KARACHI: The family of Priya Kumari, a Hindu girl who went missing in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province in 2021, and rights activists have called on provincial authorities to ensure her release and sought a clear deadline in this regard.
Seven-year-old Kumari went missing in Sindh’s Sukkur on August 19, 2021. While her family suspects no one, the southern Pakistani province has previously reported cases of forced conversions and marriage of Hindu girls, with those from poor families and low castes largely targeted.
The Minority Rights March, Aurat March, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Women Democratic Front, Priya Kumari Bazyabi Committee and other civil society organizations this week held a protest in Sindh’s provincial capital of Karachi to demand her release.
On Saturday, Luke Victor, a human rights defender, led a delegation, comprising Kumari’s parents, Raj Kumar and Reena Kumari, and other activists, to meet with Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar. They said the minister claimed Kumari was alive but offered no solid assurance for her release.
“While we welcome the details and progress shared by the JIT (joint investigation team) after three years [of Kumari’s abduction], we expect the JIT and the Sindh Home Minister to be able to provide more than just a vague promise of ‘soon’ and to commit to a specific date by which they expect to recover Priya safely,” the protest organizers said in a statement on Saturday.
“Open-ended discussions and vague commitments have occurred too many times without any results and have only eroded the trust once placed in the Sindh Police, which can only be restored with the safe recovery of Priya Kumari without further delay.”
During the meeting on Saturday, Kumari’s parents submitted a written application to the Sindh home minister for their daughter’s recovery and a transparent investigation into her abduction.
“There are hopes. The child is alive, and we have evidence,” the minister is heard saying in a video of the meeting.
“I cannot commit regarding the timeframe. She could be found tomorrow or within a week. We are trying to recover her soon,” he says, when asked for an assurance.
Luke, who led the delegation to the meeting, said on Sunday the “vague” statement suggested the authorities were either “lying or unwilling to act.”
“They are either lying about having traced Priya Kumari or they are unable to take action against the culprit, who could be influential,” he said.
Family, activists call for recovery of Hindu girl who went missing in Pakistan’s Sindh in 2021
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Family, activists call for recovery of Hindu girl who went missing in Pakistan’s Sindh in 2021
- Seven-year-old Priya Kumari went missing on August 19, 2021 in Sukkur city of Pakistan’s Sindh province
- In the past, the province has reported cases of forced conversions of Hindu girls and marriages with abductors
Pakistan PM, Azerbaijan president agree to boost cooperation in defense, energy and trade
- PM Shehbaz Sharif was accompanied by Field Marshal Asim Munir during his meeting with Aliyev
- Pakistan and Azerbaijan have been expanding cooperation through high-level visits and agreements
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev on Friday agreed to further strengthen cooperation in defense, energy, trade and politics, said an official statement released in Islamabad.
The development took place during a meeting between the two leaders in Baku, which was also attended by Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Sharif and Munir are currently visiting the Central Asian state to attend the 50th Victory Day celebrations marking the end of Azerbaijan’s 44-day war with Armenia over Karabakh.
Pakistan and Azerbaijan have expanded cooperation this year through high-level visits and multiple agreements while reaffirming mutual support on regional and international issues.
“Both leaders reviewed bilateral relations and agreed to further strengthen their multifaceted cooperation in the areas of politics, trade and investment, energy, connectivity and defense,” the PM Office said in a statement.
During the meeting, Sharif thanked Aliyev for the invitation to the celebrations and congratulated the government and people of Azerbaijan.
He said Azerbaijan’s victory served as a “beacon of hope” for the people of Kashmir and Palestine.
Aliyev accepted Sharif’s invitation to visit Islamabad again and thanked Pakistan for its support in Azerbaijan’s struggle in the Karabakh region. He also praised Pakistan’s role in promoting regional stability in South Asia.
This marks Sharif’s fourth visit to Azerbaijan this year.
In July, he met President Aliyev in Khankendi on the sidelines of the 17th ECO Summit, while in May he traveled to Baku as part of a broader economic diplomacy drive with Central Asian republics, offering them access to Pakistan’s southern ports in Karachi and Gwadar.
In addition to their long-standing fraternal ties, Pakistan and Azerbaijan maintain close cooperation in regional and international forums including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Economic Cooperation Organization and the United Nations.
In July 2024, Azerbaijan announced a $2 billion investment in Pakistan during President Aliyev’s visit to Islamabad.
Earlier, in September 2023, Pakistan signed a contract to supply JF-17 Block III fighter jets to Azerbaijan, marking a significant step in strengthening defense cooperation.
