Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Faisalabad (Agenzia Fides) – There have been at least 500 confirmed cases, in a year and a half, of girls belonging to religious minorities, Christian and Hindu, who have been kidnapped by Muslims and forced to get married: says a forum composed of the Pakistani NGO "Human Rights Focus Pakistan "(HRFP), "Global Human Rights Defense"(GHRD) and "Coalition for the Rights of Minorities, Pakistan" (CRMP).
As reported to Fides by Naveed Walter, President of HRFP, the majority of reported cases (70%) since 2014 and the first months of 2015 have occurred in the province of Punjab. One must also consider the many cases not reported for fear of revenge or retaliation.
The NGOs have asked the provincial and federal government of Punjab to take concrete action to control and stop the phenomenon, which is a serious abuse of individual rights. Naveed Walter stigmatizes "the reluctance of government authorities to limit this form of violence against religious minorities".
The forum recalls the cases regarding Rinkle Kumari in the province of Sindh, Poonam Kumari and Payal Kumari in Baluchistan, Saba Waris, Hina and many others in Punjab. "Too often the culture of impunity against those responsible for abductions, forced conversions and forced marriages prevails" he says. The forum calls for a special pool of magistrates, police and public officials to monitor, report and act promptly when cases like these occur. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 12/03/2015)
