Two Hindu girls kidnapped in Pakistan must be sent back to their family immediately: Sushma Swaraj
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today stepped up pressure on Pakistan, demanding the release of the two Hindu girls, who were allegedly kidnapped and forcefully converted to Islam. "Justice demands that both these girls should be restored to their family immediately," the union minister said on Twitter.
"Even the Prime Minister of Naya Pakistan will not believe that girls of such tender age can voluntarily decide about their conversion to another religion and marriage... The age of the girls is not disputed. Raveena is only 13 and Reena is 15-years-old," Ms Swaraj said.
A court in Pakistan ordered the government to take custody of the girls, who appeared before the Islamabad High Court this morning. "The court has directed the deputy commissioner to take their custody," Farrukh Ali, a police officer, told news agency Reuters.
Two teenagers were allegedly kidnapped on Sunday at Ghotki in Pakistan's Sindh province by "influential" men and soon after the incident, a video went viral in which a cleric was purportedly shown solemnizing the Nikah (marriage) of the girls, triggering a nationwide outrage.
The police, on Sunday, arrested a man suspected of assisting the Nikah of the two girls. They teenagers had approached a court in Pakistan's Punjab province seeking protection, according to local media reports.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has also ordered a probe into the incident.
On Sunday, Ms Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart, Fawad Chaudhry, were locked in a Twitter spat soon after the former asked for details from the Indian envoy in Pakistan about the reported kidnapping and conversion of two girls.
Ms Swaraj, while tagging a media report about the incident, tweeted that she has asked the Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan to send a report on the issue. Fawad Chaudhry had responded to her tweet, saying it was his country's "internal issue".
Ms Swaraj said that the Pakistani minister was "jittery" after she had asked for "just a report" and Mr Chaudhry hit back saying she should "stand up for minorities at home as well."
The Hindu community in Pakistan took out protest rallies calling for strict action against those responsible and reminded Imran Khan of his promises to the minorities of the country when he was elected to power.
Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan and most of them live in Sindh province. Pakistani media reports say, approximately 25 forced marriages take place every month only in Umerkot district in Sindh province.