Christian man accused of forcibly converting minor girl to Islam

Girl's mother claims he did this to be able to take second wife


Our Correspondent January 17, 2017
Girl's mother claims he did this to be able to take second wife. PHOTO: REUTERS

KARACHI: A Christian man has been accused of forcibly converting an underage girl to Islam so he could take her as his second wife, claimed the girl's mother on Tuesday.

Shahzad is still a practising Christian and has only converted to Islam on paper, said Venus, the mother of 15-year-old T*. She was speaking at a press conference at Madadgar National Child Helpline office.

Sindh Assembly passes bill against forced religious conversions

According to Venus, Shahzad is a married, Christian man who converted himself and the girl to Islam so that he could take a second wife. The Christian faith does not allow a man to take two wives simultaneously. "Shahzad has managed to get fake decrees about T's conversion," she said, adding that her daughter is a student of class 10. "T is an underage girl and the alleged conversion and forced marriage is against the law."

T has been missing from her residence in Akhtar Colony since September 21, last year. Shahzad, who lived in the same neighbourhood, took away her daughter allegedly for prostitution, said Venus.

Tears rolled down the cheeks of the mother of the missing child as she pleaded for her return. "She is not mature enough to decide her fate," she said.

Narrating her ordeal before the media, Venus recalled how she ran from pillar to post to get an FIR registered. The case has recently been taken up by the Madadgar National Child Helpline and the court has ordered the police to register an FIR. "I appeal to the higher authorities to provide justice to my family and help recover her safely," she said.

Hundreds of Indian Muslim girls being forced into converting to Hinduism

Meanwhile, Madadgar National Child Helpline founder and human rights attorney Zia Ahmed Awan also addressed the conference alongside Venus. "The female victims of underage marriage and conversions are a blemish on our society and all the stakeholders including the government need to take serious steps to end the menace," he said, adding that such sensitive issues mostly affect children and families.

He stressed that such issues are a grave violation of rights. "Those involved in arranging and facilitating child marriages and conversions should be dealt with an iron hand," he said.

He appealed to the Sindh IG to take action against the SHO who had earlier refused to register the parent's complaint. He further demanded the IG get the FIR registered under sections that were part of the family's application in the court since the current FIR violates those orders.

"We demand action against the nikahkhuwan, witnesses and other facilitators involved in the underage conversion and forced marriage case and recover the child," he emphasised.

Sindh's is the only assembly that has passed the 'Child Marriage Restraint Act 2013', declaring marriage under 18 a cognisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable offence. According to the law, in cases of underage marriage, the parents, bride and groom can all be sentenced to three years in prison and can be fined with Rs45,000.

The Sindh Assembly had also unanimously passed the forced conversion bill officially known as Criminal Law (Protection of Minorities) Bill. However, deceased Governor Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui refused to ratify the bill. The bill recommended that change of religion should not be recognised until a person attains the age of 18.

 

*Name withheld to protect identity of minor girl

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2017.

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