Pakistan’s Catholic Church leader, Bishop Samson Shukardin, has raised worries about a government committee set up to assess a recent ruling by the nation’s top court. The ruling had approved the marriage and forced conversion of a young Christian girl. Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, announced the formation of this committee on April 5 to review the court’s decision validating the marriage of 13-year-old Maria Shahbaz to a 30-year-old man named Shaheryar Ahmad.
Expressing skepticism about the committee’s intentions, Bishop Shukardin, who heads the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (PCBC), emphasized the religious freedom aspect of the issue. He highlighted concerns about coerced consent from minors in such cases and urged for a genuine response from the government. Referring to the abduction, forced conversion to Islam, and marriage of Maria as alleged by her father, the Bishop stressed the importance of safeguarding the rights of underage brides from all religious backgrounds.
The incident involving Maria took place in July 2025, with her father reporting her abduction by a Muslim man in Lahore. Despite legal challenges by her father seeking custody, the court upheld the marriage under “Muhammadan law” and granted legal guardianship to the husband. The Bishop pointed out the failure of courts in Pakistan to enforce laws against underage marriages, emphasizing the need for protecting young girls, especially those from minority communities, against such violations.
Rights groups have long advocated for stronger legal measures to shield girls from minority groups in Pakistan against abduction and forced religious conversions. A Lahore-based organization, the Centre for Social Justice, documented numerous cases of abduction and forced conversion of minority girls and women in the country between 2021 and 2025. The report highlighted that Hindu girls accounted for a majority of cases, followed by Christian girls, with most victims being below 18 years old and cases concentrated in Sindh and Punjab.
Bishop Shukardin reiterated the Church’s stance against marriages involving conversions under duress and called for the protection of underage brides, regardless of their religion. He emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety and rights of young girls in the country, underscoring the ongoing efforts to advocate for their well-being and legal protection.
