Shifa Rafaqat: Pakistan fails to prevent child marriages and sexual exploitation of Christian and Hindu girls

139

The ongoing case of Shifa Rafaqat, a 14-year-old student who was taken from her home in Sheikhupura on November 27, 2023, has drawn attention to Pakistan’s alarming failure to prevent child marriage and sexual exploitation of underage girls.

Shifa was taken by her neighbour, Najma Liaquat, who later converted to Islam and married 48-year-old Syed Shabbar Ali Gillani.

Despite an FIR (No. 1967/23) filed under Section 365-B of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), the authorities have still not found the unfortunate girl, underscoring the serious inefficiency in addressing the ongoing human rights violations in Pakistan.

Rafaqat Masih, Shifa’s distraught father, recounted a deeply disturbing encounter with the police at the Sheikhupura police station.

When he sought help to get his daughter back, a police officer responded: “Your daughter will never return to you, Inshallah (if Allah wills),” which clearly shows that the police officer saw it as his religious duty to facilitate the conversion and child marriage of this Christian girl.

This response illustrates the shocking failure of authorities to reclaim underage girls and achieve justice.

Shifa’s mother fears her daughter has been severely abused by her alleged 48-year-old husband, who used forced conversion and marriage to cover up his crimes.

Joseph Jansen, Chairman of Voice for Justice, expressed his grave concern about the injustice in Shifa’s case.

He stressed that Shifa’s marriage is unequivocally illegal under the Prevention of Child Marriage Act.

Fraudulent documentation was used in court to conceal Shifa’s true age. During the trial, Shifa’s “husband” presented a conversion and marriage certificate claiming Shifa was 18 years old, despite her government-issued birth certificate clearly stating she was only 14.

The marriage certificate mentioned the name of Hafiz Fazal Dad Khan Chishti as the Nikkah Khawan (cleric who solemnized the marriage). However, upon inquiry, Hafiz Fazal denied having solemnized or registered the marriage, indicating that the document was fabricated.

Several local testimonies report that the group involved in the capture of Shifa operates a brothel.

Despite numerous complaints filed with the police station about this, authorities are reluctant to investigate the matter.

Jansen explains that an alarming number of Christian minor girls are being abducted or lured away, leaving Christian girls vulnerable.

Jansen estimates that about 25% of cases start as kidnappings. He explains that girls between the ages of 11 and 15 are kidnapped, converted to Islam and married. When they are called to testify in court, they are subjected to severe intimidation and threats, where they are pressured to give a statement favorable to the kidnapper.

Jansen explains that approximately 75% of these cases begin with a pattern of entrapment, often referred to as a “honey trap.”

Young girls, usually between the ages of 11 and 15, are often seduced and lured with promises of a better life and material gifts. They willingly go with the kidnappers, convert to Islam and get married. After these acts, they are captured and the abuse begins.

The problem is that the perpetrators do not intend to take these girls as real wives. Their intention is to sexually exploit them until they are no longer useful. Christian young girls often do not realize the gravity of their situation until they are already trapped, making it too late to escape.

The future for these girls is bleak. They are usually physically and sexually abused by one or more men. Some are forced into prostitution or even sold as sex slaves in Pakistan or abroad.

There are numerous stories of girls claiming that they were sold to China or Gulf countries by their so-called ‘husbands’ and their families. Girls are also often forced into prostitution in Pakistan.

There are also stories of girls being abused by their “husbands” and their friends and relatives, one by one or in groups. When they are no longer considered useful, they are sent back to their families after a few months or years.

In both cases, the police do not help the girls, but rather facilitate their conversion and marriage, leaving Christian parents heartbroken and without any hope of getting their daughter back.

There is a widespread belief among some Muslims that they have a duty to spread the Islamic faith by converting people of other religions. This belief is often motivated by the hope of earning divine rewards in paradise and receiving considerable praise within Pakistani society for facilitating such conversions.

They ignore the fate of these girls and in some cases also the element of violence.

Human rights activist Anosh Waseem pointed out that despite the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) sending multiple notices to police authorities, including the DPO Sheikhupura and IG Police Punjab, no action has been taken to get Shifa back. This reflects a disturbing indifference towards the plight of minority girls and highlights the need for a more committed approach to justice.

Human rights defender Aneel Edger stressed the urgent need for effective enforcement of laws that protect women. He noted that during Pakistan’s recent review under the UN International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), the committee recommended robust measures to prevent forced conversions. The government should recognize these issues as serious human rights violations rather than religious issues.

Rukhsana Zafar criticised the Punjab Assembly Standing Committee for opposing the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Bill, 2024, which proposed to fix the legal marriage age at 18 and impose punishment on those who facilitate child marriages. This opposition ignores the Federal Shariat Court’s 2021 verdict, which affirmed that minimum marriage age is not un-Islamic. Zafar urged stakeholders to support progressive legal reforms to protect girls from forced marriages and conversions.

Women’s rights activist Nadia Stephen stressed the critical need for stronger legal frameworks and a unified public stance against gender-based violence and forced conversions. She called for greater advocacy to hold authorities accountable for protecting the rights of vulnerable girls.

The case of Shifa Rafaqat is a stark example of how young girls, especially from religious minority communities, are abducted, converted and married off. The lack of timely action by authorities has allowed perpetrators to exploit legal loopholes.

The Pakistani government is urged to immediately strengthen the legal and administrative frameworks to prevent such human rights violations and protect minor girls from forced marriages and conversions.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@eutoday1049