News Desk
PR July 10, 2026:
A recent resolution adopted by the European Parliament has renewed international attention on the protection of minority girls in Pakistan, prompting civil society organizations to call for stronger legal safeguards against abduction, forced religious conversion, and child marriage.
According to a press release issued by civil society representatives, the organizations welcomed the resolution, describing it as an important expression of international concern over gender-based violence, child abuse, and religion-based discrimination. They urged Pakistani authorities to enact comprehensive legislation criminalizing coerced religious conversion as a distinct offence and to strengthen protections for children and religious minorities.
The European Parliament’s resolution refers specifically to the case of Maria Shahbaz, a 13-year-old Christian girl from Lahore who was reportedly abducted in July 2025 and subsequently converted and married. The resolution calls on the Government of Pakistan to ensure her immediate protection, provide independent legal representation, psychological support, and access to her family, and conduct a transparent and impartial review of her case in accordance with child protection laws and due process.
It also urges Pakistani authorities to investigate allegations of forced conversion and child marriage involving minors, prosecute those responsible, facilitate the safe return of abducted girls, strengthen judicial capacity to hear such cases without intimidation or external pressure, and fully implement legislation aimed at eliminating child marriage.
The press release quotes Joseph Janssen, Chairman of Voice for Justice, as saying that the Federal Constitutional Court’s judgment in Maria Shahbaz’s case could have significant implications for future cases involving child marriage, forced religious conversion, and the protection of minority girls. He said the ruling could weaken legal safeguards for children and religious minorities if allowed to stand.
Advocate Akmal Bhatti, also quoted in the statement, said the case should primarily be treated as a child protection issue rather than a religious matter. He maintained that courts should determine questions relating to age, legality, and consent before recognizing marriages involving minors and said the pending review petition provides an opportunity to reaffirm Pakistan’s constitutional and international obligations regarding child protection.
Lala Robin Daniel, another speaker cited in the press release, called for effective implementation of federal and provincial child marriage restraint laws and urged that judicial proceedings involving underage minority girls be conducted free from intimidation, coercion, or undue influence.
The press release also announced that an event titled “The Lack of Protection of Minor Girls in Pakistan” will be held at the European Parliament in Brussels on July 14, 2026. Organized by Jubilee Campaign and hosted by the European People’s Party (EPP) Group and the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group, the event is expected to feature presentations by Matej Tonin MEP, Bert-Jan Ruissen MEP, Advocate Sulema Jahangir, Ann Buwalda, Anna Townsend, Joseph Janssen, Prof. Dr. Shahid Mobeen, and Carmen Correas.
According to the presser, a review petition challenging the Federal Constitutional Court’s judgment in Maria Shahbaz’s case remains pending before the Court. The petition argues that the Court exceeded its constitutional jurisdiction by deciding matters that fall within the jurisdiction of the Federal Shariat Court under Article 203-G of the Constitution. It further contends that the judgment relied on legal precedents that were later overtaken by the Federal Shariat Court’s decision in Ali Azhar v. Province of Sindh, which upheld the compatibility of child marriage legislation with Islamic injunctions and reinforced legal protections against child marriage.
The petition also challenges the Court’s reliance on earlier jurisprudence recognizing child marriages despite statutory prohibitions, arguing that such reasoning is inconsistent with more recent constitutional and Islamic legal developments. The review petition is currently pending before the Federal Constitutional Court.