Faith Facts
- A federal court in Pakistan gave custody of a 13-year-old Christian girl to a Muslim man who kidnapped and forcibly converted her to Islam.
- The court dismissed official documents proving her age and ignored previous judicial findings declaring the marriage illegal.
- Legal advocates and the girl’s family denounced the decision as a threat to the protection of Christian minors.
A Christian family in Pakistan is mourning a court ruling that handed their 13-year-old daughter to her abductor, undermining official records and disregarding the sanctity of childhood.
Despite clear evidence and appeals from her parents, judicial authorities ignored the girl’s legal birth documents and failed to provide protection for her vulnerable status.
“The judges should have taken into account that she was likely to give a statement in the accused’s favor under duress,” said Safdar Chaudhry, chairperson of Raah-e-Nijaat Ministry.
Christian families in Pakistan continue to face great risk as forced conversions and child marriages target their daughters, often leaving parents helpless before the law.
Even law enforcement agencies showed concerning reluctance in safeguarding Maria Shahbaz, as police inaction and investigative failures were highlighted by legal advocates.
While new laws have raised the national marriage age for Christians and the capital city to 18, provincial delays and Sharia law loopholes leave many Christian girls unprotected.
“If superior courts refuse to recognize official birth documents, there is little hope for protecting minor girls,” Chaudhry warned.
Cases like Maria’s reveal urgent needs for justice and protections rooted in Biblical principles: upholding truth, defending the vulnerable, and protecting faith and families.
Let us pray for Maria and advocate for Christian families under persecution, standing firm for biblical justice and the moral protection of children.
