Naseem Baloch, Chairman of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), on 3 July alleged before a United Nations forum in Geneva that Hindu and Christian girls across Pakistan are being systematically abducted, forcibly converted, and married off — describing the practice as a grave violation of identity, dignity, freedom of conscience, and fundamental human rights. He was speaking at an event titled 'Forced Conversions and Minority Women' held on the sidelines of the 62nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC 62) at the Geneva Press Club.

What Naseem Baloch Alleged

Addressing the gathering, Naseem stated that forced conversion is neither a private matter nor a family dispute. 'Forced conversion is not a private matter. It is not a family dispute. It is not a simple change of faith. It is a violation of identity, dignity, freedom of conscience, family life, and basic human rights. And when this happens to minority women and underage girls, it becomes even more serious. Because the victim is targeted not only as a woman but also as a member of a weaker community,' he said.

He further alleged that the families of victims are frequently too poor, too frightened, or too powerless to seek justice. According to his account, when families approach the police, they are ignored; when they turn to courts, they are pressured; and when they speak out publicly, they face threats.

Province-by-Province Pattern of Persecution

Naseem alleged that the persecution of minorities follows a documented pattern across Pakistan's provinces. In Sindh, he said, Hindu girls are abducted under the pretext of conversion and marriage. In Punjab, Christian communities have reportedly faced mob violence, attacks on churches, and the burning of homes.

He cited three incidents as evidence of a wider culture of religious hatred and state impunity: Gojra in 2009, Joseph Colony in 2013, and Jaranwala in 2023. 'These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a wider culture of religious hatred, state failure, and impunity,' he said.

Balochistan: A Distinct but Linked Crisis

Naseem alleged that women in Balochistan face a distinct yet interconnected form of oppression — one shaped by what he described as occupation, militarisation, enforced disappearances, collective punishment, and extensive state control over society.

He specifically cited the life imprisonment sentences reportedly handed down to Mahrang Baloch and other Baloch activists, calling it a deliberate attempt to silence dissent. 'Mahrang Baloch is not a criminal. She is a human rights defender. She became the voice of thousands of families whose loved ones were forcibly disappeared. Her only crime is that she asked the most basic question: where are our people?' he said, adding that the judgement amounted to punishing those who speak against enforced disappearances rather than ending the practice.

Call to the International Community

Naseem urged the international community to stop treating these incidents as isolated cases and to recognise them as symptoms of a systemic failure. 'A girl abducted in Sindh, a Christian home burned in Punjab, a Baloch mother searching for her disappeared son, a sister forced to speak against her brother, and Mahrang Baloch sentenced to life imprisonment — these are all signs of a deeper crisis,' he stated.

He called on global bodies and governments to take urgent notice of the persecution of religious minorities and the violence against the Baloch people in Pakistan. Whether the UNHRC session will formally take up the allegations remains to be seen, but the address has added a fresh voice to longstanding international scrutiny of Pakistan's minority rights record.