Hindus in Pak’s Sindh protest against abduction, forced conversion of girls

Karachi: Members of Pakistan’s minority Hindu community staged a sit-in protest here to highlight the rising cases of abduction and forced conversion of Hindu girls to Islam before marriage to older Muslim men.

The protesters came together under the banner of Pakistan Darawar Ittehad (PDI) outside the Sindh Legislative Assembly on Monday.

They attempted to highlight the ongoing injustices, oppression, and discrimination faced by the Sindhi Hindu minority community, according to the PDI Chairman, Shiva Kachhi.

Highlighting a fresh case, Kachhi said on Tuesday that a minor girl had been abducted from the city’s Landhi area and forcibly married off after conversion.

“We are still trying to get a proper FIR registered with the Landhi police to move the case forward,” he added.

“But the girl is missing, and her family is distraught,” Kachhi said.

Highlighting another case that took place a week ago near Mirpurkhas, Kachhi said, another young Hindu girl had been abducted and forcibly converted and married off.

“The purpose of this protest sit-in was to highlight the insecurity and unsafe conditions for our women, especially in the rural Sindh areas,” he said.

According to eyewitnesses, hundreds of Hindus across Sindh came to take part in the protest, which ended peacefully after the leaders handed over a list of demands to the Sindh Assembly speaker.

Muslim and Christian leaders also supported the protest rally and came together in solidarity with the Hindu community, according to the PDI chairman.