By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
LAHORE, PAKISTAN (Worthy News) – Christians in Lahore, Pakistan’s second-largest city, expressed concern Tuesday over the whereabouts of a 12-year-old Christian girl who was reportedly kidnapped, forced to convert to Islam, and married against her will.
The abduction occurred when the girl, only identified as Saba for security reasons, was allegedly taken by a Muslim man who then “coerced her into converting to Islam” and marrying him, said sources with close knowledge about the situation.
“Despite Pakistani laws prohibiting child marriage and forced conversions, such incidents continue to occur with alarming frequency, particularly among religious minorities like Christians,” added Sardar Mushtaq Gill, founder of LEAD Ministries Pakistan, a Christian aid and advocacy group in the region.
LEAD Pakistan leader Farzana Imran told Worthy News that the “case highlights the grave injustices faced by religious minority communities in Pakistan, especially young girls who are forced into marriages and conversions. We stand with Saba’s family and demand that those responsible be held accountable.”
Child marriage is illegal in Pakistan, with the minimum legal age for marriage set at 16.
However, “forced conversions and child marriages—especially involving religious minorities—remains a significant problem in some regions” of Pakistan, explained Gill to Worthy News.
Experts and human rights activists say up to 2,000 girls, many of them Christians and Hindus, are kidnapped annually in Pakistan to be subjected “to rape, forced conversion, and forced marriages by Muslim men.”
FORCED MARRIAGE
In Saba’s case, “the forged marriage certificate and the coercion involved have raised serious concerns among human rights groups,” Gill added.
The case “has brought attention to the ongoing challenges faced by young girls in Pakistan. Cultural and societal barriers often impede justice and the enforcement of laws safeguarding religious freedom and children’s rights,” he stressed.
“Forced marriage of Christian girls to Muslim men is often linked to their impoverished backgrounds and limited opportunities,” Gill told Worthy News.
“Many girls from religious minority communities, like Christians in Pakistan, are faced with financial hardships and a lack of access to education or better prospects. In some cases, this vulnerable situation can make them more susceptible to manipulation, as they may be promised a better life in exchange for conversion and marriage.”
He said the abduction of Saba in Lahore has been “highlighting the need for legal reforms and better protection for vulnerable religious minorities.”
Pakistan’s government has come under international pressure to improve the rights of Christians and other minorities in the mainly Muslim nation.
However, “We struggle to create awareness about the importance of education and protecting women’s rights within our communities. By focusing on empowering young girls through knowledge and skills, we hope to offer them better opportunities and protect them from exploitation,” Imran explained.
CHRISTIAN MINORITY
Christians comprise at least 1.8 percent of Pakistan’s predominantly Muslim population of 252 million, according to Christian researchers. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) says the number of minority Christians and Hindus could be 3.5 percent.
The country ranks 8th on the annual World Watch List of 50 nations, where advocacy group Open Doors claims Christians face the most persecution for their faith in Christ.
“The number of Christian girls (and those from other minority religions) abducted, abused, and forcefully converted to Islam (frequently backed by lower courts) is growing. And churches that engage in outreach are particularly prone to opposition,” the group said in a recent assessment.
It also expressed concern about the misuse of blasphemy laws “that carry a death sentence. While this is seldom carried out, people accused of blasphemy are vulnerable to attack or murder by mobs.”
In June 2024, “an elderly man was killed by mob violence after being accused of desecrating the Koran,” deemed a holy book by Muslims, the group recalled.
Additionally, a 2023 attack on Christian homes and buildings in the Jaranwala area “continues to contribute to a climate of fear. Historical churches have relative freedom for worship and other activities. However, they are heavily monitored and have been targeted for bomb attacks.”
Yet Pakistani authorities claim they are taking the plight of “religious minorities” seriously. Last month, the chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, introduced a cash card program for Christians and other minorities that she claims marks a “historic” step toward addressing marginalization in Pakistan’s most populous province.
MINORITY CARD
The “Minority Card” will provide 10,500 Pakistani Rupees ($37.65) per family every quarter to Christians, Sikhs, Hindus, and other minorities living in Punjab.
Sharif said the program initially aims to benefit 50,000 individuals but will expand to 75,000 in the coming phases.
She also pledged to increase the quarterly stipend.
“I am very happy that for the first time in Pakistan and Punjab’s history, we have launched the minority card,” Sharif added in published remarks.
She stressed that minorities are like the “crown on her head” and said their true identity is not as non-Muslims but as “true Pakistanis.”
However, Christian advocacy activists suggest it will take time before girls like Saba will be truly protected in Pakistan’s troubled society.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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