by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
ISLAMABAD (Worthy News) — In one of its first closely watched cases, Pakistan’s newly established Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) ruled that an underage Christian girl should remain with her “Muslim husband” despite concerns about her age and religious rights, Christians confirmed to Worthy News on Wednesday.
The case involves a 12-year-old Christian girl, identified in court documents by her full name but referred to by Worthy News only as Maria because she is a minor. Her family says she was abducted on July 29, 2025, in Lahore, in Pakistan’s Punjab Province, and forced into marriage. A two-judge bench of the FCC later considered her case after lower courts rejected her parents’ appeals.
Rights advocates told Worthy News that Maria was allegedly coerced into converting to Islam before being married to a 30-year-old Muslim man named publicly as Shehryar Ahmad.
The FCC in Islamabad accepted claims that the child had acted of her “own free will,” despite her age and her parents’ objections.
Critics say the ruling disregards the girl’s age, her religious rights, and basic protections against child marriage under international norms. Human rights organizations say cases like this reflect broader systemic problems of forced conversions and underage marriage in Pakistan.
CHRISTIANS FEAR “DANGEROUS PRECEDENT”
LEAD Ministries, a Christian organization assisting vulnerable families in Pakistan, told Worthy News that the FCC decision could set “a dangerous precedent” by weakening protections against child abduction, forced conversion, and underage marriage.
The FCC was established late last year after an amendment to Pakistan’s Constitution, giving it exclusive authority over constitutional interpretation and federal disputes — a role previously handled by the Supreme Court. Critics, including international rights advocates, have raised concerns that the changes could undermine judicial independence.
“This is a tragic reminder of the insecurity Christian families face,” said Sardar Mushtaq Gill, founder of LEAD Ministries, urging authorities to uphold child protection laws and international human rights standards.
“It is unacceptable that Christian girls are being forcibly converted to Islam and married off at such a young age,” he told Worthy News.
Gill, a Christian human rights lawyer, questioned whether interpretations of Islamic law were influencing legal decisions that allow child marriages, even involving girls under age 14, “in violation of international human rights norms.”
FORCED CONVERSIONS SPARK WIDER DEBATE
Human rights groups say forced conversions and marriages of minority girls remain a persistent problem in parts of Pakistan, often occurring amid weak protections, societal discrimination, and limited accountability for perpetrators.
“The court’s decision sets a dangerous precedent, essentially legalizing child abduction, forced conversion, and underage marriage under the guise of consent,” warned Farzana Imran, a leader of LEAD Ministries.
Parents are left “weeping and crying, with no one to help them get back their minor daughters,” Gill explained to Worthy News. “This tragedy has created a fear of insecurity in the minds of the Christian community as a whole in Pakistan.”
Pastor Imran Amanat, who closely followed the case, urged believers “to pray for such victims and their families,” encouraging “society to support those affected by abductions, forced conversions, and child marriages.”
LEAD Ministries announced plans to “intensify programs to educate and mentor Christian women and girls,” focusing on “faith-based empowerment, legal awareness, and family protection” initiatives to ensure young girls are informed about their rights and equipped to defend their faith and personal safety.
‘URGENT NEED TO PROTECT CHILDREN’
“This case is a stark reminder of the urgent need to protect our children and communities,” Gill stressed. “We will continue to stand for our Christian sisters and ensure they have the knowledge, faith, and courage to resist coercion, conversion, or exploitation.”
The decision has sparked debate in Pakistan about the intersection of religious laws, child protection, and human rights.
Pakistan ranks eighth on the World Watch List of countries where it is most difficult to live as a Christian, according to Open Doors, a Christian advocacy group that monitors persecution worldwide.
Christians are a minority in Pakistan’s predominantly Muslim society and face challenges ranging from discrimination and blasphemy accusations to reports of forced conversion, abduction, underage marriage, and limited legal protection, rights monitors say.
International child rights organizations have also called on the Pakistani government to review and strengthen laws that permit child marriage and enable forced religious conversion, warning that the current legal framework endangers the most vulnerable members of society.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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