Pakistan’s Punjab province is reeling from a disturbing case of abduction and forced religious conversion involving a young Christian girl. According to reports from Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), 13-year-old from Sahiwal, studying in class six, was snatched away and coerced into converting to Islam before being wed to a local Muslim man named Ali Haider.
The girl’s parents, both physically challenged and living hand-to-mouth by vending eggs, feel utterly powerless. Her mother’s mobility is impaired by a fractured leg, amplifying their vulnerability in this crisis. ‘It’s cruelty upon cruelty,’ VOPM stated, ‘stealing a child and then threatening parents to accept it or face harm.’
Community representatives have rallied against this blatant human rights abuse, labeling it a direct assault on children’s rights. Yet, with no progress in locating the girl and ongoing menaces to her family, the situation remains dire.
Experts note that forced conversions often occur where social inequalities allow criminals to operate with impunity, particularly targeting isolated minority groups. The organization demands swift intervention from authorities: rescue the minor, protect her welfare, shield the family, and pursue justice without bias.
This incident spotlights deeper issues in Pakistan, where religious minorities face systemic threats. It calls for robust legal reforms and heightened vigilance to dismantle the networks enabling such predatory acts. Until accountability is enforced, the safety of vulnerable children hangs in the balance.