A case has been registered against three individuals for allegedly forcibly converting and marrying an 11-year-old non-Muslim girl in the Ferozwala area of Sheikhupura district, as reported by The Express Tribune.
Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs, Ramesh Singh Arora, responded promptly to the disturbing incident by ordering immediate action.
Salim Masih, a resident of Ferozwala, recounted how officials from the local police station visited his home on March 27, instructing him to appear in the Ferozwala court the following day alongside his daughter. Masih was shocked to learn that their former neighbor, Imran Sarfaraz, had filed a complaint against them.
During the court appearance, Sarfaraz presented Masih’s daughter’s birth certificate, revealing her age as 11 years old. The court was also shown a marriage certificate dated October 10, 2023, which indicated that the girl had been forcibly married after her conversion to Islam.
Masih’s daughter disclosed in an interview with The Express Tribune that Sarfaraz had deceived her into signing the marriage documents by promising a trip to a water park.
After reviewing the evidence, the court dismissed Sarfaraz’s complaint and instructed the police to take legal action against him, his mother, and the witnesses to the marriage.
Upon learning of the incident, Minister Ramesh Singh Arora personally contacted Salim Masih and urged the police to swiftly register a case against the suspect.
Last year, a group of UN experts expressed concern over the reported increase in abductions, forced marriages, and conversions of underage girls and young women from religious minorities in Pakistan. They called for immediate action to stop these practices and ensure justice for the victims.
Reports indicate that these forced marriages and conversions often involve religious authorities, security forces, and the justice system in Pakistan, according to the UN.