Minority members of the Balochistan Assembly on Monday protested the alleged abduction of a 14-year-old Hindu girl from Sibi, her alleged forced religious conversion and marriage in Sindh, demanding her immediate recovery.
Taking notice of the matter, Speaker Captain (retd) Abdul Khaliq Achakzai directed Provincial Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove to contact the Sindh government and take immediate steps to resolve the issue.
Raising the matter on a point of order during the assembly session, PML-N MPA Dr Ashok Kumar said Bindiya, a member of the Hindu community, had allegedly been abducted from Sibi and taken to Bakhshapur in Sindh, where she was reportedly converted to Islam and married.
Dr Ashok Kumar pointed out that the Balochistan Assembly had enacted legislation concerning underage marriages, under which a 14-year-old girl could not legally marry.
PPP parliamentary secretary Sanjay Kumar said he possessed evidence establishing the girl's age as 14. He added that her mother had been in a distressed condition since the girl was taken away, while her family had repeatedly approached community representatives for help in securing her recovery.
National Party chief Dr Abdul Malik Baloch termed the matter extremely serious and condemned the incident. He said people belonging to all religions and ethnic communities living in Balochistan were equal and called for immediate contact with the Sindh government to resolve the issue.
Provincial Minister Ali Madad Jattak also condemned the alleged abduction and religious conversion, saying the government stood against injustice and would oppose oppression wherever it occurred in Balochistan.
Speaker Achakzai observed that if the girl had entered into a court marriage, her age would need to be examined, while any marriage conducted through tribal arrangements would require appropriate action if unlawful.
Home Minister informed the assembly that the government had taken notice of the matter and was contacting the Sindh government.
In a separate development, Speaker Achakzai sought a report from the Nasirabad commissioner over the proposed leasing of land at the Cattle Farm area and directed police officials to investigate pending murder cases.
PML-N MPA Sardar Abdul Rahman Khetran said a landowner and his son had been abducted in Barkhan. Although the father was later released, his son was allegedly tortured and shot dead.
He urged the government to ensure registration of an FIR, even if the victim's family was too frightened to pursue the case. The speaker directed the relevant deputy inspector general of police to explain the delay and ensure registration of the case.
Jamaat-e-Islami parliamentary secretary Abdul Majeed Badini said around 2,300 acres had been allocated to the agriculture and livestock departments at Cattle Farm in Nasirabad about 50 years ago.
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