Minority Groups Raise Alarm Over Rising Cases of Forced Conversions in Pakistan

Christian communities and human rights activists staged a protest in Karachi, Pakistan, raising serious concerns over the increasing cases of forced marriages and religious conversions involving minor girls from minority communities. A leading minority rights organisation highlighted the issue on Wednesday. According to the Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), the protest was held on March 29 and was organised by the National Christian Party, Gawahi Mission Trust, and other civil society groups. The demonstration brought together families and religious leaders from across Karachi, with participants raising slogans such as “Protect Our Daughters.” The rights organisation, citing protesters, alleged that minor girls, some of them very young, were being abducted, forcibly converted to another religion, and married off to significantly older men. Participants described these incidents as not only grave violations of human rights but also a direct attack on the concept of childhood. “We are a peaceful community, but our daughters live in fear—the fear of being taken away and never returning home,” VOPM quoted a spokesperson as saying. Protesters called for strict enforcement of existing laws and demanded stronger legal measures where gaps exist. They urged authorities to ensure protection, dignity, and equal rights for every citizen, regardless of religion. The organisation also pointed to a recent controversial court ruling in Pakistan involving a 13-year-old Christian girl, Maria, who was reportedly forcibly converted and married to a Muslim man accused of abducting her. The case has further deepened concerns and fear among minority communities. “A child who cannot legally obtain an identity card—how can she be considered mature enough to decide on religion or marriage?” a participant was quoted as questioning. Protesters appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s Federal Constitutional Court to review the ruling, while also urging the country’s President and Prime Minister to take immediate notice of the matter. Beyond legal reforms, participants called for moral unity, urging Muslim, Christian, Hindu, and Sikh communities across Pakistan to stand together against injustice. “We are not asking for privilege. We are asking for protection—the right of every child to dream without fear,” VOPM quoted prominent Pakistani Christian activist Sultan Sardar Bhatti as saying.