Lahore, an 11-year-old Christian
girl, Yarosha Masih, was allegedly subjected to forced marriage and religious
conversion, under the guise of deceitful paperwork by her neighbour in Ferozewalla,
a district in Sheikhupura, Punjab.
The controversy came to light when
Saleem Masih, Yarosha's father, was summoned to the Ferozewalla court on March
28, 2024, following an order from local police the day before. The police
intervention was based on a complaint lodged by Imran Sarfaraz, a former neighbour,
who falsely claimed to be the husband of the young girl and accused her father
of illegally detaining her.
Upon arriving in court, Masih
presented Yarosha's birth certificate, which clearly stated her age as 11
years, countering the fraudulent marriage certificate provided by Sarfaraz,
dated October 10, 2023. The court, after reviewing the documents, dismissed the
illegal detention complaint and immediately ordered the registration of a case
against Imran Sarfaraz, his mother, the marriage registrar, and the witnesses
involved in the sham marriage.
The incident took a more
disturbing turn when Yarosha disclosed to the media that Sarfaraz had deceived
her into signing the marriage documents by claiming they were necessary for
entry to a local amusement park, Lahore Sozo Water Park. This revelation has
highlighted the manipulative tactics used to exploit minors.
Punjab's Minister for Minority
Affairs, Ramesh Singh Arora, has since intervened, demanding swift action
against the perpetrators. Saleem Iqbal, a renowned journalist, is assisting the
Masih family. Iqbal expressed frustration over the delayed arrest of Sarfaraz,
emphasizing that legal actions will accelerate once he is in custody.
This case underscores the ongoing
challenges faced by minority communities in Pakistan, particularly the
vulnerability of children to forced conversions and marriages. The local
Christian community and human rights organizations are calling for immediate
and stringent measures to protect minority rights and ensure justice for
Yarosha Masih and her family.
