On March 21, 2022, a harrowing incident unfolded in Pakistan's Sindh province, where 18-year-old Pooja Kumari Oad, a Hindu girl, was brutally shot and killed after resisting an attempted abduction. The assailant, identified as Wahid Bux Lashari, along with two accomplices, forcibly entered her home near the Chhuahra Mandi area of Sukkur. Lashari, a Muslim man, had previously proposed marriage to Pooja, which she had declined. Upon her refusal, he and his associates attempted to abduct her, and when she resisted, they shot her.

The following day, on March 22, Lashari was apprehended by the police and remanded into custody for ten days. Reports indicate that he has confessed to the murder.

The heinous act sparked widespread condemnation across social media platforms. Shehbaz Sharif, then the Leader of the Opposition in Pakistan's National Assembly, expressed his outrage on Twitter, stating: “The brutal murder of Hindu girl, Pooja Kumari, is most heinous & condemnable. Such heart-rending incidents represent our collective failure & put our whole society to shame. No girl deserves to go through this. High time we thought why we continue to hit lows one after the other.”

This tragic event underscores a disturbing pattern in Pakistan, where cases of abduction, forced marriage, and forced conversion of Christian and Hindu girls have been on the rise, particularly in the Punjab and Sindh provinces. Girls from 'low' caste Hindu communities are especially vulnerable, often being kidnapped, forcibly converted to Islam, and married off to their abductors. A culture of impunity emboldens perpetrators, while victims and their families frequently face intimidation, leading to underreporting and underestimated figures.

Mervyn Thomas, Founder President of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), commented on the incident: “CSW extends our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Pooja Kumari, whose life has been tragically cut short by this heinous act. We call for justice in her case, and remind the government of Pakistan of its obligations to protect all citizens regardless of their religion or belief. The scourge of abduction, forced conversion and forced marriage of religious minority girls remains widespread in the country and must be addressed as a matter of urgency. The perpetrators must be held to account so that a culture of impunity around these crimes is no longer permitted to permeate Pakistani society.”

Between 2013 and 2019, the People's Commission for Minorities' Rights and the Centre for Social Justice documented 156 incidents of forced conversions in Pakistan. In 2019, the Sindh government made a second attempt to outlaw forced conversions and marriages. However, the bill faced opposition from certain religious groups and was not enacted. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Hindus constitute 1.60% of the national population and 6.51% in Sindh. While official estimates suggest there are 7.5 million Hindus in Pakistan, community leaders claim the number exceeds 9 million. The majority reside in Sindh, sharing cultural and linguistic ties with Muslim residents, yet they often report harassment by extremists.

Pooja Kumari's tragic death is not an isolated case. Other incidents include:

• Nandlal Meghwar, a Hindu minor boy from Chachro, Sindh, was found hanging from a tree after being brutally beaten and having his throat slit.

• Satari Oad, aged 13, was kidnapped by Umer Ali and Shoukat Ali in Umerkot, Sindh. She was forcibly converted to Islam and married off to Md. Umar Shafi Mangio.

• Anita Meghwar was abducted from her home in Tando Jan Muhammad, Sindh, forcibly converted, and is now compelled to live with her abductor as his wife.

• Naina Kohli, a Hindu minor girl, was raped and murdered in Hyderabad, Sindh. Her body was discarded in a well.

• Meera Bhat, an 11-year-old Hindu girl, was abducted from Mirpurkhas, Sindh, and forcibly converted to Islam.

These incidents highlight the ongoing plight of Hindus in Sindh, Pakistan. The silence of the influential majority is deeply troubling. In 1947, Sindhi Hindus made up 13% of the population; today, that number has dwindled to 1.5%. This decline reflects a broader pattern of persecution, including kidnappings, rapes, torture, and forced conversions. The continued silence threatens to erase the rich history of the Asian subcontinent.

Each loss, like that of Pooja Kumari, adds to the growing list of victims, met with a disheartening global silence. Activists have been raising awareness on platforms like Instagram for years, yet prominent voices remain absent. The Sindhi Hindu community in India, numbering around 8 million, and approximately 40 million in Pakistan, must break their silence. Remaining passive in the face of such atrocities is a disservice to their heritage and to figures like Jhulelal, who symbolize resilience and justice.

When predators attack a lone sheep, the herd often watches in silence, leading to the sheep's demise. In contrast, a pack of wolves defends its own fiercely. This analogy underscores the need for collective action. As Hindu sisters in Sindh face abductions, rapes, and murders, it's imperative for communities worldwide to raise their voices, mourn the losses, and work towards preventing further tragedies.

The international community has previously held nations accountable for human rights violations, as seen with Myanmar's treatment of the Rohingyas. It's time for Pakistan to face global scrutiny and consequences for the systemic persecution of its Sindhi Hindu population.