A young Hindu girl sits in silence, symbolizing the many girls forced into marriage under the shadow of religious and social injustice.
In some parts of Pakistan, especially in villages and rural areas of Sindh, a serious but ignored problem is happening. Many young Hindu girls, some as young as 12 or 13, are taken away from their families. They are forced to change their religion and are made to marry much older men. Most of the time, this happens without their consent and against their will.
These cases mostly happen in poor families. Many of them live in small villages where they do not have access to good education, legal help, or support from the police. When a Hindu girl goes missing, families try to report it, but the police refuse to act or delay helping. In court, the girls are usually scared and may be under pressure, so they say they agreed to the marriage in conversion, even when they did not. Sadly, most of these stories are never shown on TV or in the news. These Hindu girls lost their childhood, their rights, and sometimes even contact with their families. They are expected to live a new life in a new religion with people they do not know. Meanwhile, the government and authorities stay silent and do very little to stop it. This is not just a family problem.
Most Hindu girls in Pakistan live in Sindh, a province where many Hindu families face poverty, discrimination, and a lack of protection from the system. Many of these girls are from low-income households, have little education, and belong to socially weak communities. Because of these reasons, they are often seen as easy targets for people who want to force them into marriage or make them change their religion.
These girls are vulnerable not just because they are young and female, but also because they belong to a religious minority, which makes it harder for them to get justice. When something wrong happens, police sometimes refuse to register a case or delay the investigation. In court, even when the girls are underage or scared, judges sometimes believe they converted and got married willingly. Sadly, many people in society ignore what these Hindu girls go through. Instead of protecting them, some even praise the conversion as a good act, without thinking about the girl’s age, fear, or rights. Because of this, many Hindu families feel helpless and afraid to speak out.
These cases usually follow a similar and heartbreaking pattern. A Hindu girl suddenly disappears from her home. Her family searches for her, worried and desperate. After a few days, they find out that she is with a Muslim man who claims that she willingly converted to Islam and married him. The man often says that the girl left on her own and wanted to become Muslim and marry him without being forced. When the family goes to the police or court to get their daughter back, the case becomes more complicated.
In court, the girl is asked if she chose to convert and marry. Many times she says yes. But activists and human rights groups say these statements are not always true. These girls are sometimes scared, confused, or pressured by threats. Some are warned that if they do not agree, their families might be harmed, or they will never be allowed to return home. Some are kept in places where they are brainwashed or told what to say in court.
What makes the situation worse is that many of these Hindu girls are very young, some are only 12 or 13 years old. According to the law, they are too young to get married. Their families bring proof to court, like birth certificates or school records, to show that the girls are minors. But in many cases, the courts still do not pay attention to the girl’s age. Instead, they focus only on the fact that she converted to Islam.
Once a girl is said to be Muslim, the court often accepts the marriage even if it breaks the child marriage law. This shows a big problem in how the law is being used. Religion is being used as an excuse to ignore important facts like the girl’s age, her safety, and her rights. Instead of protecting these girls, the system sometimes courts the people who take advantage of them. They are not just family matters; they are serious human rights violations that must be addressed.
One of the saddest parts of this issue is that the government and police often do nothing to help. Even though Pakistan has laws that say children under 18 cannot get married, like the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, these laws are not followed properly, especially when the victims are Hindu girls. When families go to the police to report that their daughters have been kidnapped or taken, the police sometimes refuse to file a case (called an FIR) or delay it for many days.
This gives time for kidnappers to arrange the girl’s religious conversion and quick marriage. Even when the case reaches the courts, judges sometimes focus only on the fact that the girl has become Muslim. They ignore clear proof like birth certificates and school records that show the girl is still a child. Once the girl says she converted willingly, often out of fear or pressure, the court believes her without asking why a young girl would make such a huge decision so suddenly. To make things worse, some political or religious leaders even support these cases and call them acts of faith, instead of recognizing them as serious human rights violations. This leaves families feeling hopeless and scared, and nowhere to turn for real help.
These are not just news stories – Real girls are suffering. Here are two heartbreaking examples of what Hindu and Christian girls in Pakistan have gone through.
Mehak Kumari, A 14-year-old Hindu girl from Jacobabad in Sindh was taken from her home in early 2020. A few days later, her family was told she had converted to Islam and married a Muslim man. Her parents provided documents to prove that Mehak was underage, but still, the court allowed her marriage to go on. After public protest and pressure from human rights groups, the court finally sent Mehak to a shelter home, but by then her case had become very complicated.
