The European Parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution condemning the abduction, forced conversion and child marriage of young girls from religious minorities in Pakistan, calling on authorities to strengthen legal protections and ensure perpetrators are prosecuted.

The resolution highlighted the case of 13-year-old Christian girl Maria Shahbaz, who was allegedly abducted, converted to Islam and forcibly married to her abductor. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) said her case reflected broader human rights violations faced by religious minorities in Pakistan.

European Parliament Highlights Case Of 13-Year-Old Christian Girl

In an official press release, the European Parliament said Maria Shahbaz was abducted, converted to Islam and forcibly married to her abductor in March 2026.

MEPs called for Shahbaz to be provided access to legal representation, her family and psychological support.

“The resolution highlights the case of Maria Shahbaz, a 13-year-old Pakistani Christian girl who was abducted, converted to Islam and forcibly married to her abductor in March 2026. MEPs are calling for her to have access to legal representation, her family, and psychological support,” the resolution said.

The European Parliament condemned similar abuses against underage girls from religious minority communities and said Shahbaz’s case was emblematic of broader human rights violations faced by minorities in Pakistan.

Citing UN figures from 2025, the resolution said that among women and girls affected by forced conversion through marriage, around 75 per cent were Hindu and 25 per cent were Christian.

EU Parliament Calls For National Mechanism To Handle Complaints

The European Parliament urged Pakistani authorities to fully implement the country’s national framework aimed at ending child marriage, as has already been done in some provinces.

It also called for the creation of a national mechanism to handle complaints from families of minority girls who have been abducted or forcibly converted.

“Parliament urges Pakistan’s authorities to fully implement the country’s national framework to end child marriage, as is already the case in some provinces of the country, and create a national mechanism for handling complaints from families of abducted or forcibly converted girls from minorities,” the resolution said.

MEPs called on Pakistan to protect religious minorities and ensure that all cases involving minors or allegations of coercion are investigated independently and transparently.

The European Parliament said perpetrators should be prosecuted, Pakistan’s judicial framework strengthened and abducted girls allowed to safely return to their families.

Rights Group Says Maria Shahbaz Case Part Of Wider Pattern

Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) had in April expressed concern over Shahbaz’s case, describing it as part of a continuing pattern involving the abduction, forced conversion and forced marriage of girls from minority communities.

According to HRFP, such cases particularly affect girls belonging to Pakistan’s Christian and Hindu communities.

The rights organisation said Shahbaz was abducted on July 29, 2025, and later produced before a magistrate, where a statement was recorded claiming that she had voluntarily converted to Islam and married a 30-year-old man.

HRFP said official documents confirmed that Shahbaz was a minor. However, the Federal Constitutional Court upheld the marriage in March and granted custody to the accused.

As of April, Shahbaz remained in the man’s custody while her family continued to pursue legal appeals, according to HRFP.

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