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A British parliamentary group has said it is gravely concerned about the case of a Christian girl, Maria Shahbaz, who was allegedly abducted and forced into marriage in Pakistan.
The marriage was deemed lawful by Pakistan’s Federal Constitutional Court, but the girl’s father claims that she was underage at the time and was coerced into conversion.
For decades girls from Pakistan’s Christian and Hindu minorities have been targeted by older Muslim men for rape, forced conversion, and forced marriage.
In a public statement, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Pakistani Minorities (APPG) said that while it respected the sovereignty of Pakistan’s judicial system, there has been “a broader and well-documented pattern of allegations concerning the abduction, forced conversion, and marriage of girls from religious minority communities, particularly Christians and Hindus”.
Minorities in such cases often face significant legal and social barriers to obtaining justice, with courts frequently siding with abductors.
Lord Alton, Co-Chair of the APPG, said, “The protection of children and the safeguarding of religious minorities are fundamental principles recognised across all legal systems.
“Allegations of forced marriage and conversion, particularly involving minors, demand the highest level of scrutiny, transparency, and sensitivity to ensure that justice is both done and seen to be done.”
The group called upon the Pakistani authorities to ensure that all allegations of forced marriage, particularly those involving minors be properly investigated and the laws enforced.
It also called for greater international cooperation to strengthen protections for religious minorities in Pakistan.
Separately, the APPG also raised the case of Christian shanty town dwellers faced with eviction. Poverty and discrimination in the housing market mean that many have no viable place to go.
