Islamabad, Feb 16 (NationPress) A federal court in Pakistan has awarded custody of a 13-year-old Christian girl, named Maria Shahbaz, to a Muslim man who allegedly abducted her, converted her to Islam, and subsequently married her, according to reports.

The judges dismissed the birth certificate provided by Maria Shahbaz's parents, which confirmed her age. Safdar Chaudhry, chairperson of the rights organization Raah-e-Nijaat Ministry, mentioned that the judges also disregarded previous judicial conclusions indicating that the marriage was unlawful, as reported by The European Conservative, referencing Christian Daily International–Morning Star News.

Maria’s parents are heartbroken over the court's decision. Her father, Shahbaz Masih, who works as a driver, revealed that his neighbor kidnapped Maria on July 29 of the previous year while she was on her way to a local shop. Since then, her family has sought legal intervention to locate her.

“Such incidents follow a consistent pattern. Annually, approximately 1,000 girls and young women from religious minorities (many being Christians) in Pakistan endure abduction, rape, forced marriages to older captors, coerced conversions to Islam, and various forms of abuse,” noted Uzay Bulut, a Turkish journalist previously based in Ankara, in a report featured in The European Conservative.

“Victims can be as young as seven and include girls with disabilities. Families often never reunite with their loved ones due to the police's lack of action and the courts' frequent failures to protect victims. Survivors endure shame, PTSD, and social stigma in Pakistan’s honor-based society,” she added.

Pakistan ranks eighth on the 2026 World Watch List of Open Doors, which tracks Christian persecution globally. The organization highlighted that Christian women face acid attacks, workplace harassment, blasphemy accusations, and honor killings. Additionally, many Christian women find themselves trapped in debt-bonded labor, particularly in brick kilns, where they are vulnerable to further sexual violence and exploitation.

Open Doors emphasized that Christian men in Pakistan also face constant threats of blasphemy accusations, wrongful imprisonment, torture, and even execution. Murders are prevalent if men are accused of insulting Islam, while entire families suffer from the consequences of false charges. Christian men and boys are often forced into low-status or hazardous jobs, frequently labeled as ‘filthy’ or caught in bonded labor.

A report in The European Conservative stated, “In small towns and remote areas, Christian children are compelled to attend Islamic teachings at local madrassas (Islamic schools), while Christian teachings are limited to Sunday services. Christian parents often discourage their children from discussing their faith to avoid pressure to convert back to Islam.

“In educational institutions, Christian children are frequently prohibited from using the same water fountains as their Muslim peers due to concerns about ‘defiling’ the drinking water. They often experience bullying and are tasked with cleaning latrines or sweeping floors, as Christians are commonly perceived as laborers,” it added.