Faisalabad: Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) welcomes the local court orders to police for Hoorab Basharat safe returns to home from Dar-Ul-Aman, a women shelter. 

Hoorab, a Christian girl, aged 12 resident of district Faisalabad, Pakistan was in Dar-Ul-Aman from 17 February, 2023 after being proved as juvenile from the court.

Hoorab Basharat was kidnapped on 28 December, 2022 by the nearby shopkeepers Muhammad Mustafa and Muhammad Usman. 

Muhammad Usman forcefully converted her to Islam and got married with her in Chiniot. He kept Hoorab in detention since she was sent to Dar-Ul-Aman.

Now Muhammad Usman is under interrogations while his facilitator Muhammad Mustafa was arrested on 3 January, 2023 but was released soon.

After longer and multiple court proceedings, on 22 March, 2023 Hoorab's application to Magistrate's court was accepted that if she wanted to go home with her family, permit her to go. Hoorab submitted a written statement, appeared and stated that she wanted to go to her parental home.

Due to Hoorab's direct statement, Magistrate orders police to let her go home as her father and aunt Maryam Bibi (defendant) were also present in the court. She mentioned both names to magistrate that she wanted to go home with them.

The concerned police SHO implemented the orders and next day she got free. She is residing with family in hiding due to the matter of sensitivity and police actions against perpetrators on court orders.

Hoorab’s mother had died earlier, and his father Basharat Masih is a daily wages labor. Basharat Masih and Maryam shared with HRFP team during immediate assistance to family that even Hoorab has returned back to home but the threats are not stopped yet after her legal statements against perpetrators, and during further legal proceedings the reactions could come.

Naveed Walter president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) said, that the abductions of minority girls is common and the returning of Hoorab is encouraging for other girls to escape from fear, black mailing and detentions of abductors. The non-government organizations together with stakeholders and volunteers could meet more such tasks, he added.

Naveed Walter president of HRFP urged for immediate actions to recover all abducted minority girls and bring culprits to justice. Hoorab case has proved again that the "willing" of girls is fake during conversions and marriages. Their statements must be arranged through court rostrums in families presence and free atmospheres. Being soft targets, the Christians, Hindus and others abductions, forced conversions and forced marriages is highly condemnable, that should be stopped and the legislation for prohibition of such violations is demanded, he added. The anti-forced conversion bill that was rejected by previous government considered an un-Islamic should be moved forward again, Naveed Walter added.

Naveed Walter said further that the implementation of Child Marriage Restraint Act is another main challenge that was introduced and enacted in 1929, amended later to discourage or restrain solemnization of child marriages, he added. Furthermore, when the conversions considered the service of Islam, that made the process of justice more biased and challenging, HRFP added.

Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) stated that they will continue the assistance and raising voice of victims for their protective measures and provision of immediate needs to under threats individuals and their families like Hoorab Basharat, HRFP added!!