand parents, and police often look the other way. Once converted, the girls are quickly married off, often to older men or to their abductors, according to the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

Forced conversions thrive unchecked on a money-making web that involves Islamic clerics who solemnize the marriages, magistrates who legalize the unions and corrupt local police who aid the culprits by refusing to investigate or sabotaging investigations, say child protection activists.

One activist, Jibran Nasir, called the network a “mafia” that preys on non-Muslim girls because they are the most vulnerable and the easiest targets “for older men with pedophilia urges.”

(With inputs from agencies)

Abductions, forced conversions and forced marriages of girls and women from the minorities background has become a serious concern in Pakistan. It is estimated that approximately 1,000 — mostly Hindu and Christian — girls, are abducted, forcibly converted and forcibly married every year.

Abductions, forced conversions and forced marriages of girls and women from the minorities background has become a serious concern in Pakistan. It is estimated that approximately 1,000 — mostly Hindu and Christian — girls, are abducted, forcibly converted and forcibly married every year. Human rights activists say the practice has accelerated during lockdowns against the coronavirus, when girls are out of school and more visible, bride traffickers are more active on the Internet and families are more in debt. The US State Department this month declared Pakistan “a country of particular concern” for violations of religious freedoms — a designation the Pakistani government rejects. The declaration was based in part on an appraisal by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom that underage girls in the minority Hindu, Christian, and Sikh communities were “kidnapped for forced conversion to Islam… forcibly married and subjected to rape.” While most of the converted girls are impoverished Hindus from southern Sindh province, two new cases involving Christians, including Neha’s, have roiled the country in recent months. The girls generally are kidnapped by complicit acquaintances and relatives or men looking for brides. Sometimes they are taken by powerful landlords as payment for outstanding debts by their farmhand parents, and police often look the other way. Once converted, the girls are quickly married off, often to older men or to their abductors, according to the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. Forced conversions thrive unchecked on a money-making web that involves Islamic clerics who solemnize the marriages, magistrates who legalize the unions and corrupt local police who aid the culprits by refusing to investigate or sabotaging investigations, say child protection activists. One activist, Jibran Nasir, called the network a “mafia” that preys on non-Muslim girls because they are the most vulnerable and the easiest targets “for older men with pedophilia urges.” (With inputs from agencies)

Each year, 1,000 Pakistani minority girls kidnapped, forcibly converted to Islam

On Monday, a 13-year-old Christian girl’s custody was given to her husband by Sindh High Court in Pakistan.

According to local media reports, the girl had accepted Islam willingly, and did not claim to have been abducted or forced to marry.

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In the clip shared by Pakistan’s Daily Times, the girl was seen sitting, while another woman pleaded with her.&nbsp;

The girl - Arzoo Raja was reportedly&nbsp;kidnapped from her home on October 13 in Karachi’s Railway Colony. Soon after, an FIR was registered at Sindh court.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/protests-grow-in-pakistan-over-abduction-forced-conversion-of-catholic-teen-338958" hreflang="en">Protests grow in Pakistan over abduction, forced conversion of Catholic teen</a>

Sindh police reached out to the family two days after the girl was reportedly abducted, and informed them that the abductor, Azhar Ali, was able to show a marriage certificate which claimed that was over 18 years old. The abductor is reportedly married with children.

Naveed Walter, the President of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) said that minority girls belonging to Christian and Hindu groups are converted to Islam forcefully and married off to Muslim men.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/amid-rising-border-disputes-india-to-get-5-military-theatre-commands-1-each-for-china-pakistan-338246" hreflang="en">Amid rising border disputes, India to get 5 military theatre commands, 1 each for China &amp; Pakistan</a>

According to the HRFP fact-finding team, citing October 27, 2020 proceedings of the Sindh High Court, the records of the girl were altered to make her appear as an 18-year-old. Additionally, it also displayed her statement of free will whereby she claimed to have married on her own will.

Additionally, the probe found that the girl’s photo was replaced on legal documents, a concern raised by her mother Rita.&nbsp;

The spokespeople for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), including Pakistan, called for stricter implementation of the Kathmandu Call to Action to End Chill Marriage in Asia, which was first formulated in 2014.

On Monday, a 13-year-old Christian girl’s custody was given to her husband by Sindh High Court in Pakistan. According to local media reports, the girl had accepted Islam willingly, and did not claim to have been abducted or forced to marry.

On Monday, a 13-year-old Christian girl’s custody was given to her husband by Sindh High Court in Pakistan. According to local media reports, the girl had accepted Islam willingly, and did not claim to have been abducted or forced to marry. In the clip shared by Pakistan’s Daily Times, the girl was seen sitting, while another woman pleaded with her. The girl - Arzoo Raja was reportedly kidnapped from her home on October 13 in Karachi’s Railway Colony. Soon after, an FIR was registered at Sindh court. Also read: Protests grow in Pakistan over abduction, forced conversion of Catholic teen Sindh police reached out to the family two days after the girl was reportedly abducted, and informed them that the abductor, Azhar Ali, was able to show a marriage certificate which claimed that was over 18 years old. The abductor is reportedly married with children. Naveed Walter, the President of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) said that minority girls belonging to Christian and Hindu groups are converted to Islam forcefully and married off to Muslim men. Also read: Amid rising border disputes, India to get 5 military theatre commands, 1 each for China & Pakistan According to the HRFP fact-finding team, citing October 27, 2020 proceedings of the Sindh High Court, the records of the girl were altered to make her appear as an 18-year-old. Additionally, it also displayed her statement of free will whereby she claimed to have married on her own will. Additionally, the probe found that the girl’s photo was replaced on legal documents, a concern raised by her mother Rita. The spokespeople for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), including Pakistan, called for stricter implementation of the Kathmandu Call to Action to End Chill Marriage in Asia, which was first formulated in 2014.

Pakistan: 13-year-old Christian girl married off to Muslim man after being abducted

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Each year, 1,000 Pakistani minority girls kidnapped, forcibly converted to Islam

Pakistan: 13-year-old Christian girl married off to Muslim man after being abducted