The European Parliament on 10 July 2026 adopted a formal resolution condemning the abduction, forced religious conversion, and child marriage of underage girls from religious minority communities in Pakistan, citing a systemic pattern of human rights violations that international bodies say continues with near-total impunity.

The Case That Triggered the Resolution

The resolution specifically highlighted the case of Maria Shahbaz, a 13-year-old Pakistani Christian girl who was reportedly abducted, converted to Islam, and forcibly married to her abductor in March 2026. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) stressed the urgent need to ensure her access to legal representation, her family, and psychological support. The Parliament described her case as 'emblematic of broader human rights violations faced by minorities in Pakistan.'

Scale of the Problem: UN Data

Citing 2025 UN figures, the resolution noted that among women and girls in Pakistan affected by forced conversion through marriage, approximately 75 per cent were Hindu and 25 per cent were Christian. These figures underscore that the practice disproportionately targets the country's most vulnerable religious communities. The resolution comes months after UN experts in April 2026 voiced grave concern over the continued and widespread nature of such abductions, warning that a climate of impunity was fuelling the practice.

What the European Parliament Demanded

The Parliament urged Pakistan's authorities to fully implement the country's existing national framework to end child marriage — a framework already operational in some provinces — and to establish a dedicated national mechanism for handling complaints from families of abducted or forcibly converted girls. MEPs further called on the Pakistani government to ensure that all cases involving minors or allegations of coercion are investigated through transparent and independent processes.

Parliamentarians also demanded that those responsible be prosecuted, that the country's judicial framework be strengthened, and that abducted girls be facilitated in safely returning to their families.

UN Experts: Root Causes Unaddressed

Earlier this year, UN experts flagged that the Pakistani government had not taken adequate measures to address the root causes driving forced conversions through marriage. These include gender inequality rooted in patriarchal norms, poverty, social exclusion, discrimination against minorities, and religious intolerance. The experts stated that '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.' They called for freedom of religion or belief and equality to be ensured for all without discrimination.

Broader Context and What Comes Next

This is not the first time Pakistan's treatment of religious minorities has drawn formal censure from European institutions. The resolution adds fresh diplomatic pressure on Islamabad at a time when Pakistan's human rights record is under scrutiny from multiple multilateral bodies. Rights organisations have long documented the gap between Pakistan's legislative commitments — including constitutional protections for minorities — and ground-level enforcement. Whether the European Parliament's resolution translates into concrete diplomatic consequences, including potential conditions on trade or aid arrangements, remains to be seen in the weeks ahead.