Pakistan: Activists protest against kidnapping, forced conversions of minor girls from minority community

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 15 (ANI): More than 100 social activists from different districts of Pakistan’s Sindh and Punjab provinces protested against the kidnapping and forced conversions of minor girls from minority, especially Hindu communities, in an event titled “Aurat” organized in Karachi on Monday.

Several activists during the event talked about atrocities on females and the apathy shown by the government authorities towards such incidents. The speakers claimed that while police authorities refuse to file FIRs in kidnapping cases, medical and legal authorities connive to declare underage girls as major and eligible for marriage. Karachi-based activist Birma Jeswani said that such incidents of kidnapping of minors, declaring them as major and then forced conversion have been rampant in Sindh for more than a decade and called for an immediate end to such incidents.

Meanwhile, hundreds of women, men and transgender persons on Sunday took part in the Aurat March in Karachi demanding the eradication of poverty, hunger and discrimination on the basis of gender, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.
The march brought together people from diverse classes and age groups.
The central theme for this year’s Aurat March was “Riyasat jawab do, bhook ka hisab do” (State give an answer and be accountable for hunger).

According to Geo News, the venue for the march was changed for the second consecutive year as the marchers gathered at the Burns garden Karachi at around 4 pm. The date of the march was also changed this year from March 8 to 12 as the organisers wanted to hold the march on Sunday to ensure maximum participation.
The attendance was, however, lower compared to earlier marches. The reason for the lower attendance could be the recent law and order situation in the country, an organiser told Geo.tv.

One of the organisers on the occasion of the march said: “Hunger, poverty, climate change and inflation are all feminist issues as women — who are a majority in Pakistan — bear the brunt of all these issues more heavily than other sections of society.” The event was marked with musical performances to raise awareness about issues such as forced conversions, bonded labour and transgender rights.