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

B100346/2026

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

(2026/2801(RSP))

The European Parliament,

having regard to Rule 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure

whereas in March 2026, Pakistan’s Federal Constitutional Court rejected a petition filed by the father of 13-year-old Maria Shahbaz, stating that his daughter was abducted and forcibly converted to Islam and married; whereas the court validated her conversion and marriage, allowing Maria Shahbaz to remain with her husband;

whereas the Pakistani Government has formed a national consultative committee charged with reviewing the case and proposing measures against forced conversions and marriages;

whereas poverty and marginalisation heighten women’s and girls’ risk of abduction, forced conversion and marriage, often accompanied by abuse, exploitation, stigma and trauma; whereas in 2025, roughly 75% of those affected were Hindu and 25% Christian, with almost 80% of cases in Sindh province;

whereas the case of Maria Shahbaz is emblematic of broader challenges faced by minorities in Pakistan in accessing protection and justice; whereas human rights defenders play a crucial role in documenting violations and ensuring accountability; whereas reports of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and legal proceedings against them raise serious concerns;

Expresses its strong concerns over the ruling on the case of Maria Shahbaz and its implications for girls affected by forced conversion and marriage;

Calls on Pakistan to intensify efforts to eradicate forced conversions and marriages, to review legislative gaps, to effectively enforce applicable laws pertaining to child protection, human trafficking and sexual violence, and to improve judicial training on related standards;

Calls on Pakistan to ensure the safe return of abducted girls, and to provide comprehensive, inclusive and gender-responsive support for victims, including safe shelters, legal aid, psychological counselling and reintegration programmes;

Urges prompt, impartial and effective investigations into all allegations of forced conversions and marriages, and accountability for all actors involved;

Calls on Pakistan to take, and the EU to support, measures to address the root causes of forced conversion and marriage, such as gender inequality, poverty, social exclusion and discrimination based on caste, gender and religion, including by expanding access to education, birth registration and social protection;

Expresses its strong concerns at the use of blasphemy, anti-terrorism and cybercrime laws to target minorities, opponents and civil society, as exemplified by the recent convictions of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha, and Mahrang Baloch and Sibghatullah Shahji; urges Pakistan to uphold the rule of law and the right to a fair trial, including by ensuring the right to appeal to independent and impartial courts; calls for an immediate end to arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances, including those of Dad Shah, Ali Wazir, Hanif Pashteen and Noor Ullah Tareen;

Calls on the EU to raise these issues in the framework of the EU-Pakistan GSP+ dialogue; recalls that failure to effectively implement its human rights commitments should result in the withdrawal of Pakistan’s GSP+ status;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the VP/HR, and the Government and Parliament of Pakistan.