In Pakistan, an increasing number of young women and girls from religious minorities are being kidnapped and forced to marry and convert to Islam. They are usually kidnapped on the streets during the day, reports the organization Aid to the Aid to the Aid to the Church in Need. The police only deal with the reports late or not at all.
According to Catholic news agency Kathpress, about 1,000 kidnappings and forced conversions are recorded in Pakistan every year. The number of unreported cases could be considerably higher, partly because the police usually do not deal with reports or deal with them too late. Young Christians, Hindus and members of the Sik religion are particularly affected. Cases in the Punjab province are currently piling up, Aid to the Church said.
Abductees: “I passed out”
On this occasion, the organization documented the case of 15-year-old Saba Masih from Faisalabad, who was kidnapped on her way to work. “My kidnapper stopped the rickshaw next to me. Then they put a chemical-soaked handkerchief on my face. I passed out,” the girl said. Then she woke up in a town 200 kilometers away. The Christian was able to identify her Muslim neighbor as the kidnapper, who was supported in the crime by two accomplices.
Her parents went to the police and found out that their daughter had married the neighbor and had to wait for the Islamic marriage contract. Thanks to the support of an aid organization, the girl is now free again. The marriage age for girls in Pakistan is 16 and for boys 18. In Sindh province in the southeast of the country, the government has even raised the marriage age for girls to 18 years. Child marriages are punishable, but they are still practiced.
situation improves a bit
In the recent past, Pakistani courts have repeatedly ruled in favor of the abducted girls and women. The problem, however, is that legal proceedings are not always conducted and many families cannot afford legal aid.
In Pakistan, Christians make up about two percent of the population of more than 200 million. The number of Muslims is significantly higher at 96 percent.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
