In a contentious legal verdict delivered on March 25, 2026, a Pakistani court upheld the marriage of a 13-year-old Christian girl who was allegedly kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam by a 30-year-old Muslim man.
Rights advocates and civil society organizations voiced their outrage over the ruling from the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), which awarded custody of young Maria Shahbaz to Shehryar Ahmad, the accused kidnapper who allegedly converted her.
Maria was taken against her will on July 29, 2025, and despite her family's persistent efforts for judicial intervention, they have been unsuccessful in retrieving her.
The court's detailed decision came nearly two months after its brief order issued on February 3. Composed of Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Muhammad Karim Khan Agha, the two-judge panel concluded that Maria reached a level of “mature age” based on their assessment, allowing her to remain with her “husband.”
The court cited that Islamic law permits Muslim men to marry women classified as Ahl al-Kitab (People of the Book), affirming that Maria’s conversion was legitimate. It contended that conversion does not necessitate formal rituals beyond a declaration of faith, thus validating an affidavit linked to an alleged fraudulent marriage certificate and a certificate issued by an Islamic seminary.
The judgment clarified that under Islamic doctrine, no specific rituals are required for a non-Muslim wishing to embrace the faith, stating that a declaration affirming fundamental beliefs suffices.
The ruling emphasized that what is necessary is a declaration and recitation of the Kalima, with belief in the unity of Allah, the finality of the Prophethood of Muhammad, and acknowledgment of previous prophets and divine scriptures, along with the Day of Judgment.
In response to claims from Maria’s father, Shahbaz Masih, asserting her age as 12 at the time of the alleged marriage, the court dismissed his documentary evidence as “unreliable.” The judges pointed to discrepancies within the initial police report filed by her father, as well as delays regarding official documentation such as her birth registration and National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) records.
The court also noted inconsistencies within family records, indicating a minimal age gap between Maria and her younger sibling and highlighted that Maria listed her birth date as February 1, 2007, on her marriage certificate, implying her perceived older appearance in court.
The judges concluded that her physical presentation in court suggested she might be older than claimed, ultimately stating that the available documentation could not sufficiently confirm her status as a minor.
This controversial ruling has attracted significant backlash from rights groups and activists, who argue the court failed to consider critical evidence and prior findings that deemed the marriage illegitimate.
Safdar Chaudhry, of Raah-e-Nijaat Ministry, which provided legal aid to the Masih family, stated that the judges disregarded significant investigative findings, including the police's reinvestigation report and pertinent testimonies that indicated the marriage was conducted with a minor, lacking any official record.
He expressed concern over the six-month duration that Maria spent in the custody of the accused and labeled the decision a “travesty of justice,” revealing plans to contest the verdict before a larger judiciary panel.
Chaudhry added, “If higher courts disregard official birth documents, it casts doubt on the protections available for underage girls from minority backgrounds.”
Tehmina Arora, director of advocacy for Asia at ADF International, labeled the ruling as “deeply unsettling” for religious minorities in Pakistan, particularly Christians and Hindus.
Arora argued that the court cannot equate legal competency or consent with a minor’s statement while dismissing documentary evidence, warning that claims of consent frequently arise from situations of coercion.
Human rights advocates addressed broader issues, highlighting a recurring trend in Pakistan where minor girls from religious minorities are abducted, forcibly converted, and married to Muslim men, often compelled to offer statements favoring their alleged abductors, and where courts frequently disregard official age documents, legitimizing such unions.
In a stern statement, the Minority Rights March (MRM) expressed its shock at the FCC’s judgment, contending that it not only denied custody of the victim to her father but also legitimized her living arrangement with her kidnapper through an Islamic marriage certificate.
The MRM criticized the court for supporting a coerced religious conversion as well, stating, “It is concerning that the highest judicial authority has issued a ruling potentially encouraging abduction and abuse of minor girls from minority communities under the guise of marriage.”
The organization called for the Attorney General of Pakistan to reconsider the judgment and urged lawmakers to amend child marriage laws to invalidate such marriages from the start, urging prosecutors to pursue criminal actions under current legislation to recover Maria from her abductor's custody.
“This verdict has neither settled the question of the victim’s age nor addressed the criminal allegations,” the MRM stated, pressing for justice.
Pakistan, where over 96% of the population identifies as Muslim, has appeared as the eighth country in Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List for severe persecution faced by Christians.
Comments (0)
You must be logged in to comment.
Be the first to comment on this article!