Islamabad:
The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), in collaboration with Legal Aid Society (LAS), launched a research report and documentary on Monday that investigated the drivers of forced conversions through marriages (FCM) and their influence on the survivors, minority societies and a wider community.
The launch took place in a national dialogue in Islamabad that gathered legal experts, rights activists and professionals in criminal justice to discuss practical steps to tackle the question. Justice Dr. Syed Muhammad Anwer attended the ceremony as a main guest.
The report presented by LAS director Maliha Zia draws on survivors testimony and clarifies the concepts ‘force’ and ‘consent’ in the event of FCM.
It categorizes the perpetrator’s motivations – including religious and ideological factors, human trafficking as well as the vulnerabilities of the survivors, especially women and girls from minority communities. A documentary of filmmaker Aisha Gazdar was also screened and highlighted the human dimension of forced conversions and marriages.
NCHR President Rabiya Javeri Agha said practice is a ‘deeply rooted problem’ in Pakistan, which disproportionately affects girls and women from minority communities despite constitutional protection measures.
She noted that the Commission has taken Suo Motu messages in several cases where underage girls were abducted, converted and married to their abductors. In some cases, they got relief through NCHR’s intervention.
CEO LAS HAYA EMAAN ZAHID warned that the survivors of FCM often face severe psychological trauma, physical and sexual abuse and social stigma. “This practice not only destroys individuals, but also undermines municipal solidarity and damages the culture,” she said.
The event ended with a panel discussion in which experts and activists exchanged insights and emphasized the need for stronger protective mechanisms to protect minority rights in Pakistan.
