European Parliament passes resolution against abduction, forced conversion of minority girls in Pakistan

Brussels: The European Parliament has adopted a resolution condemning the abduction, forced conversion, and child marriage of underage girls from religious minorities in Pakistan, while expressing concerns over the broader pattern of such abuses.

According to the European Parliament, the resolution particularly highlighted the case of Maria Shahbaz, a 13-year-old Pakistani Christian girl who was abducted, converted to Islam, and forcibly married to her abductor in March 2026.

The Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) stressed the need to ensure her legal representation, family access, and psychological support.

Citing 2025 UN figures, the resolution said that in Pakistan among women and girls affected by forced conversion through marriage, around 75 per cent were Hindus and 25 per cent were Christians.

“MEPs are calling for her to have access to legal representation, her family, and psychological support. They condemn similar abuses committed against underage girls belonging to religious minorities, underlining that her case is emblematic of broader human rights violations faced by minorities in Pakistan ; according to UN figures in 2025, among women and girls affected by forced conversion through marriage, around 75 per cent were Hindu and 25 per cent were Christian,” the European Parliament stated.

“Parliament urges Pakistan’s authorities to fully implement the country’s national framework to end child marriage, as is already the case in some provinces of the country, and create a national mechanism for handling complaints from families of abducted or forcibly converted girls from minorities,” it added.

The MEPs further called for the protection of religious minorities across Pakistan and urged the Pakistani government to ensure that all cases involving minors or allegations of coercion are investigated through transparent and independent processes.

They also urged the Pakistani authorities to prosecute those responsible, strengthen the country’s judicial framework, and facilitate the safe return of abducted girls to their families.

Earlier in April, the United Nations experts voiced grave concern over the continued and widespread abduction and forced religious conversion and marriages targeting women and girls from minority communities in Pakistan, warning that the climate of impunity fuels the relentless practice across the country.

“Any change of religion or belief must be genuinely free from coercion, and marriage must be based on full and free consent, which is not legally possible when the victim is a child,” the experts said.

Raising an alarm, the experts said that the Pakistani government has not taken adequate measures to address the root causes of forced conversion through marriage, including gender inequality based on patriarchal norms, poverty, social exclusion, discrimination against minorities, religious intolerance, and rampant impunity.

“Freedom of religion or belief and equality must be ensured for all without discrimination,” the experts stated.

IANS