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Pakistan is facing renewed international scrutiny after United Nations human rights experts raised alarm over the persistent abduction and forced religious conversion of minority women and girls, describing the pattern as widespread and deeply entrenched.
In a press release issued by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, experts said that coercion and lack of legal safeguards are enabling forced conversions through marriage, particularly targeting Hindu and Christian communities. They stressed that any change of religion must be voluntary and that child marriage invalidates consent under international law. According to the experts, nearly 75 per cent of reported cases in 2025 involved Hindu victims, while 25 per cent were Christian. Around 80 per cent of these incidents occurred in Sindh province, with adolescent girls aged 14 to 18 most frequently targeted. In some instances, victims were even younger. The statement highlighted that poverty and marginalisation significantly increase vulnerability, exposing victims to physical and sexual abuse, social stigma and long-term psychological trauma. "These women and girls endure a continuous sense of terror and are deprived of their freedom of religion and autonomy," the experts noted, calling the situation unacceptable. The UN experts characterised the trend as a manifestation of systemic discrimination against non-Muslim minorities, where victims are often compelled to convert to Islam to legitimise marriages with Muslim men. They warned that patriarchal norms, political pressures and religious intolerance are reinforcing the cycle of abuse. Criticism was also directed at Pakistani law enforcement agencies for their alleged failure to act decisively. Authorities were accused of dismissing complaints, delaying investigations and inadequately verifying victims' ages, allowing perpetrators to evade accountability. The experts urged Pakistan to take concrete measures, including raising the minimum marriage age to 18 nationwide, criminalising forced religious conversion as a distinct offence and strengthening enforcement of laws on human trafficking and sexual violence. They also called for comprehensive victim support systems, including safe shelters, legal assistance and psychological counselling. Emphasising the urgency, the experts reiterated that ensuring freedom of religion and equality without discrimination remains a fundamental obligation under international human rights law. (ANI)
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