Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about the abduction of a 15-year-old Hindu girl in October last year. Police and state officials refused to look into the case. After the victim was found in captivity with her parents’ employer a local landlord they were told that she had married and converted to Islam, however they were not able to speak with her alone and she has since disappeared again without trace. There are extremely strong fears for her safety, and strong concerns that the Punjab authorities are indulging in extreme negligence of their duties to protect minors.
CASE DETAILS:
The following information was received from Hare Rama Foundation, an NGO working for the rights of religious minorities, and from the vice president of the National Peace Committee for Interfaith Harmony, an organization formed by the federal government.
On October 16, 2009 the parents of Miss Gomti, 15, went to the house of their landlords house to ask about their daughter, who worked at the house as a domestic servant for a number of years. Her parents had not seen her since 12 October. They were told that she had left with the landlord two days earlier, but that he had not mentioned where he was taking her. Miss Gomti’s parents are field workers in Ahmedpur Sharqiya, Bahawalpur, Punjab for the landlord, Mr. Asghar Ali.
Gomti’s father Bheeka Ram and his wife took the case to the Shahi wala police chowki (a sub-station of the Head Rajkan police station), but were simply told that she would likely be returned soon.
The parents contacted Mr. Ramesh Jay Pal, the vice president of the National Peace Committee for Interfaith Harmony in Punjab, which is an organization formed by the federal government. On 18 October 2009 he arranged a Punchayat, a meeting of representatives from different Muslim groups which resolved to find Gomti and try to help her.
After about six weeks she was found with Asghar Ali at a village called Wali Ka Dera, in the Khanpur sub-district of Rahim Yar Khan, which is a remote place in the desert about 130km from the girl’s home village. Ali told the Punchayat that Gomti had married one of his peasants, a Mr. Liaquat Ali, after converting to Islam however her alleged husband could not be produced. When Gomti was presented to the group by staff from the local seminary, her name had been changed to Sughra, a Muslim name. She appeared to not be aware of this change however.
Gomti’s parents claim that they were only able to meet her in the presence of employees of Asghar Ali. She appeared to be under pressure, and reportedly asked her parents to convert to Islam. The parents were not able to take her home with them and we are told that she has been missing from the village since February. Her marriage certificate claims that she is 19.
According to the records of the Hare Rama Foundation, more than ten Hindu girls were abducted and forcibly converted in a similar style in 2009 and the issue is one that has been repeatedly highlighted by the National Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the authorities below demanding an immediate investigation into the case, particularly into the lack of action taken by both police officials and the local administration.
The AHRC has written to Chairperson, Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief calling for their intervention in this case.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
PAKISTAN: A Hindu girl has been abducted by a landlord and forcibly converted to Islam; the authorities have refused to intervene
Name of victim:
Gomti, 15, daughter of Bheeka Ram; resident of Chak 47, Shahi Wala Taluka, district Bahawalpur, Punjab province.
Name of alleged perpetrators:
Mr. Asghar Ali, a local landlord of Ahmedpur Sharqiya, Shahi Wala Taluka, district Bahawalpur, Punjab province.
Date of incident:
October 12 -15, 2009
Place of incident:
Shahi Wala, Ahmedpur Sharqiya, district Bahawalpur, Punjab province
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the disappearance of Miss Gomti, 15, a member of the Hindu community of Bahawalpur district, Punjab province, after her conversion to Islam through a forced marriage. I understand that police and state officials refused to look into her abduction.
According to information received by the Hare Rama Foundation and the vice president of the National Peace Committee for Interfaith Harmony, on October 16, 2009 the parents of Miss Gomti, 15, who are field workers, were told that their daughter had left with their employer two days earlier to an unknown location. Miss Gomti had worked for Mr. Asghar Ali in in Ahmedpur Sharqiya, Bahawalpur, Punjab for a number of years before the incident.
Miss Gomti’s father Bheeka Ram and his wife took the case to the Shahi wala police chowki (a sub-station of the Head Rajkan police station), but were simply told that she would likely be returned soon. They then contacted Mr. Ramesh Jay Pal, the vice president of the National Peace Committee for Interfaith Harmony in Punjab, who I’m told arranged a Punchait, a meeting of representatives from different Muslim groups, on 18 October 2009, at which they resolved to find the victim.
I understand that after about six weeks she was found with Mr. Asghar Ali at a village called Wali Ka Dera, in the Khanpur sub-district of Rahim Yar Khan, which is a remote place in the desert about 130km from the girl’s home village. Mr. Asghar Ali told the Punchait that Miss Gomti had married one of his peasants, a Mr. Liaquat Ali, after converting to Islam; however her alleged husband could not be produced. When Miss Gomti was presented to the group by staff from the local seminary her name had been changed to Sughra, a Muslim name. She appeared to not be aware of this change however.
Gomti’s parents claim that they were only able to meet her in the presence of employees of Asghar Ali. She appeared to be under pressure, and reportedly asked her parents to convert to Islam. The parents were not able to take her home with them and we are told that she has been missing from the village since February. Her marriage certificate claims that she is 19.
According to the records of the Hare Rama Foundation, more than ten Hindu girls were abducted and forcibly converted in a similar style in 2009 and the issue is one that has been repeatedly highlighted by the National Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
Please intervene swiftly to ensure that Miss Gomti is found and that her security and fundamental rights to freedom of religion and security are guaranteed. I also urge you to make sure that all such cases of abduction and forced conversions notably through marriages are responded to swiftly and credibly by the authorities, as required by the Pakistan constitution and penal code.
Mr. Asghar Ali, if proven to be guilty, must face legal sanctions, as must the police who are proven to have obstructed justice in the case.
Yours sincerely,
—————-
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Asif Ali Zardari
President of Pakistan
President’s Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 51 9204801
Fax: +92 51 9207458
Email: publicmail@president.gov.pk
2. Mr.Syed Mumtaz Alam Gillani
Federal Minister for Human Rights
Ministry of Human Rights
Old US Aid building
Ata Turk Avenue
G-5, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 9204108
Email: sarfraz_yousuf@yahoo.com
3. Mr. Salman Taseer
Governor of Punjab
Governor House
Mall Road
Lahore
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 42 99203044
Email: governor.sectt@punjab.gov.pk
4. Chief Secretary of Government of Punjab
Punjab Secretariat
Lahore
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 42 7324489
E-mail: chiefsecy@punjab.gov.pk
5. Minister of Law
Government of Punjab
Punjab Secretariat
Ravi Road
Lahore
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 42 99212004
E-mail: law@punjab.gov.pk
6. Dr. Faqir Hussain
Registrar
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: + 92 51 9213452
E-mail: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk
7. Mr. Tariq Saleem
Inspector-General of Police, Punjab
Police Head Office, Lahore, Punjab Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 42 99210064
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
