The Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has taken serious notice of the alleged abduction, forced conversion, and child marriage of a 15-year-old Hindu girl in Matli, Badin district.
According to reports circulating on social media, the ninth-grade student, Shahneela, was allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint near Notkani Chowk. A complaint filed by her uncle, Majno Maharaj, at the Matli police station claims that two armed men—identified as Maqsood Dars and Manzoor Dars—forced their way into the family’s home and abducted the girl, while two unidentified accomplices waited outside in a white vehicle used for the escape.
The victim’s family fears Shahneela is at risk of being forcibly married and converted—both of which are illegal under Pakistani law. Despite repeated appeals, the suspects’ family has allegedly refused to return the girl.
The SHRC has called on law enforcement agencies to ensure the girl’s immediate safety and recovery, citing multiple laws that criminalize such acts. These include Sections 365-B (kidnapping for forced marriage), 364-A (abduction of a minor), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code. The Commission also noted that Article 20 of the Constitution guarantees religious freedom, making forced conversions unconstitutional.
The SHRC emphasized that the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2013, along with its Rules (2016), provides a legal framework for intervention. Under Rule 8, authorities are required to rescue and recover child victims, Rule 9 allows courts to issue search warrants for missing children, and Rule 10 provides for the temporary custody of rescued minors. In addition, Section 49 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) empowers police to act preemptively in cognizable offenses.
Expressing deep concern, the SHRC pointed to the growing trend of child marriages and forced conversions of Hindu minors in Sindh, calling these acts severe violations of child rights, religious freedoms, and constitutional protections.
Under the authority granted by Section 4(i)(ii) of the Sindh Protection of Human Rights Act, 2011, the Commission has directed the concerned authorities to conduct a full investigation and submit a detailed report through a competent officer by July 7, 2025, at 11:00 AM.
