News Desk
Groningen, Netherlands PR— May 30, 2026
Members of the Pakistani Dutch Christian Community gathered Saturday at Groningen’s Grote Markt to protest what activists describe as the ongoing abduction, forced conversion, and child marriage of Christian and Hindu minor girls in Pakistan.
The demonstration, held from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, was initiated and organised by Ilyas Bhatti and Zeeshan Nadeem, making it a historical first of its kind protest in the city of Groningen. The event drew community leaders, church representatives, and human rights activists calling for international action following a controversial court ruling involving 12-year-old Christian girl Maria Shahbaz.
Protesters carried signs reading “Save Our Daughters,” “Justice for Maria Shahbaz,” “We Want Help,” and “Protect Minority Girls in Pakistan,” while appealing to Dutch political leaders, churches, European institutions, and international human rights organisations to intervene.
Community leaders and activists attending the protest included Mr. Ejaz Mathew, Mr. Waseem Louis, Pastor Imran Gill, Ilyas Bhatti, Moon Samuel, Shahzad Gori, Sunil Saqab, Zeeshan Nadeem, and minority rights activist Joseph Janssen.
The protest follows outrage over a recent decision by Pakistan’s Federal Constitutional Court granting custody of Maria Shahbaz to her purported husband despite official documents reportedly confirming that she is a minor. Activists argue the ruling effectively validates child marriage and undermines Pakistan’s own child protection laws, including the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act.
According to her family, Maria Shahbaz was abducted from her home in Lahore on July 29, 2025, by a Muslim man identified as Shehryar Ahmad and was later forced to convert to Islam and coerced into marriage.
Maria’s father, Shahbaz Masih, filed a police complaint under Section 365-B of Pakistan’s Penal Code. However, the case was later dismissed after a statement before a magistrate in which Maria allegedly claimed she was 18 years old and had married voluntarily. Human rights advocates dispute those claims, pointing to her NADRA-issued birth certificate and concerns regarding coercion.
“Families are being torn apart. Minor girls are disappearing. Courts are failing to protect children,” said Joseph Janssen, minority rights activist and advocacy officer at Jubilee Campaign Netherlands. “This is not only a human rights crisis — it is a complete failure of justice.”
Janssen also questioned why Pakistani authorities had not intervened to ensure Maria’s custody was returned either to her parents or to a state protection shelter pending a proper legal review. He further raised concerns over what activists describe as the increasing application of Sharia laws over Pakistan’s civil and child protection laws in cases involving minority girls.
Political activist Ejaz Mathew addressed the crowd on the issue of abduction and forced conversion of minor girls in Pakistan and put strong emphasis on the importance of the EU’s GSP+ trade arrangement as a mechanism to hold Pakistan accountable for its human rights obligations.
Pastor Imran Gill shared heartfelt gratitude and awareness for the specific situation facing Christian minorities in Pakistan, moving many attendees with his personal reflections on the suffering of minority communities.
Political activist Moon Samuel spoke energetically to the gathered crowd under the banner of ‘Voice of the Voiceless,’ calling on everyone to come forward and speak up in order to gain maximum attention and support from the Netherlands and its citizens for much needed awareness of this ongoing crisis.
Political activist Anil Naeem brought the protest to a powerful close with a strategic and heartfelt speech dedicated to the daughters of the Pakistani Christian nation who remain unsafe in their homeland.
Activists at the protest said Maria’s case reflects a wider pattern affecting thousands of Christian and Hindu girls in Pakistan each year.
Demonstrators issued three primary demands. Pakistan must enforce anti-child marriage and child protection laws equally for all citizens regardless of religion. Minor girls subjected to forced conversion and forced marriage must be safely returned to their families and protected by the state. The ruling in the Maria Shahbaz case must be reversed immediately.
Protest organisers also called on the Dutch government and the European Union to formally raise these concerns with Pakistan and review Pakistan’s GSP+ trade status over alleged failures to uphold international human rights obligations tied to the trade arrangement.
The demonstration concluded with prayers for victims and renewed calls for international pressure on Pakistan to address forced conversions, child marriage, and the targeting of religious minorities.