Pakistan: Hindu minor boy r@ped multiple times & kept as bonded laborer by Muslim landlord Ali Nohri

Mithi, Tharparkar, Sindh-
Hindu minor boy Prem Kohli was sexually assaulted several times by Muslim landlord Ali Nohri for 3 months. He was kept confined as a bonded laborer, by the Islamist, as his parents were unable to repay a loan to Ali Nohri.

Prem narrated his ordeal after he & few others were rescued in a police raid on Ali Nohri’s estate. All of these victims had 2 things in common- all were poor Hindus & all were unable to repay loans or debts to the Muslim landlord. At first, Prem was very nervous to talk about his plight, but mustering up courage, he narrated a horrifying account of the condition of bonded laborers under Ali Nohri’s ‘ownership’.

Prem mentioned being raped, tortured, humiliated & made to do manual labor because his parents were unable to repay Rs 1000/- loan, they had borrowed from Nohri. Being of young age, Prem had to bear the ‘special treatment’ which Ali reserved for him. After laboring the entire day, Prem would be summoned every other evening by Nohri for ‘extra service’.

There are horrendous stories of exploitation of poor Hindus and religious minorities by influential landlords & factory/farmland owners. Strong political linkages and ‘right’ connections not only allow the smooth continuity of such activities but also ensure that the nefarious landlords & owners of private jails for bonded & forced laborers, are never punished.

A report published in Dawn (leading English daily in Pakistan), dated to 24th March, 2023, gives an estimate of 1.8 million people working as bonded laborers in Pakistan, whereas another source suggests 3.18 million living in conditions of slavery.

Most of these bonded laborers are chained in iron shackles, weighing almost 20 kg & compelled to hard manual labor, while wearing those shackles. Women bonded laborers and young kids like Prem Kohli are sexually exploited and many times sold off to other ‘owners’ and landlords.

The case is a stark reminder of the magnitude and dimension of forced and bonded labor practices for Hindus & other religious minorities in Islamic Pakistan. Surely, there are numerous cases of similar nature, even though they generally remain unreported.

Disclaimer: Due to state restrictions in Pakistan, independent follow-ups on such incidents are challenging.