Pakistani Sikh girl's family threatens self-immolation over her abduction, forced marriage to Muslim man

ANI Photo

Islamabad: The family of the Pakistan-based Sikh girl who was allegedly kidnapped, forcefully converted to Islam and then married to a Muslim man in Lahore, said on Friday that they would immolate themselves if the government did not protect and help them in getting justice. Claiming that no Pakistan government official had approached them till now, one of the brothers of the girl said that they had set a deadline of Friday, 5 pm (Pakistan time) for government intervention.

Appealing to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and  Army Chief General Qamar Bajwa for help, the brother said that his family was being threatened by the local Muslim gang which kidnapped his sister and was forcing them to convert to Islam if they wished to stay alive.

On Thursday, a video had surfaced online showing the forcible conversion of the victim, Jagjit Kaur, and her being renamed as 'Ayesha' in Nankana Sahib area of Lahore. A local maulvi had arranged for the victim's marriage, who was the daughter of a priest in Gurudwara Nankana Sahib, to a Muslim man belonging reportedly to a local gang.

Indian leaders have reacted strongly to the suppression and torture of minorities in Pakistani with Shiromani Akali Dal spokesperson Manjinder Singh Sirsa sharing a video of the family seeking Pakistan PM Khan's intervention in the matter. "The woman who was abducted yesterday is my sister. She was threatened that her brothers and father would be shot if she did not accept Islam," Manmohan Singh, one of the brothers is heard saying in the video.

On Friday, Sirsa took to Twitter to inform that Shiromani Akali Dal spoke to the Ministry of External Affairs regarding abducting and forceful conversion of Jagjit Kaur. The ministry has assured them that the government will raise the issue with the Pakistan government and ensure the girl's safe return.

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________ ____ _______ ______ __ ____ _____ __ ______ __ ___ _____ __ ___ ______ __ _____ ___ __ ________ _____ __ ____ _____ pic.twitter.com/StLzRBdL1f - Manjinder S Sirsa (@mssirsa) August 30, 2019

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, too, condemned the forceful conversion of Jagjit Kaur and called upon Imran Khan to take "firm and immediate action against the perpetrators". He had also appealed to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to "strongly take up the issue with his (Pakistani )counterpart at the earliest."

Shocking incident of a Sikh girl being kidnapped & forced to convert to Islam in Nankana Sahib, Pakistan. Call upon @ImranKhanPTI to take firm and immediate action against the perpetrators. Request @DrSJaishankar to strongly take up the issue with his counterpart at the earliest. pic.twitter.com/hpHvD9kkEJ - Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) August 30, 2019

On Thursday, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had slammed Pakistan for failing to take action against the atrocities committed on Hindus and Sikhs in the country.