Alleged forced conversion, marriages: Ghotki sisters move IHC for protection

Alleged forced conversion, marriages: Ghotki sisters move IHC for protection

ISLAMABAD: The two Ghotki sisters, who were allegedly abducted, forced conversions and marriages on Monday approached the Islamabad High Court seeking their protection.

The petition nominating Interior Ministry, Sindh Chief Minister, IG Sindh and Punjab, MNA Ramesh Kumar and Hari Lal, states that propaganda being aired against them have endangered the lives of their families.

Both the sisters were inspired from the Islamic teachings for long but never disclosed in public due to safety concerns, the petition added.

The sisters converted to Islam on March 23, 2019.

The petitioners said that the accepted Islam with their choice and requested for protection from the security authorities.

The IHC’s chief justice, Jutsice Athar Minaullah, will hear the petition on Tuesday.

Earlier, Police arrested at least seven people, including a Nikah Khwan (marriage officiator), suspected of involvement in the alleged abductions, forced conversions and underage marriages of two minor Hindu sisters.

According to police, several raids were conducted in Punjab's Rahim Yar Khan district ─ where it was believed the girls were taken from Ghotki ─ and arrested the Nikah Khwan who solemnised their marriages, a leader of the Pakistan Sunni Tehreek, and some relatives of the two men who had married the two girls.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Imran Khan took notice and directed the Punjab and Sindh governments to launch probe into reports of abduction, forced conversion and underage marriages of two teenage Hindu girls.