by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
ISLAMABAD (Worthy News) – Pakistan’s Federal Constitutional Court ordered a 15-year-old Christian girl to be moved to a government shelter after allegations that she was forcibly converted to Islam and married to an older Muslim man, a Christian advocate told Worthy News.
The girl, whose identity is known to Worthy News but is being withheld for security and privacy reasons, appeared before the court in Islamabad during a key hearing last week, said Nasir Saeed, director of advocacy group CLAAS-UK.
Worthy News generally does not identify possible victims of sexual abuse or forced marriage unless they choose to be publicly named.
CLAAS-UK, short for the Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement, has pursued the case since 2024 together with its Pakistani partner organization, The Edge Foundation.
Saeed, who attended the hearing, described the proceedings as “emotional and deeply moving.”
“She appeared in court in full Muslim dress, surrounded by police officers and individuals believed to be connected to her conversion,” Saeed told Worthy News. “Seeing such a young girl standing in that environment was heartbreaking.”
COURT RULING
During the hearing, lawyer Saqib Jillani argued that the girl is legally a minor and should be returned to her Christian parents.
The court ordered that she be transferred to a Dar-ul-Aman, a government-run women’s shelter, while also requesting a medical examination to determine her age.
Christian advocates welcomed the ruling as an important development in a case they say highlights the vulnerability of Christian and Hindu minority girls in Pakistan.
“If the medical test confirms that she is under 18, particularly under 17, there is a strong possibility she will be returned to her parents,” Saeed explained.
The next hearing is scheduled for May 20.
FAMILY THREATENED
According to CLAAS-UK, the girl’s father has received threats, forcing the family to relocate to a secure location.
Saeed said supporters continue praying that the case will establish “a positive legal precedent” protecting vulnerable minority children in the future.
Human rights groups and Christian advocates have repeatedly warned that underage Christian and Hindu girls in Pakistan are abducted, pressured to convert to Islam, and married against their will.
Several rights organizations and lawmakers have estimated that roughly 1,000 minority girls are forcibly converted to Islam annually in Pakistan, most of them Christians and Hindus.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has also documented continuing reports of forced conversions and marriages involving underage Christian and Hindu girls in Pakistan.
Pakistan ranks eighth on the 2026 World Watch List published by Open Doors, which tracks countries where Christians face the most severe persecution.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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