'Forced conversion': LHC hands teenage Christian girl back in parents' custody
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The Lahore High Court on Wednesday ordered that a teenage Christian girl — who was allegedly kidnapped, forcibly converted and married off to a Muslim man in Faisalabad — be handed back to her parents.
Justice Tariq Saleem Shaikh issued the order while hearing an application filed by Javed Masih of Faisalabad against the illegal confinement of his 14-year-old daughter. Speaking outside the court, the girl said she had reached her parents' home after managing to flee the house she was being kept in after 'marriage'.
Masih, who was represented in the court by Advocate Chaudhry Abdul Rasheed, contended in his petition that some members of the Christian community had abducted his teenage daughter and later "sold her off" to a Muslim man named Zafar.
He said after forcibly converting the girl to Islam, Zafar 'married' the underage girl.
A conversion certificate obtained by DawnNewsTV stated that the girl had been renamed as Ayesha after 'willingly' converting to Islam on February 20, 2019.
The girl, however, when produced before the court today by Faisalabad police said that she had been abducted, sold, forcibly converted, and then forcibly married to a Muslim man.
She told the court that she wanted to live with her parents.
After hearing all parties, the court ordered that the teenage girl be given in the custody of her parents.
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Comments (48) Closed
Apr 10, 2019 04:01pm
Dear PM please start lecturing on moral.
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Apr 10, 2019 04:01pm
What about the criminals who almost destroyed the life of a young girl, when are they going to be hanged in public...
The standards have to be set without delay so no next should follow.
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Apr 10, 2019 04:07pm
That's is reality. Will the court give punishment to her so called husband. What happened to Hindu girls case.
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Apr 10, 2019 04:12pm
A sad situation in the Land of Pure
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Apr 10, 2019 04:13pm
Sounds like a very good decision for this poor girl. Hopefully, there is also an action against all people who victimized the teenager?
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Apr 10, 2019 04:13pm
My heart shivers even to think what the girl must be going through at this moment. Returning back to parents is just a small part of the justice..why justice is not served against the culprit who abducted, forcefully converted and married an underage girl? This is a failure of justice system....SHAME....
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Apr 10, 2019 04:29pm
This the truth of minorities ......
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Apr 10, 2019 04:50pm
Shameful
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Apr 10, 2019 04:55pm
What happened to those hindu minor girls.
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Apr 10, 2019 05:19pm
Who is culprit behind these incidents. Its sick mentality of belief swab milega . Change yr attitude .
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Apr 10, 2019 05:23pm
We need to address this before talking about the plight of minorities elsewhere.
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Apr 10, 2019 05:33pm
But this is minimum justice. What about those who abducted her ?
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Apr 10, 2019 05:41pm
And what happened all criminals involved in this saga???
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Apr 10, 2019 05:46pm
Shame to the champions.
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Apr 10, 2019 05:50pm
Take care of minorities
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Apr 10, 2019 06:20pm
@Omair, well said!
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Apr 10, 2019 06:21pm
@Vaif, what always happens!
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Apr 10, 2019 06:38pm
what about the people committed the crime. There will be lot of challenges for this girl now in the life. she has to face lot of criticism the way our society behaves.
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Apr 10, 2019 06:47pm
And what about the criminal who abducted her-sold her and the criminal who bought her ? The kidnappers surely did not do this for the first time. This must be criminal gang
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Apr 10, 2019 07:00pm
Any punishment for culprits ?
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Apr 10, 2019 07:11pm
Seems to be favourite pastime of majority community in Pakistani .
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Apr 10, 2019 07:13pm
Don't speak right of minorities in India..
First introspect your self
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Apr 10, 2019 08:28pm
No government in Pakistan has ever paid any attention to the miserable life conditions and cruel treatment towards minorities.
The law must come into action to punish strictly for forcible conversion and marriages of minor.
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Apr 10, 2019 09:52pm
will imran khan give compensation to this poor family to resettle?
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Apr 10, 2019 09:54pm
Hopefully doesn't stop here. Need to punish the abductors, sellers, buyers and converters.
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Apr 10, 2019 10:18pm
Why no rape charges and arrest and punishment.
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Apr 10, 2019 10:27pm
And what happened to the two Hindu minor girls who were abducted, converted and married to muslims few weeks back?
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Apr 10, 2019 11:04pm
Waiting for the lecture on moral corruption
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Apr 10, 2019 11:28pm
Very sad!! So many lives destroyed in forced conversions.
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Apr 10, 2019 11:58pm
Time for PM Khan to start Twittering again
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Apr 11, 2019 12:08am
@Truth, .... Kidnap gangs do not have morals.
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Apr 11, 2019 12:57am
Kidnapping for forced conversion and forced marriage (really constitutes rape) is HEVANIAT.
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Apr 11, 2019 01:35am
Now those who abducted and sold and the one who bought a human and forced conversion and rape should be prosecuted asap.
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Apr 11, 2019 02:34am
Who is in charge of minority affairs, human rights and women's affairs? There has to strict and swift punishment for this.
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Apr 11, 2019 03:34am
Why was the marriage not annulled and the "husband " not charged with human trafficking, forcing a minor to convert, marrying an under age girl, and rape?
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Apr 11, 2019 04:15am
Well, what happened to all those who abducted, sold and even bought. All these parties are directly involved in a heinous crime & therefore should have been arrested, prosecuted & given severe punishments in accordance with the law. Just, handing over the victim to her parents is good but not enough.
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Apr 11, 2019 04:52am
And what about punishment?!
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Apr 11, 2019 04:57am
A shameful act of abductors of forcefully converted and married an underage girl must be severly punished.(Texas)
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Apr 11, 2019 05:29am
It is good to handover the girl to her parents. She is underage and the case has turned to be a abduction and rape case . It is also a case of forcibly conversion of a girls so where is the punishment
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Apr 11, 2019 06:05am
Good decision by judge. Government has to do something to put a stop to this. Any underage girl known to be taken by others should be immediately returned by police to the parents and not wait for court order.
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Apr 11, 2019 07:28am
It is not enough, jail culprits with rape charges.
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Apr 11, 2019 11:12am
Hope Hindu Sindhi Girls will be back to their homes early.
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Apr 11, 2019 11:23am
What a shame. Where is Ms Sheein Mazari who keep on lecturing other countries on human rights
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Apr 11, 2019 11:36am
Shameful and vile act. Hope the High court also take action against the criminals responsible and that they are dealt with as per the law and an example made of them. At the same time the child and her family be afforded protection. We have to stand up for the rights of children, minorities and the citizens of the country.
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Apr 11, 2019 04:54pm
@Omair, Very sane from you, sadly would go unnoticed
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Apr 11, 2019 07:22pm
@Manu USA, the Hindu girls were adults who chose to convert. the court has ruled and that case is closed.
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Apr 11, 2019 07:33pm
@Bob, adults who chose to convert, court ruled.
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Apr 11, 2019 07:36pm
@Maq, agree.
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