Christians, rights advocates and civil society members at protests in Pakistan on Sunday (March 29) condemned a recent federal court verdict upholding a forced conversion/marriage of a Christian girl by a Muslim man.
Following a Federal Constitutional Court ruling that enabled a 30-year-old Muslim to retain custody of 13-year-old Maria Shahbaz, in Karachi a large number of Christians gathered outside the Karachi Press Club on Sunday (March 29). They carried placards and shouted slogans demanding immediate protection for underage girls and stronger legislation against forced faith conversions and child marriages.
Speakers at the protest rally warned of a rising pattern of abductions, forced conversions and marriages involving Christian girls. They urged the Federal Constitutional Court to revisit the verdict and called on the president and prime minister to take immediate notice.
“We condemn the Federal Constitutional Court for trampling over the existing child marriage laws of the country by validating the Islamic conversion and marriage of an underage Christian minor girl,” church leader and rights activist Ghazala Shafique said in her address to protestors. “How can minors, who cannot legally obtain identity documents, be deemed capable of making decisions about religion or marriage?”
Other speakers demanded that all controversial laws and decisions affecting minority communities be reviewed in consultation with stakeholders, emphasizing that failure to address these issues deepens insecurity among minority families.
Protests coincided with Palm Sunday observances, with worshippers marking the occasion with rallies, prayers, and hymns.
Parallel demonstrations were organized by other groups, including the National Christian Party and Gawahi Mission Trust. Girls holding placards joined calls for justice in the Maria Shahbaz case and enforcement of laws prohibiting marriages under 18. The protesters highlighted that without urgent legal reforms and judicial review, vulnerable groups, particularly young girls, remained at serious risk.
The speakers stressed the importance of united support from all religious communities and equal protection for minorities, underscoring the need for urgent government action to prevent further exploitation of children.
In Lahore, representatives of civil society, political, and human rights organizations held a joint press conference at the Lahore Press Club on Saturday (March 28), expressing outrage over the decision in the Maria Shahbaz case. Samson Salamat, chairman of Rwadari Tehreek or Movement for Equality, described the ruling as “misleading” and a setback for efforts to protect minors from premature unions that can cause lasting physical, emotional, and educational harm.
Salamat highlighted that the Federal Constitutional Court’s decision effectively validates the forced marriage of the 13-year-old Christian girl to a Muslim man, citing sharia (Islamic law), despite the Child Marriage Restraint Act and its provincial variations, including the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 2026, Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act 2013, Balochistan Child Marriage Restraint Act 2025, and Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Act 2025, which set the minimum age of marriage for girls at 18.
Other speakers at the press conference included Irfan Mufti, convener of the Joint Action Committee for Peoples Rights; Saeeda Diep, chairperson of the Institute for Peace and Secular Studies; Katherine Sapna, executive director of Christians’ True Spirit (CTS); Emmanuel Khokhar, spokesperson for the Church of Pakistan; and Pastor Amjad Niamat, chairperson of the Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan.
The speakers highlighted the broader implications of the verdict for minority girls in Pakistan, who are disproportionately affected by forced conversions and child marriages.
Salamat warned that the decision could embolden perpetrators to exploit vulnerable girls, forcibly converting them and marrying them off, effectively erasing their identities and denying them education, autonomy, and protection. He described the ruling as a violation of Pakistan’s obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and a reminder of the inconsistencies in the legal framework for protecting minors.
The civil society leaders stressed that while Pakistan’s existing laws prohibit child marriage, inconsistent enforcement and conflicting judicial interpretations continue to leave children vulnerable, particularly within minority communities.
“This verdict sends a dangerous signal that the rights of minority girls can be overridden, even when there is clear documentary evidence of their age and legal protections,” Salamat said, referring to Maria’s birth registration issued by NADRA and corroborated by the relevant union council.
The press conference also addressed concerns about the social and psychological impact on victims of forced conversion and early marriage.
“Minors subjected to such practices are at risk of physical abuse, exploitation, and long-term emotional trauma. Immediate legal and institutional safeguards are necessary to prevent similar incidents in the future,” said CTS’s Katherine Sapna. She urged the government to strengthen implementation of existing child protection laws and to consider new legislation that addresses the exploitation of religious minorities.
Other speakers underscored that religious and social reforms must be coupled with judicial accountability. They urged the Federal Constitutional Court to review the judgment, stating that the ruling had created widespread fear within minority communities and highlighted the urgent need for legal clarity and protection mechanisms.
“We will continue to raise our voice at every available platform until every child in Pakistan, regardless of religion, can grow up free from fear, coercion, and abuse,” Salamat asserted while presenting a condemnation resolution.
Maria’s family says she was abducted in Lahore on July 29, 2025 and subjected to forced conversion and coerced marriage. A re-investigation conducted under the direction of the sessions court found that the marriage certificate had been fabricated, with the union council confirming no official record existed.
Despite this evidence, the Federal Constitutional Court awarded custody to her captor “husband,” effectively validating the marriage and disregarding documentary evidence of her age and the applicable child protection laws.
