Pakistan court returns custody of two Hindu minors amid conversion row

The alleged abduction and forced conversion of four Hindu children in Pakistan’s Sindh province has once again ignited debate over the safety and rights of religious minorities -- particularly underage girls.

On June 18, four children -- three sisters and their young male cousin -- were reported missing from Shahdadpur, a city in Sindh’s Sanghar district. Their families accused local individuals of abducting the children and coercing them into converting to Islam, triggering protests and concern within the region’s Hindu community.

The missing children — Jiya (22), Diya (19), Dashina (17), and Harjeet (13) — later appeared in videos circulated on social media, claiming they had willingly accepted Islam.

A first information report (FIR) was lodged the same evening the children went missing, based on complaints filed by their parents. Responding swiftly to urgent appeals from the families and the Hindu Panchayat, police recovered all four individuals from Karachi the next day and handed them over to Sanghar police. The main suspect, allegedly responsible for facilitating the conversions, was also taken into custody.

According to the FIR, the accused -- Farhan Khaskheli, Zulfiqar Khaskheli, Irfan Khaskheli, and Majeed Khaskheli -- were armed with a pistol at the time of the alleged abduction. A formal investigation is now underway, as the case continues to draw sharp focus from civil society and human rights organizations.

Court order and findings

Today, the children appeared before Judicial Magistrate-II in Shahdadpur and recorded their statements under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Jiya (now Mariam) and Diya (now Khatija), both adults, told the court they had embraced Islam willingly and were staying at the Gosha-e-Aafiat Trust in Karachi of their own choice.

Dashina (now Sidra) and Harjeet (now Abdul Rafay) also claimed they had converted to Islam and left home voluntarily.

However, the court recognized that Dashina and Harjeet are minors and may not fully understand the consequences of changing religion. While acknowledging their statements, the court ruled that they be returned to their parents — but only under strict conditions to protect the children's safety and rights.

The judge ordered that the custody of the two minors be granted to their parents, each against a surety bond of Rs. 1 million.

The parents must not force them to reconvert to Hinduism or stop them from practicing Islam.

The minors should be allowed to choose their own path without pressure from either side.

Security measures

To ensure no harm comes to any of the individuals involved, the court instructed the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Benazirabad and SSP Sanghar to provide full security at both the Gosha-e-Aafiat Trust and at the court premises.

The case was then disposed of, meaning the immediate legal matter was closed, although investigations and community responses continue.

Families’ reaction

A day before the court hearing, the children’s mothers, speaking at a press conference in Shahdadpur, were visibly distressed and tearful. Harjeet’s mother cried, ‘My son is only 13 years old. He does not even understand religion. He has been brainwashed.’ She appealed directly to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to help recover her son and protect other children.

The mother of the three girls also broke down while speaking to reporters. ‘I have three daughters — Khaskheli took them all. I raised them with love and care, and now they’ve been taken away from me like this,’ she said through tears. She blamed Farhan Khaskheli, a local computer teacher, for influencing and taking her daughters away. Khaskheli has been named in the FIR and is currently under police investigation.

Hindu Panchayat demands legal framework for religious conversions

Following the court’s decision to return custody of two underage Hindu children to their parents under strict conditions, Rajesh Kumar Hardasani, Focal Person and Minority Coordinator for District Sanghar, welcomed the ruling and reiterated the community’s longstanding demand for legal safeguards around religious conversions.

Speaking to Nukta Pakistan, Hardasani said the families were in deep distress and unable to speak publicly at this time. ‘It’s a very difficult moment for the parents. They’re emotionally shattered and not in a condition to address the media,’ he said.

Calling the court’s order ‘a positive step,’ he said the community’s main demand had been met — that the minors be allowed to meet their families and give their statements in their presence. ‘Now that this has happened, we accept the court’s decision,’ he added.

However, Hardasani also stressed the urgent need for a legal framework to regulate religious conversions, particularly involving minors. ‘We have no issue if a child is genuinely inspired by Islam,’ he said. ‘But there should be a law — a clear process — that explains how conversions will take place, before whom, and under what conditions.’

Rights body backs conversion probe

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has welcomed the Sindh Human Rights Commission’s (SHRC) decision to take suo motu notice of the alleged abduction and forced conversion of three Hindu girls — Diya, Jiya, and Dashina — from Shahdadpur, Sanghar district.

In a statement issued on Friday, the HRCP said the recurring incidents of forced conversions in Sindh not only violate the right to freedom of religion or belief but also threaten the victims’ personal liberty and bodily autonomy. The Commission endorsed SHRC’s call for a thorough investigation and reiterated its longstanding demand for provincial legislation to criminalize forced conversions.

The SHRC, in its official notice, cited existing legal protections under Pakistani law — particularly against child marriage, abduction, and non-consensual religious conversion — and directed the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sanghar to urgently probe the matter. The Commission has scheduled a hearing on 23 June 2025 at 11:00 a.m., and has ordered that a detailed report be submitted without delay.

It is to be noted that the rights activists and minority community leaders have repeatedly called for a legal framework in Sindh to protect vulnerable groups — especially underage girls — from such abuses. A bill aimed at curbing forced conversions was passed by the Sindh Assembly in 2016 but was later withdrawn under political pressure, and subsequent efforts have also stalled.

The current case has reignited calls for legislative reform amid growing concern over the safety of religious minorities in the province.