Hindu Woman, Daughter abducted in Karachi as fears of forced conversions rise in Pakistan

A Pakistani Hindu woman, Rani , and her minor daughter were abducted on Saturday in Karachi’s Sher Shah area, deepening concerns over the safety of minority women in Sindh, a recurring pattern of kidnappings and forced conversions.

According to officials and family accounts, the incident occurred in Sindhi Mohalla when three unidentified armed men intercepted Rani moments after she stepped out of her home. The men allegedly forced her and her young daughter into a white Alto car and sped away. The family, shocked by the swift abduction, immediately approached the police, and an FIR was later registered.

Shiva Kaachi, a civil rights activist

working for the Hindu community in Karachi, said both victims remain missing and the family fears they may be subjected to forced conversion and marriage, a growing concern among minority groups. “The way the abductors took her away in broad daylight is deeply alarming,” he said. Kaachi also revealed he has been receiving death threats from groups allegedly linked to such abductions, prompting him to seek police protection.

Saturday’s incident mirrors a series of similar cases reported across Sindh in recent years involving Hindu girls and young women. High-profile incidents such as those of Reena and Raveena in 2019, as well as multiple cases documented by rights groups in Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Tharparkar and other districts, suggest a recurring pattern: abduction, rapid conversion to Islam, and marriage to the alleged abductors, often older men. Families frequently allege police inaction and coercion during legal proceedings.

The latest abduction has intensified public pressure on authorities to strengthen protections for minority women. Human-rights groups estimate that hundreds of minority girls, mostly Hindu and Christian are abducted, forcibly converted, and married off each year in Pakistan, with Sindh reporting the highest number of cases. Rights activists believe that sustained media attention and community mobilisation could push the Sindh government toward meaningful reforms, including stricter police protocols, age-verification measures in conversion cases, and dedicated minority protection desks.

However, systemic challenges, weak enforcement, political sensitivities around religious conversions, and entrenched local power networks continue to hinder long-term solutions.

As the search for Rani and her daughter continues, minority groups in Karachi say the case underscores the urgent need for stronger, sustained action to prevent further abuses.