What changed
Adds new condemnations of persecution of Christians and demands repeal of blasphemy laws. #2#3 Expands support for victims and addresses root causes of forced conversion and marriage. #4 Broadens EU dialogue topics and adds a consequence of withdrawing GSP+ status. #5 Adds statistical detail on religious breakdown of forced conversion victims. #1
5 changes of substance. Each change below carries a one-line ✦ note from the same model. Written from the two texts only — read the highlighted passages before relying on it.
The changes to the text itself, in document order. Cover page, citations (“having regard to …”), standard resolution paragraphs and punctuation-only edits are left out — they are in “Show every difference”.
Change #1 Substance
Adds a sentence citing 2025 UN figures that about 75% of women and girls affected by forced conversion through marriage were Hindu and 25% were Christian.
B. whereas there is a persistent and well-documented pattern in Pakistan of abduction, forced conversion and forced marriage of underage girls from Hindu, Christian and other religious minorities; whereas, according to 2025 UN figures, among women and girls affected by forced conversion through marriage, around 75 % were Hindu and 25 % were Christian; whereas poverty and marginalisation heighten girls’ vulnerability;
Change #2 Substance
Adds two new recitals stating Christians are among the most persecuted communities and that Maria Shahbaz's case reflects broader abuses like arbitrary detention and misuse of laws.
D. whereas Christians are among the most severely persecuted religious communities in Pakistan and the largest worldwide, as demonstrated by the case of Maria Shahbaz;
E. whereas the case of Maria Shahbaz is emblematic of broader human rights violations faced by minorities in Pakistan, including arbitrary detention, forced disappearances, harassment of journalists and civil society, and misuse of blasphemy, anti-terrorism and cybercrime laws;
Change #3 Substance
Adds a new paragraph strongly condemning systematic persecution of Christians in Pakistan and demanding repeal of blasphemy laws.
4. Strongly condemns the systematic persecution of Christians in Pakistan and stresses that the abduction, forced conversion and child marriage of Maria Shahbaz must be seen in the wider context of discrimination, violence and intimidation faced by the country’s Christian community; demands that Pakistan repeal its blasphemy laws and end the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities;
Change #4 Substance
Expands the call for support to victims to include safe shelters, legal aid, psychological counselling and reintegration programmes, and adds root causes like gender inequality and caste discrimination.
6.7. Encourages Pakistan to create a national mechanism for handling complaints from families of abducted or forcibly converted girls from minorities, and calls for comprehensive support for victims;victims, including safe shelters, legal aid, psychological counselling and reintegration programmes; calls for addressing the root causes of forced marriage and conversionconversion, including gender inequality, poverty, social exclusion and discrimination based on caste, gender and religion, and for targeted protection measures for girls from minorities facing discrimination, with particular attention paid to accessing education and social protection;
Change #5 Substance
Broadens the scope of issues to raise in dialogues to include other minorities, political opponents, journalists, and human rights defenders, and adds a threat of withdrawing GSP+ status for non-compliance.
7.8. Calls for the EU and the Member States to systematically raise the issue of forced conversions and marriages and the protection of religious minoritiesand other minorities, political opponents, journalists, civil society and human rights defenders and activists in bilateral dialogues with Pakistan, including within the framework of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus monitoring; recalls that failure to effectively implement its human rights commitments, including on women’s and children’s rights, should result in the withdrawal of Pakistan’s GSP+ status;