Lahore, September 27, 2024 – A Christian family in Lahore is desperately seeking help after their teenage daughter, Diya Aslam, mysteriously disappeared and was later found at a Muslim welfare foundation, where she reportedly converted to Islam. Diya, aged between 16 and 17, was last seen by her family on August 23, 2024, before vanishing under suspicious circumstances.

According to Diya’s father, Aslam Masih, both he and his wife Sumaira were at work when Diya went to a shop but never returned home. After an extensive search by the family, they lodged a First Information Report (FIR) at the Factory Area Police Station, under Section 365-B, fearing their daughter had been kidnapped.

Days later, the family discovered through their own sources that their Muslim neighbour, Bilal Hakeem, had allegedly abducted Diya and taken her to the welfare foundation, a centre providing support for new converts to Islam. The foundation then presented Diya’s statement under Section 164, where she claimed she had willingly embraced Islam and no longer wished to live with her Christian parents.

Aslam, visibly distressed, recounted how Diya had been engaged and the family was preparing for her marriage later this year. "We had bought all the dowry items and many other things for her wedding. She was so excited," he said tearfully.

The foundation refused to reveal who had brought Diya to their facility. Despite multiple appeals, the family has not been allowed to meet their daughter since her disappearance.

Further complicating the situation, the family received a court notice in which Diya requested protection from her parents, accusing them of harassment due to her conversion. Aslam and his wife Sumaira, who work menial jobs in DHA, are struggling to navigate legal proceedings amid severe financial difficulties.

Aslam alleges that Bilal Hakeem, the suspect, continues to live freely in the neighbourhood, while the foundation has made "foolproof" arrangements to prevent the return of his daughter.

The distraught parents are now appealing to higher authorities, including Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and the IG of Punjab, for help in bringing their daughter back home.

The family, who live in a rented house in Walton, Lahore, have five children and are struggling to make ends meet while they fight for Diya’s return.