Hindu Girl Reunited with Family After Alleged Forced Conversion in Pakistan

Court Decision in Lahore

In a significant ruling, a Pakistani court has returned a Hindu girl to her family after she was reportedly coerced into a relationship with a Muslim man, leading to pressure for her conversion to Islam and marriage.

The case involves Shirimati Reeta, a 21-year-old from Rana Rajput Colony in Khipro, Sindh, who was reported missing last week by her brother, Ravi Shankar.

Shankar claimed that CCTV footage captured unidentified individuals taking his sister along with valuables and mobile phones on August 24.

It is alleged that Reeta was taken to Gujranwala, Punjab, approximately 80 kilometers from Lahore, where she faced coercion to convert to Islam and marry Nazeer Hussain, a man who was already married.

The Punjab police successfully located Reeta and presented her before a judicial magistrate on Monday.

During the court proceedings, the investigating officer suggested placing Reeta in Darul Aman, a government-run shelter, citing her reluctance to return home.

However, her attorneys, Asad Jamal and Kheta Ram, contested this, asserting that Reeta wished to go back with her brother, who was present in court.

The magistrate instructed Reeta to provide her statement under oath.

In her testimony, Reeta expressed her desire to return to her family voluntarily.

Consequently, the court permitted her to leave with her brother, who was made responsible for her safe return to their home in Sanghar.

According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, numerous minority girls face coercion, abduction, or pressure to convert and marry each year in the country.

The rights organization highlights that a considerable number of these victims are from the Hindu community, often hailing from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

They have consistently advocated for enhanced legal protections and more effective investigations to safeguard women and girls from vulnerable minority groups.