×

Another Hindu woman abducted in Pakistan, forcibly converted to Islam and married off to Muslim man

There has been an increase in reports of forced conversion in Pakistan

Representative image | Reuters

In another shocking incident, a Pakistani Hindu girl was abducted during her wedding ceremony, forcibly converted to Islam and married off to a Muslim man, according to reports.

The incident allegedly happened at Hala in Matiari district of Sindh province on Saturday when a group of men abducted Bharti Bai. She was later married off to one Shah Rukh Gul.

According to reports, the police, instead of taking action against the perpetrators, allegedly helped them take away the bride.

In a similar incident last week, a 15-year-old girl was allegedly abducted from Jacobabad district in Sindh province, forcibly converted to Islam and married off to a Muslim man. A court in Karachi later sent her to the women police protection centre.

Abduction and conversion of Hindu women has been a major issue in Sindh province where the majority of Pakistani Hindus live. While three-four non-Muslim girls have been converted to Islam in the last three months, many cases of conversion do not get reported.

According to US-based Sindhi Foundation, every year around 1,000 non-Muslim girls between the age of 12 and 28 in Sindh province are abducted, converted to Islam and married off to Muslims.

Last year, 19-year-old Jagjit Kaur, daughter of Bhagwan Singh, a priest of Gurdwara Tambu Sahib, remained missing for several days. Later, it was found that she was converted to Islam at gunpoint and married off to a Muslim man. The incident had sparked off an outrage in India.