Bishops in Pakistan are troubled by a recent court ruling that upheld the marriage of a Christian minor, expressing concerns over the inconsistent application of laws banning marriage under the age of 18. The Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (PCBC) highlighted the selective enforcement of legislation, terming it deeply troubling.
PCBC President Bishop Samson Shukardin criticized the handling of cases involving abducted Christian girls, stating that the legal process is not aligning consistently with the law. Additionally, Catholic Archbishop Khalid Rehmat OFM Cap of Lahore voiced dissatisfaction with the court’s decision regarding a Christian girl in a separate statement.
The Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan faced criticism from the minority community for validating the marriage between a Christian girl, Maria Bibi, and a Muslim man, Sheheryar Ahmed. Despite the father’s petition citing his daughter’s young age of around 13, the court deemed such marriages as valid under the law, sparking outrage among Christians in Pakistan.
Christians in Pakistan marked Easter with prayers for the protection of Christian girls from abduction, forced conversion, and forced marriages, following the controversial court ruling. The community has since staged protests against the judgement, fearing that it could set a precedent for similar cases involving the coercion of Christian and Hindu girls into marriages.
Christian groups in Pakistan have raised concerns that the court’s interpretation effectively legitimizes child marriage, contradicting national laws, moral principles, and international human rights norms. The verdict has not only faced domestic criticism but has also garnered international attention, with UK parliamentarians expressing alarm over the decision.
