Forced Religious Conversions in Sindh, Pakistan

Floor Speech

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Mr. SHERMAN. Madam Speaker, as Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Sindh and Chairman of the Asia Subcommittee in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I have repeatedly drawn attention to the issue of forced conversions and other human rights abuses in the Sindh province of Pakistan. Today, I reiterate my concerns about the forced conversions of young Sindhi Hindu girls.

On April 29, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom released its annual report on the world's most egregious violators of religious freedom. The report noted that religious freedom in Pakistan continued to decline in 2018. The Commission also reported that ``Forced conversions of non-Muslims continued despite the passage of the Hindu Marriage Act, which recognizes Hindu family law.''

While the numbers are unclear, estimates suggest that each year, several hundred or more girls and young women are abducted, forcibly married, and converted to Islam. There were at least 1,000 cases of forced conversions of Hindu and Christian girls just in Sindh Province in 2018, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. The actual number is estimated to be much larger as most cases go unreported.

Pakistan's Human Rights Commission also notes that the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act of 2013, intended to address the issue, has not been enforced effectively. The state's response to forced marriages has been mixed, especially because the police are insensitive and indifferent in most cases. When families report their daughters as missing, this is ignored by the police. Therefore, the abducted girls remain with their abductors, where they are often coerced into silence.

The role of some religious leaders adds to the problem. Mian Mitho, a religious leader and politician, has participated in numerous conversions of young Sindhi girls. He has close connections with the army and the Prime Minister, and this has allowed him to continue his activities.

I urge Pakistan's government to more effectively address the issue of forced abductions, forced marriages, and forced religious conversions in the Sindh province.

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