From Abduction To Conversion: Shrines Being Used For Minority Abuse In Pakistan's Sindh | Exclusive

Last Updated:January 20, 2026, 11:55 IST

According to sources, girls from economically marginalised Hindu groups such as the Bheel, Meghwar and Kolhi communities are most frequently targeted.

Conversions, intelligence inputs suggest, are frequently carried out at specific shrines or madrassa-linked locations. (File Image: AP)

A disturbing pattern behind the abduction and forced conversion of underage minority girls in Pakistan’s Sindh province has emerged. Top intelligences sources have told CNN-News18 how religious shrines and madrassa-linked networks are allegedly being misused in cases involving vulnerable Hindu communities.

According to intelligence sources, girls from economically marginalised Hindu groups such as the Bheel, Meghwar and Kolhi communities are most frequently targeted. Poverty, social exclusion and weak access to legal remedies make these families particularly vulnerable. The selection, sources say, is not random but calculated, focusing on households least likely to sustain long legal battles or attract sustained media attention.

The process often begins with abduction or coercion. Victims are allegedly lured through false promises of marriage, employment or financial security, or threatened into submission. Soon after, the girls are moved out of their home districts. This rapid relocation is a crucial step, designed to cut off access to families, lawyers and local activists, while also reducing scrutiny from local media.

Conversions, intelligence inputs suggest, are frequently carried out at specific shrines or madrassa-linked locations. Networks associated with hardline groups are said to play a key role. In one such case cited by sources, associates linked to the Pir Sarhindi shrine have claimed that nearly 1,000 Hindu girls have already been converted at their facility. While these figures remain contested, the claims themselves raise serious concerns.

Another critical element of the alleged modus operandi is document manipulation. Sources say forged identity papers are prepared to falsely show minors as adults. These altered records are then used to bypass Sindh’s child marriage laws. Within three to four days of the conversion, the girl is reportedly married off – often to an older man or someone already married.

Court proceedings, according to the investigation, further compound the problem. Statements are frequently recorded under pressure, yet police and courts often accept claims of “voluntary conversion" at face value. Once a court validates the conversion, reversing the decision becomes nearly impossible, effectively closing all legal doors for the victim and her family.

The findings underscore a systemic failure where legal loopholes, social vulnerability and institutional apathy intersect – leaving minority girls trapped in a cycle that is difficult to escape and even harder to challenge.

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