Around 1,000 Hindu and Christian girls abducted, forcibly converted, and married in Pakistan every year !

Islamabad (Pakistan) – According to information from the Movement for Solidarity and Peace, nearly 1,000 minority girls are abducted annually in Pakistan and forcibly converted to Islam. These girls are generally between the ages of 12 and 25. Police often delay or avoid taking action in such cases.

Human rights organisations Jubilee Campaign and Open Doors report that such incidents are on the rise. In 2024, several girls over the age of 10 were abducted. Many victims have been left psychologically and physically traumatised, while the perpetrators often roam free. Courts frequently accept the accused’s claim that “the girl converted and married of her own will.”

Blasphemy laws used against minorities !

The Voice of Pakistan Minority has expressed serious concern over this trend, releasing a report titled Streets of Fear: Freedom of Religion or Belief in 2024–25. The report notes a sharp rise in violence against Hindus, Christians, and Ahmadis (a sect within Islam). Temples and churches have been destroyed, and selected individuals targeted and killed.

Laws meant to protect underage girls rendered ineffective !

According to The Voice of Pakistan Minority, cases of forced conversion and child marriage continue unabated. Anti–child marriage laws hold little weight here. Since the introduction of the blasphemy law, the condition of minorities has worsened considerably. Islamic groups target anyone they choose, and bar associations within courts often side with them. No group dares to speak against extremist ideologies. The situation is described as “extremely dangerous.”

The report recommends establishing an independent commission to investigate cases implicating minorities and calls for oversight of madrasas, which have been reported to participate in the forced conversion of underage girls.

A separate report by the US-based Center for the Study of Organized Hate notes that Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Ahmadis, and other minorities in Pakistan face systematic social boycotts.