image source, @NARAINDASBHEEL8
The family alleged that three men forced their way into their house and took their daughter away.
In Pakistan, the alleged case of forced conversion and marriage of a minor Hindu girl has come to light.
The girl’s parents claim that their daughter was a minor and was married off after she was abducted.
But another party claims that the girl was 19 years old and got married after converting to Islam of her own free will.
The incident took place in Naukot town in Mirpurgas district of Sindh state.
Ramesh Kumar Bhil, Karishma Bhil’s father, said three armed men entered the house and forcibly took away his daughter.
After that he says he was converted and married.
Ramesh Kumar Bhil said that his daughter Karishma is 16 years old.
She says she went to Nowkot police station immediately after her daughter was abducted, where the police made her sit for two hours.
The accused person’s father was also called to the police station.
Ramesh Kumar Beel was assured at the police station that his daughter would be rescued.
But later the police sent him home without taking any action.
The girl’s father Ramesh Bhil said that Karisma was forcibly taken away and the police did not give her justice.
Karishma Bhil’s father claims that his daughter is a minor and her marriage is illegal.
She claimed that Karishma was forcibly taken away and the police did not give justice to her daughter.
Meanwhile, the certificate of Karishma Biel as a Muslim has also been released. Karishma’s age is mentioned as 19 in this certificate.
Karishma converted to Islam on February 18, 2023 and now her Muslim name is Kanwal, the certificate says.
On the same date i.e., the marriage certificate dated February 18 was also released. In that the age is mentioned as 19.
Karishma’s father Ramesh Bheel says he has a school certificate that says his daughter’s date of birth is March 2006.
Accordingly, Karisma’s age is 16. She will turn 17 in March.
According to the school certificate, Karisma was born in March 2006.
According to the Sindh law the minimum age for marriage is 18. Now under this law cases will be registered and action will be taken against those who marry before the legal age.
“Karisma was having an affair with a boy from the neighborhood. On the evening of February 20, Karisma left home with him. Both went to an Islamic cleric, Ayub Jan Sarhindi, in Samaro area, where the girl converted and the two got married,” said Aslam Jamali, police chief of Nowkot police station. told the BBC.
Aslam Jamali added that he has conversion and marriage certificates.
Meanwhile, the police said that Karisma’s statement has appeared in the local media. Karishma said in the statement that she left the house on her own free will and no one misled her.
The police chief accepted that the girl’s father had come to him. But Aslam Jamali could not clearly explain why an FIR was not registered on his complaint.
It is said to be the certificate of Karishma’s conversion to Islam.
Karishma’s parents have now filed a petition in the local sessions court.
All parties, including the police, have been summoned to appear in court on February 27, i.e. next Monday.
As the case is now in the court, action will be taken as per the court order, says the police chief.
Nowkot’s Hindu community is protesting outside the police station
On the other hand, Pakistan Dharawar Ittihad, an organization of the Hindu community in Sindh, and Karisma’s family, are protesting outside the Nowkot police station.
The protestors say that an FIR should be registered in connection with Karishma’s abduction. They have also demanded that Karishma be handed over to them by registering a case of underage marriage.
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