Pakistani authorities failed to protect a 15-year-old Hindu girl as she was kidnapped, with the abductors forcing her to convert to Islam. A similar fate meets another teenager as well.
In the Badin district of Pakistan's Sindh province, a 15-year-old Hindu girl named Shaneela Meghwar was reportedly abducted at gunpoint on June 23. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing atrocities against Hindu minorities, particularly the abduction and forced conversion of teenage girls, in Pakistan.
According to the Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), Shaneela was violently taken from her home by two armed men, who threw her into a waiting white vehicle. Despite her family's cries for justice, the Matli police have been criticised for their indifferent response.
Shaneela, a Class 9 student, had dreams of a future shaped by education and hope. However, these dreams were shattered by her abduction, and her whereabouts remain unknown as of July 17. Social media platforms are flooded with posts calling for justice for Shaneela.
The VOPM asserts that the abduction of a young girl like Shaneela is a stark reminder of the systemic injustices faced by marginalized communities in Pakistan. The organisation also mentioned the handover of a 14-year-old Hindu minor girl, Kamla Kolhi, to the Muslim youth accused of abducting her. Kamla was forcibly converted to Islam and married off.
The First Information Report (FIR) was only registered after community pressure, but it failed to name the main accused, Maqsood Dars. Despite Kamla's B-form (birth registration document) as evidence of her age, the court prioritized her statement and handed her over to members of the Machhi community.
The legal and institutional challenges in these cases are frequently criticised. In many instances, courts have accepted the girls’ statements that they converted willingly, even in situations where families and community members allege coercion and duress.
The Sindh Human Rights Commission has taken notice of Shaneela's case and ordered a probe. However, the pattern fits into the larger ongoing problem of forced conversions and abductions of Hindu girls in the region. The issue persists due to a combination of targeted persecution of Hindu minorities, weak enforcement of legal safeguards, societal discrimination, and contested narratives over the girls’ consent in conversion and marriage cases.
The Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act and a recent federal law are not being enforced in practice, despite clearly stating that marriage without a CNIC (National Identity Card) is a criminal offence. The ongoing issue underscores the need for stronger enforcement of laws and greater protection for minority communities in Pakistan.
War-and-conflicts, politics, and general-news outlets should report on the ongoing abduction and forced conversion of Hindu teenage girls in Pakistan, such as the recent case of Shaneela Meghwar in the Badin district. Crime-and-justice agencies are under scrutiny for their response, with advocacy groups like the Voice of Pakistan Minority criticizing the lack of action.
