On the abduction, forced conversion and child marriage of Maria Shahbaz and the protection of girls in Pakistan

B100351/2026

European Parliament resolution on the abduction, forced conversion and child marriage of Maria Shahbaz and the protection of girls in Pakistan

(2026/2801(RSP))

having regard to Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure,

whereas Maria Shahbaz, a 13-year-old Christian girl from Lahore, disappeared in July 2025 and later appeared before Pakistani courts claiming to have voluntarily converted to Islam and married a 30-year-old man; whereas her family has consistently maintained that her statements were made under duress and coercion; whereas despite documentary evidence confirmed her minority status and earlier court findings indicated that marriage documents had been falsified, Pakistan's Federal Constitutional Court granted custody of Maria to the alleged abductor in February 2026;

whereas Pakistan continues to face a persistent and well-documented pattern of abduction, forced conversion, and forced marriage of underage girls belonging to religious minorities, particularly Christians and Hindus;

whereas in February 2026 the Governor of Punjab signed an ordinance raising the legal minimum age of marriage to eighteen years; whereas in May 2026 he assented to the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act 2026, following its adoption in the Punjab Assembly;

whereas Pakistan benefits from the EU's GSP+ trade preferences, which are conditional on the effective implementation of 27 international conventions that oblige Pakistan to protect children from all forms of exploitation and to ensure freedom of religion or belief;

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Calls on the Pakistani authorities to ensure the immediate protection of Maria Shahbaz, to grant her access to legal representation and independent psychological support, and to conduct a thorough, transparent, and impartial review of her case, with full respect for due process and the best interests of the child and to allow independent monitoring of her situation by human rights organisations;

Strongly condemns the practice of abduction, forced conversion, and forced marriage of underage girls belonging to religious minorities; calls on the Pakistani government ensure that all cases involving minors or allegations of coercion are investigated transparently and independently and to treat such acts as serious criminal offences and to ensure effective prosecution of perpetrators;

Urges the Pakistani judiciary to uphold the rule of law and ensure that any proceedings involving minority girls are conducted free from external pressure, intimidation, or coercion; emphasizes the need for structured capacity building within the judiciary in that regard;

Welcomes the adoption of the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act 2026; calls on the Government of Punjab to promptly formulate and notify the implementing rules and procedures necessary to render the law fully operational; calls on other provinces to adopt, implement and enforce equivalent legislation;

Encourages Pakistan to create a national mechanism to handle complaints from families of abducted or forcibly converted minority girls, and stresses the need for better education, legal aid, and protection for these girls;

Calls on the EU and Member States to raise the issue of forced conversions, forced marriages, and the protection of religious minorities systematically in all bilateral dialogues with Pakistan, including within the framework of GSP+ monitoring;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Government and Parliament of Pakistan.