Forced Conversion is a common issue among Christians. It was once popular for Hindu community where the Hindu daughters were kidnapped and converted forcefully to Islam. This practice was merely done in mostly Interior Sindh, but now along with the spread of Islamization this practice has seen Punjab and the entire Pakistan against the Christians. Sometimes Christians are threaten to convert otherwise they will be held accused of Blasphemy. Sometimes many other consequences and reasons are there for conversions, particularly forced conversions. This is the practice where even the law of land do not interfere if someone is converted forcefully, even if he or she is a child. Because Child marriages are acceptable in Islam. Whereas the law says that Child marriages should be stopped and are not allowed.
“Pakistan’s Child Marriage Restraint Act (CMRA) 1929 sets the legal age for marriage to 16 for women and 18 for men. In May 2017, the National Assembly rejected the draft Child Marriage Restraint Act for the second time. The proposal would have increased the legal age for marriage from 16 to 18 nationwide”
In this particular case of Simran the age of the Girl Child is 13 years in accordance with her Birth certificate ( National Data Base and Registration Authority’s {Nadra} attested) was abducted by a Muslim man named Majid Ali, she was raped, converted forcefully to Islam and then her abductor married her forcefully. An FIR was lodged against the abductor Majid Ali, but the police was reluctant to produce the minor girl and in spite of helping the parents of Simron the police dismissed the case on the basis that Simron has converted to Islam so there is no case and she’s not liable to live with her family.
This incidence was happened on 25th December 2017, when Majid Ali kidnapped a Christian 13 years old girl namely Simran. The police supported Majid Ali because when Simran’s father came to know that his daughter has kidnapped by Majid Ali he at once went to police station Factory Area Lahore to register First Information Report (FIR) police didn’t response him according to his matter. Police demanded him 30,000/- rupees as bribe to register an FIR.
Somehow Ishaq Masih arrange the 30,000/- rupees he took his brother-in-law and Christian Councilor of the locality and they went to Police Station. Police took the bribe and registered the FIR and ensured them that that the Police will help to find Simron. After a week Police called the Ishaq Masih in the Police Station and gave him the conversion and marriage certificate and told him that there is no need to find Simran as she’s a Muslim woman now.
Ishaq Masih and his wife Parveen Bibi contacted The Voice and requested for help. The Voice took up their case and filed the case against the Police and against Majid Ali in the Court of Additional Sessions Judge Lahore, the last hearing was 10-02-2018, the court seems to be very biased as it’s a matter of Conversion after all and it endangers the faith and duty of Muslims towards Islam. The Court asked itself for the negotiations because the Judge said that I or law cannot interfere if anyone converts to Islam and no matter if she or he is a child or minor or anyone.
The Voice is looking forward to high court for the Justice and recovery of Minor girl Simron. In 2008 I personally was held accused of Blasphemy in Multan High Court where I pleaded against the Muslim Scholars and the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad of Marrying a minor in Islam in a similar case of a twelve years old girl. As a result I had to stay out of my country for one year. I hope this time it will not happen. Please keep The Voice team and the Voice lawyers in your prayers.
Reported
The Voice Society Team
