Faisalabad [Pakistan], March 8 (ANI): Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) marked International Women’s Day 2026 under the UN theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For All Women and Girls” and urged enforcement of constitutional safeguards in cases involving minority girls, an HRFP press release said.
HRFP documents and publishes cases of abduction, forced conversion, and forced marriage of minority girls in Pakistan and highlighted an alarming pattern at the Women’s Day event. Based on its case studies, HRFP identified contributing factors: religious discrimination against Hindu and Christian minorities, poverty, limited legal support, police bias favoring alleged abductors, societal, Islamist and political pressure on victims and families, and lack of awareness of legal rights.
HRFP’s REAT Helpline received more than 1,200 calls in 2025, mostly concerning attacks on Christians and churches, false blasphemy accusations, abductions of minority girls, workplace discrimination, biased treatment, and violence. The event discussed recent cases including Sataish Maryam, Shamaya Saleem, Simran Amjad, and the ongoing case of minor Christian girl Areeba Asif Masih from Multan, examining delays in justice, family discouragement, and the challenges they face.
Pastor Paul and the victim’s mother, Rukhsana Bibi, contacted HRFP last month seeking assistance. HRFP’s visit to the family in Multan documented reasons for initial silence and hesitation to pursue legal action, including lack of trust in police and the judiciary. According to Rukhsana, Areeba, an eighth-grade student, was abducted by Muhammad Shoaib on December 18, 2024, while on her way to school. An FIR was registered on December 19, 2024, but more than a year later the minor has not been recovered.
HRFP’s fact-finding team reviewed documents and met local police and community stakeholders. Records indicate Areeba was abducted on December 18, 2024, yet documentation falsely records her conversion to Islam on December 11, 2024, and marriage on December 13, 2024, despite her being underage. The family says proper legal safeguards were not ensured during subsequent court proceedings.
HRFP stressed that such incidents violate constitutional guarantees and statutory protections. Naveed Walter, HRFP president, noted that although the Constitution guarantees fundamental rights, implementation and practice are lacking. He cited Article 9 (security of person), Article 20 (freedom to profess religion), Article 25 (equality of citizens), and Article 35 (protection of family, mother and child) as legal protections undermined by abduction, forced conversion, and forced marriage.
Walter also highlighted relevant statutes: Pakistan Penal Code Sections 361 & 363 (kidnapping or abduction of a minor), Section 365-B (kidnapping/abducting a woman to compel marriage), and Sections 375 & 376 (rape, with consent legally invalid for minors). He questioned why minors’ consent is sometimes treated as valid in police statements, court proceedings, marriages, and conversions. He noted the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929 (amended), which prohibits marriage of girls under 16 in Punjab (Sindh sets 18), the Punjab Destitute and Neglected Children Act, 2004, and the Juvenile Justice System Act, 2018, all of which provide protections and state intervention mechanisms.
In light of constitutional and legal obligations, HRFP and the victim’s family called for: immediate recovery and safe custody of Areeba and other Hindu and Christian girls; annulment of any marriage conducted while a girl was a minor; an independent, transparent investigation into abduction, forced conversion, and forced marriage; accountability for officials found negligent or complicit; protection of victims’ families from harassment or intimidation; and strict implementation of child protection laws.
HRFP reiterated that a minor cannot legally consent to marriage, and any conversion or marriage conducted under coercion or involving a child is unlawful under Pakistani law. The organization said it remains committed to defending the constitutional rights of minorities, women, and children and urged authorities to uphold the rule of law and ensure justice in the case of Areeba Asif Masih and all minority girls. (ANI)
(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)
