In yet another horrifying incident, two Hindu women—Gulzadi, a mother of four, and Momal, along with her young daughter—have been abducted and forcibly converted to Islam by radical Islamist cleric Mian Mithu. The notorious Islamist, known for orchestrating such abductions with impunity, continues to operate freely.
The abduction, rape and forced conversion of Hindu girls and women have become a grim reality in Sindh, where Hindus, once a thriving community, now struggle to survive as a marginalized minority. Radical Islamist groups prey on young Hindu girls/women, coercing them into Islam and marrying them off to their captors—often older men. This form of exploitation, shrouded in the pretext of religious conversion, not only strips these women of their autonomy but also exposes them to horrific sexual violence.
Despite repeated appeals from minority groups and human rights activists, the Paki institutions have consistently turned a blind eye to such abuses. Law enforcement agencies, rather than intervening to protect victims, act in collusion with radical clerics, ensuring that the perpetrators evade justice. Courts, too, have failed to uphold the rights of these women, dismissing their testimonies as voluntary conversions even when coercion is evident.
Mian Mithu’s long-standing involvement in forced conversions, abductions, and marriages of Hindu mothers is an open secret, yet the institutions continues to shield him. The silence of Paki authorities reflects a deliberate attempt to placate powerful Islamist groups, exacerbating the vulnerability of minorities.