On 3 April, the Archdiocese of Lahore condemned Pakistan’s Federal sharia court decison where it recognised marriage of a minor Christian girl, Maria Bibi, to a Muslim man named Shehryar Ahmed, who had reportedly abducted her. He warned that the ruling risks legitimising abduction, forced conversion and child marriage.
Archbishop Khalid Rehmat, who was recently appointed to the position, said in his statement that the decision appeared to validate the marriage of a child despite serious allegations of coercion and absence of free consent. He called it “profoundly disturbing and unacceptable”.
He said that the ruling will send a dangerous message, further weakening protection for minority girls in Pakistan. He further stated that the decision is against the rule of law and called it a grave failure of justice in Maria’s case.
Concerns over abduction, forced conversion and child marriage
Rehmat argued that Maria’s case involves serious allegations including abduction, forced conversion and illegal marriage without personal consent and strongly condemned such evil practices. He stated that these practices violate fundamental human rights and guarantees provided by the Constitution.
In the statement, he further noted that validating such marriages contradicts Pakistan’s legal framework, according to which the minimum age of marriage is 18 years. He added that the ruling is in contradiction with international human rights commitments and Christian faith practices that emphasise dignity, free will, and consent in marriage.
“Dangerous message” for minority girls
In his statement, Rehmat argued that the ruling in Maria’s case weakens the protection available for girls of minority communities in Pakistan. He added that such decisions risk normalising coercion in sensitive interfaith matters. Rehmat warned that it could enable perpetrators and erode trust in the legal system of the country.
Calling the protection of children a moral, legal and national obligation, Rehmat said staying silent in such cases is not an option.
Demand for reconsideration and investigation
Towards the end of his statement, Rehmat demanded immediate intervention of the judiciary and government authorities in the matter. He called for reconsideration of the Sharia court’s decision and sought a transparent investigation into the case, including the allegations of coercion and abuse. He also sought concrete and enforceable measures to prevent such incidents from happening in the future, especially when minority girls are involved.
The Archbishop called for strict accountability for individuals involved in abduction, forced conversion, and illegal marriages. He urged the judiciary, government authorities, and civil society in Pakistan to act decisively and restore confidence in the justice system.
On 31st March, the Federal Sharia Court recognised the marriage of 13-year-old Christian girl Maria Bibi to a Muslim man named Shehryar Ahmed and rejected the application submitted by the girl’s father. The court dismissed the habeas corpus petition of the father seeking release of his minor daughter and stated that the girl had embraced Islam and was under the lawful custody of her husband. Earlier, the father’s appeal was dismissed by the Lahore High Court on 17th October last year.
During the court proceedings, Maria reportedly appeared in the court and gave statement that she married Ahmed of her won will, a claim that her father rejected.
