Family's Desperate Appeals Met with Alleged Police Inaction as Concerns Mount for Minor's Safety
The Pakistani police have reportedly declined to register a case regarding the alleged abduction and forced marriage of Sania Amin, a 13-year-old Christian girl. Despite her family's earnest pleas, law enforcement officials have chosen not to pursue the matter, citing the girl's reported conversion to Islam and subsequent marriage as the reason for their inaction.
The distressing incident occurred on April 4th when Sania Amin disappeared while she was out purchasing groceries. Her father, Amin Masih, recounted the heart-wrenching moment he received a call from his other daughter, alerting him to Sania's disappearance. Witnesses in the community reported seeing three Muslim boys, including Saif Ali, forcefully dragging Sania through the streets.
Amin Masih sought help for his daughter's recovery from the local police station in Sadder, Sialkot, but his appeals were reportedly met with refusal. Despite persistent efforts to register the missing girl's case, including a raid on the alleged kidnappers' residence, the police allegedly declined to take action.
Despite Amin's urgent pleas and the gravity of the situation, the authorities' response was shockingly inadequate. The police, rather than initiating a thorough investigation, chose not to register a First Information Report (FIR) against the alleged perpetrator, Saif Ali. Their reasoning was based on the claim that Sania had converted to Islam and married Saif Ali, thus absolving them of any responsibility to pursue the case further.
The family's anguish only deepened when subsequent attempts to implore the police for assistance were met with indifference and apathy. Despite Amin's persistence and the mounting evidence of foul play, including documents purporting to show Sania's coerced conversion to Islam and marriage to Saif Ali, the authorities remained unmoved, refusing to intervene on the grounds of the circumstances of the alleged marriage.
This heart-wrenching ordeal has left Amin and his family in a state of despair and desperation. Their pleas for justice have fallen on deaf ears, as the authorities continue to turn a blind eye to their plight. Amin, who resides in Anjotar village with his wife, two unmarried daughters, and a son, earns
a living through a modest home-based business stitching footballs.
As the search for Sania continues, Amin's fervent appeals for assistance have extended beyond the local police station, reaching higher authorities in hopes of securing his daughter's safe return. The case not only underscores the challenges faced by religious minorities in Pakistan but also highlights the urgent need for systemic reforms to protect the rights and well-being of vulnerable individuals, particularly young girls, in society.
