India summons Pakistan High Commission official over abduction of three minor Hindu girls: Sources

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday summoned a senior official of the Pakistan High Commission reportedly in connection with the recent cases of abduction of three minor girls in Pakistan. All three girls belong to the Hindu community, which is a minority in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

According to sources, the Pakistani official was informed of India's "serious concerns" regarding such incidents.

“Pakistan has been informed about the grave concerns expressed by various quarters of Indian civil society at such shocking and deplorable incidents involving minor girls from the minority Hindu community,” the sources said.

On January 14, two minor Hindu girls - Shanti Meghwad and Sarmi Sarmi Meghwa - were abducted from the Umar village in Tharparkar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, which has a large Hindu population.

In a separate incident, another minor Hindu girl named Mehak was on January 15 abducted from the Jacobabad district of Sindh.

The bilateral relations between India and Pakistan are at its lowest during recent years, following the tensions over Kashmir and other issues. India has also lodged several protests with Pakistan in recent months over the alleged abduction and forcible marriage in Pakistan of women from the Hindu minority