Statistics Reveal Surge in Forced Conversions of Minority Girls in Sindh Province

Recent data compiled by minority‑rights monitors shows a sharp increase in forced conversions and coerced marriages involving Hindu girls in Pakistan's Sindh province. Between 2021 and 2024, at least 421 cases of kidnapping, religious conversion, and forced marriage of minority women were recorded nationwide, with 282 victims identified as Hindu.

Sindh accounted for 72 percent of all reported incidents, highlighting the province as a hotspot for such human‑rights violations. In 2024 alone, Pakistani officials logged 83 cases, of which 63 percent involved Hindu girls.

United Nations experts warned in a 2026 briefing that approximately 80 percent of alleged forced‑conversion marriages reported in 2025 originated from Sindh, and about 75 percent of the victims were Hindu. The pattern suggests a systemic issue affecting vulnerable minority communities, especially in rural districts where poverty, caste bias, and limited legal recourse exacerbate the risk.

Activists argue that the prevalence of these crimes underscores the urgent need for stronger protective legislation, reliable reporting mechanisms, and community‑based support services. They also call for comprehensive training of law‑enforcement personnel to handle such sensitive cases with cultural competence and respect for children’s rights.

The latest case involving the alleged abduction of two minor Hindu sisters from Tando Allahyar has reignited public debate. The families assert that the girls were taken, forced to convert to Islam, and married to two local Muslims, a claim that has drawn condemnation from both local NGOs and international observers.

Stakeholders are urging the Pakistani government to conduct transparent investigations, ensure the safe return of the girls to their families, and implement robust safeguards to prevent future occurrences.