Pakistani Court to Reassess Forced Marriage Case of Young Christian Girl
The Federal Constitutional Court in Pakistan is poised to revisit a case that has captured international attention—a case centered on Maria Shahbaz, a young Christian girl who allegedly suffered abduction and was forced into conversion and marriage.
According to her parents, Shahbaz was merely 12 years old when she was forcibly taken and married to Shehryar Ahmad, a man significantly older at 30 years of age.
Earlier this year, in March, the court dismissed an appeal initiated by Shahbaz’s father. This decision sparked widespread demonstrations throughout Pakistan, particularly among Christian communities and human rights activists.
The Pakistani authorities responded by establishing a comprehensive 37-member national consultative committee. The committee’s role is to scrutinize the case meticulously and recommend strategies to eradicate forced conversions and marriages.
Advocacy group ADF International has criticized the Pakistani legal system for not adhering to its own statutes. The courts have yet to ascertain Shahbaz’s age, a crucial step dictated by law, and have overlooked regulations that prohibit minors from consenting to conversion or marriage.
Tehmina Arora, Director of Advocacy for Asia at ADF, remarked, “This case is a crucial moment in the movement to protect young girls from the crisis of forced marriage in Pakistan. We hope that Pakistan’s highest court will soon agree to review Maria’s case and re-examine the evidence that was previously relied upon by the lower courts. Maria must be freed and safely returned to her family, where she will be safe from harm and able to practice her Christian faith.”
The issue of abducting minority girls remains persistent in Pakistan. Christian and Hindu communities, often marginalized, face significant challenges in obtaining justice through the legal system.
Frequently, courts have legitimized the actions of abductors by acknowledging the coerced marriages as valid. Although exact figures are unknown, estimates suggest hundreds, possibly over a thousand, Christian and Hindu girls are abducted annually under such circumstances.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
