In a troubling incident from Tando Ghulam Ali, Sindh, a 15-year-old, minor Christian girl named Muskan Masih has been abducted by Arsalan Khaskheli and his associates. According to Muskan’s family, the police have been hesitant to file a complaint, citing the influence of Arsalan’s father, Salim Khaskheli.
This abduction of minor Christian girl highlights the challenges faced by minority communities, particularly Hindus and Christians, in the region. Instances of abductions, rape and concerns about forceful conversions to Islam have been raised. Families affected have reported difficulties in seeking legal assistance.
Often it has been seen that the minor girls from minority communities, be them Hindu or Christian, are abducted, raped, forcibly converted to Islam and married off to abductor. To the worse, they are patronised by many radical clerics, parts of administration and some times even judiciary. It happens because of a bigoted Islamic ideology running deep into the system which calls the conversion of females of other religion as a pious and religious work of Islam. The minority communities are considered infidels and subsequently, eligible to be killed or converted.
Unfortunately, history tells us that these girls are mostly killed or disbanded after being converted, raped, married and even sold. The gruesome condition of minorities in Pakistan mostly goes unnoticed adding further distress and agony for the victim, their family and community.
It is time that the international community should take cognizance of the issue and take decisive measures in the direction of protecting minority communities and especially girls in Pakistan.