In a deeply troubling incident in Sindh, Pakistan, on September 12, 2024, A 16-year-old Hindu girl named Poonam Meghwar was reportedly abducted from Hunguru Mirpurkhas in Sindh, Pakistan. She was then allegedly converted to Islam in a madrasa near Samaru Umarkot, and married off to a Muslim man, Rams Ali Khaskheli.
This incident is not an isolated one. It is part of a deeply troubling trend in Pakistan, particularly in the Sindh province, where the abduction and forced conversion of young Hindu girls have become increasingly common. Reports indicate that many girls are kidnapped and then coerced into converting to Islam and marrying Muslim men, often under duress,,.
The Hindu community, along with other minorities, who constitute just 3.5 per cent of Pakistan’s population, continue to face persecution in the Islamic Republic.
In a disheartening development last year, a parliamentary panel rejected a bill against forcible conversions, further exacerbating the situation.
The plight of the Hindu minority in Pakistan has drawn attention from various human rights organizations and has raised concerns internationally. Despite the outcry, there have been calls for more decisive action against these practices.
The case of Poonam Meghwar is a stark reminder of the urgent need for intervention and justice. It is a call to the international community to not only condemn these atrocities but also to take concrete steps to prevent them. The world cannot remain silent while such gross violations of human rights continue. Let us stand together in our plea for justice, and strive for a world where every individual, regardless of their religious affiliation, is safe, respected, and treated with dignity.
For more updates and detailed coverage of this case and other issues affecting the Hindu and Sindhi communities in Sindh, Pakistan, stay tuned to Sindh Renaissance.
