Christian groups and rights activists in Karachi, Pakistan, held a protest expressing concern over increasing cases of forced marriages and religious conversions involving minor girls from their community. The demonstration, led by the National Christian Party and other civil society groups on March 29, highlighted the issue of young girls, some as young as teenagers, being abducted, coerced into conversion, and married to much older men.
Protesters emphasized that such incidents not only violate human rights but also rob these girls of their childhood. They demanded the enforcement of existing laws, the creation of stronger legislation where needed, and the guarantee of safety, faith, and dignity for all citizens, irrespective of their religion. Participants at the protest also criticized a recent court ruling that upheld the marriage of a 13-year-old Christian girl, Maria, to a Muslim man accused of kidnapping her.
The demonstrators questioned how a minor, who cannot even obtain her own ID card, could be deemed mature enough to make decisions about religion or marriage. They urged the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s Federal Constitutional Court to review the ruling and called on the country’s President and Prime Minister to intervene promptly. Additionally, they appealed for unity among Muslim, Christian, Hindu, and Sikh communities to combat injustice across Pakistan.
