Abduction, Forced Conversion of Hindu Sisters in Pakistan Sparks Concern

ISLAMABAD— The alleged abduction, forced conversion and marriage of two minor Hindu sisters in Pakistan’s Sindh province has renewed concerns over the safety and rights of minority girls in the country.

Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), a minority rights organisation, said on Saturday that two sisters, identified as Roopi, 13, and Seeta, 14, were allegedly abducted from Ibrahim Colony in Tando Allahyar district. The organisation alleged that the girls were subsequently forced to convert to Islam and married to two Muslim men, Amjad Solangi and Mansoor Solangi.

According to the rights group, the sisters were brought before a court in Tando Allahyar in connection with an abduction case. The court subsequently sent them to a safe house rather than immediately returning them to their family.

VOPM said the girls appeared distressed outside the court and were heard repeatedly asking to be allowed to return home. A video circulating online purportedly shows the sisters saying that they wanted to go back to their parents.

The organisation has called for the girls to be interviewed separately and in a child-sensitive environment, away from the men they allegedly married, religious figures, intermediaries or anyone who could exert pressure on them.

“The state must interview Roopi and Seeta in a child-sensitive environment,” VOPM said, calling for an urgent, independent and transparent investigation. It also urged authorities to provide the girls with independent legal assistance and protection.

The case has caused concern among Hindu communities in Sindh, which is home to Pakistan’s largest Hindu population. Rights organisations have repeatedly raised concerns about the vulnerability of minority communities, particularly in rural areas where poverty, social discrimination and limited access to legal assistance can create additional barriers to seeking protection.

VOPM said the reported case is part of a broader pattern documented by rights organisations involving allegations of abduction, religious conversion and marriage of minority girls in Pakistan.

Citing data from the Centre for Social Justice, the organisation said at least 421 cases involving alleged abduction, forced conversion and marriage of minority girls and women were recorded between 2021 and 2024. Of those victims, 282 were Hindu, while 72 per cent of the reported cases occurred in Sindh.

The rights group further said that Pakistani authorities recorded at least 83 such cases in 2024, with Hindu girls accounting for 63 per cent of the victims.

VOPM also referred to observations by UN experts concerning cases reported in 2025. According to the organisation, nearly 80 per cent of reported cases involving alleged forced conversion through marriage occurred in Sindh, while Hindus accounted for about 75 per cent of the victims.

The latest case has once again brought attention to questions surrounding the protection of minority children and the circumstances under which alleged conversions and marriages take place.

VOPM said the priority should be the safety and wishes of the two sisters.

“Roopi and Seeta’s reported call to return home demands attention. Their protection, age, dignity, and freedom must come before every other consideration,” the organisation said.

The allegations remain subject to investigation and legal proceedings. (Source: IANS)