Washington, April 11 (NationPress) The leader of the Catholic Church in Pakistan, Bishop Samson Shukardin, has raised serious concerns regarding a newly established government committee tasked with reassessing a controversial ruling by the nation’s highest constitutional court. This ruling legitimized the marriage and forced conversion of a minor Christian girl.

On April 5, Pakistan’s Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, announced the formation of this committee to evaluate the March 25 decision of the Federal Constitutional Court, which endorsed the marriage of Maria Shahbaz, just 13 years old, to 30-year-old Shaheryar Ahmad.

Expressing skepticism about the initiative, Shukardin, who presides over the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (PCBC), stated to the American media outlet Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN): “These matters often fade away by the time such committees release their findings. The process is intentionally delayed so that the public forgets. This is fundamentally a matter of religious freedom. Consent from minors is frequently coerced. We are looking for a substantive response from the government. Numerous Muslim clerics stand with us yet refrain from joining public demonstrations.”

According to allegations presented by Maria's father, Shehbaz Masih, it was reported that Maria was abducted, forcibly converted to Islam, and married without her consent.

The family's documentation included a certificate from Pakistan's National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), confirming that Maria was only 13 at the time of her marriage, which is below the legal marriage age of 18.

The incident took place in July 2025, when Masih reported that his daughter was kidnapped by a Muslim man while she was on her way to a nearby shop.

The court dismissed a petition from the father seeking custody, upholding the marriage under “Muhammadan law” and granting legal guardianship to the husband.

Rights organizations have been advocating for “stronger legal and administrative measures” for decades to safeguard girls from minority communities in Pakistan against abduction and forced religious conversions.

The report from the Lahore-based Centre for Social Justice highlighted over 515 documented cases of abduction and forced conversion of minority girls and women in the country from 2021 to 2025.

Of these cases, Hindu girls represented 69% (353 cases), while Christian girls accounted for 31% (160 cases). The majority of victims were under 18 years of age, with incidents predominantly occurring in Sindh and Punjab.

Shukardin remarked that courts in this Muslim-majority nation frequently fail to enforce laws prohibiting marriages for individuals under 18 years of age.

“The Church does not support marriages that involve conversion under such conditions. We demand safety for our daughters and will persist in advocating for underage brides of any faith,” he stated, according to EWTN.