July 10, 2025
By Rashid Leghari
BADIN
A mournful silence has replaced joy in the dusty, one-room mud house located on Matli’s Sessions’ Court Road. Ever since 15 year old Shaneela Meghwar was abducted at gunpoint from her home on June 23, her family’s lives has been shattered.
Matli is a small town in Sindh’s Badin district, and the news has spread fast of the class 9 student’s abduction. Still her family has received no word about her whereabouts — or even if she is still alive.
They are devastated. Her grandmother Demaan Maharaj weeps silently.
“It’s been days, and we don’t know anything — nothing,” she says, her voice breaking. “Is she alive? Or has something terrible happened to her?”
Shaneela’s uncle, Majnu Maharaj, who filed the police complaint, recalls the horror of that night. “Two armed men broke into the house. They pointed their guns at us, forced the girl out, and threw her into a waiting white vehicle. Two other men were already in the car. They disappeared into the darkness,” he tells Voicepk.
Despite the gravity of the situation, the family alleges that the Matli police have been slow to act. “They registered the case after pressure from the community — but they wrote the FIR (First Information Report) on their own terms,” claims Majnu. “The main accused, Maqsood Dars, is not even named in the FIR. We believe the police are protecting the culprits.
Forced conversion and marriage?
The family fears Shaneela may have been forcibly married and converted — a fate not uncommon for minority girls in parts of rural Sindh. The Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act prohibits marriage below the age of 18 and prescribes penalties for those involved. Likewise, forced religious conversion is both illegal and a persistent issue raised by human rights watchdogs. Yet, activists say implementation remains poor, especially in rural areas where minority communities are socially and politically marginalized.
Social media users have widely circulated the case in hopes of drawing attention to it. Several posts allege that the girl’s abductors are being sheltered by powerful local elements.
‘Abduction still under investigation’
Speaking to Voicepk, DSP Matli Fareed Jatt confirmed that a kidnapping case has been registered, but admitted that no arrests have been made, nor has the girl been recovered. “The investigation is ongoing,” he said. “We are doing our best.”
But Shaneela’s family sees no sign of progress. “The police are doing nothing. If this had happened to a rich or influential family, the girl would have been recovered within hours,” her uncle says bitterly.
SHRC takes notice
The Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has officially taken notice of the case, particularly the alleged abduction, child marriage, and forced conversion. The Commission has requested reports from the police and promised to monitor the case. However, activists remain skeptical of whether the involvement of such institutions will lead to concrete action.
A family in limbo
Back in the small Meghwar household, time seems to have frozen. “We just want her back,” says Majnu, his eyes red. “She’s a child. This should not be happening to any girl, any family — anywhere.”
As of July 10, no official breakthrough has been reported. Shaneela Meghwar remains missing. Her family continues to appeal for justice — and for the safe return of their daughter.