A 15-year-old girl from Matli in Badin district, Sindh, was abducted at gunpoint while she was walking near Notkani Chowk. Her uncle filed a complaint at Matli Police Station, stating that armed men identified as Maqsood Dars and Manzoor Dars forcibly took her away in a white vehicle. The Sindh Human Rights Commission has stepped in to investigate, calling it a suspected case of abduction, forced conveyance, and child marriage are illegal under Pakistan’s law. They have asked the police to ensure her safety and provide a report by July 7, 2025.
In Shahadapur, three Hindu sisters, ages 22, 20, and 16, and their 13-year-old cousin were allegedly kidnapped by a local teacher, possibly converted, and photographed in a conveyance ceremony. The family claims the children were brainwashed and taken against their will. A court letter allowed the two adult sisters to stay in a shelter home in Karachi, while the two minors were returned to their parents. But only after they stated publicly what they converted willingly, amidst their family’s insistence that they spoke under pressure. Critics see this as a clear sign of conversion being glossed over a voluntary.
On February 6, 2025, 13-year-old Najo Kohli, daughter of Asan Kohli, was reportedly kidnapped by armed men in Shahidabad. Police later told her father that she had been converted to Islam and married off as Najo to a man named Lalo. The family had legal documents showing Najo was a minor. However, police initially refused to file an FIR. It was only on March 19, 2025, after nationwide pressure, that an FIR was registered under the Child Restraint Act. One of the suspects had been arrested, but Najo’s whereabouts remain unknown, and her forced conversion and marriage remain in limbo.
Some people are trying to make a difference. Human Rights activists, women’s groups, and Hindu community leaders are raising their voices. They are asking the government to make stronger laws and take real steps to protect Hindu girls. Organizations such as Aurat Foundation, Center for Social Justice, and Hindu Panchayat are working hard to bring attention to this issue. Girls should have control over their own lives, and no one should be allowed to force them into marriage or conversion.
Pakistan has laws that say girls under eighteen cannot be married. It also has rules about protecting children and religious minorities. But the problem is that these laws are not followed properly.
There was a bill proposed in 2021 to stop forced religious conversions, but it was rejected. Some leaders said the bill would hurt Muslim feelings. This shows that the safety of Hindu Girls is often not taken seriously by those in power.
Pakistan has also signed international agreements to protect children and women. But in reality, these promises are not kept when it comes to minority groups.
Today, social media can be a powerful tool to raise awareness. But when people post about Hindu girls being forced into marriages, they sometimes face online threats and bullying. Families of those girls are afraid to speak up because they might be attacked or harassed. Some girls who try to tell their stories online are silenced by hate speech or fear.
The internet should be a space for truth and justice, but in this case, it is often used to spread fear and lies.
To stop this crisis, the state of Pakistan must take serious action. Here are a few steps that can help:
Also, the media should report these stories more often and more responsibly. Only when people know the truth can they ask for change.
The issue of forced convergence and marriages of Hindu girls in Pakistan is far more than a series of individual tragedies. It reflects a deep failure in our society and system. These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a pattern where young girls are taken from their homes, separated from their families, and forced into a life they did not choose. In this process, they lost not only their freedom and childhood but also their faith, safety, and identity.
These girls are growing up in fear, confusion, and silence while the people responsible walk free. Their parents knock on every door from police stations to courtrooms, but still find no justice. The laws meant to protect these children exist, yet they are not being enforced when they matter most. Instead, religious identity is used as a cover to ignore their age, ignore their rights, and ignore their voices. This is not just a Hindu community issue; it is a human rights crisis that affects the soul of our nation. No child, regardless of religion, should be forced into marriage or made to change their faith against their will. A society that stays silent while this happens is failing its children, its minorities, and its future.
We must begin by listening to the stories of these Hindu girls and their families. Their pain must not be ignored or brushed aside. We need to raise our voices, share their stories, and pressure our leaders and institutions to act. The government must ensure that existing laws are enforced, police must be held accountable, and courts must prioritize truth and justice over social pressure or religious bias. Most importantly, we must remember that these are not just cases; they are real children who deserve love, safety, and a future. Justice for them is not just about punishment for those who harm them; it is about building a country where every child, regardless of religion, feels protected and valued.
It’s time to break the silence, it’s time to stand with these girls, and it’s time to demand equal rights, safety, and justice for all.
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