BRUSSELS: The European Parliament on Thursday (local time) adopted a resolution condemning the abduction, forced conversion, and child marriage of young girls in Pakistan, calling on the country to strengthen protections for girls belonging to religious minorities. In an official press release, the European Parliament highlighted the case of 13-year-old Maria Shahbaz, who was converted from Christianity to Islam and “forcibly” married to her abductor in March 2026. The resolution also condemned similar abuses committed against underage girls belonging to religious minorities, underlining that Shahbaz’s case is emblematic of the broader human rights violations faced by minorities in Pakistan.
“The resolution highlights 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. 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% were Hindu and 25% were Christian,” the resolution said. The European Parliament further urged Pakistani authorities to fully implement the country’s national framework to end child marriage, which is already the “case in some provinces”, and to create a “national mechanism” for handling complaints from the families of “abducted or forcibly” converted minority girls. (ANI)