Karachi(Pakistan): In a rare act of justice, a Pakistani Hindu girl who was abducted, forcibly converted, and married to a Muslim man has finally reunited with her family after a Sindh court’s order. The lower court in Umerkot, about 310 km east of Karachi, directed that Sunita Maharaj be returned to her family on Saturday, according to Hindu activist Shiva Kaachi, who represented her parents in court.
Sunita was kidnapped from Kunri in Mirpurkhas district and later subjected to forced conversion and marriage to a much older Muslim man. Her case is among the few instances in which a Hindu girl has successfully regained her freedom, say community leaders.
“This is not an isolated incident. The abductions, forced conversions, and marriages of Hindu girls continue to terrorise our community in Sindh,” said advocate Chandar Kohli from Umerkot. He added that despite Sunita’s repeated pleas that she was abducted and forced to convert, the court initially sent her to a safe house until the final order was passed.
Activists have long accused perpetrators of producing fake marriage documents to present the unions as consensual. Most victims come from poor Hindu families lacking the resources or legal knowledge to defend their rights. “That’s why more educated Hindus are stepping up to fight these cases,” Kohli added.
Just last month, another 15-year-old Hindu girl from Sindh appeared before a Mirpurkhas court, alleging she had been abducted, raped, and forced to marry after conversion. The court ordered her to be placed in a safe house pending a final decision.
