Islamabad, April 4 (ANI) — Dr. Paul Jacob Bhatti, head of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, has urged the federal government to establish an independent parliamentary commission to investigate alleged forced religious conversions and child marriages affecting minority girls.
Bhatti described the pattern of coerced conversions and underage marriages as deeply troubling, saying repeated incidents undermine basic rights such as freedom of belief, child protection and human dignity. His appeal comes amid nationwide protests after a Federal Constitutional Court ruling that found a 13-year-old girl to be of “sufficient maturity,” placed her in the custody of an alleged 30-year-old husband and accepted her conversion to Islam as valid under Sharia. The two-judge bench included Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Muhammad Karim Khan Agha.
Legal experts, civil society organisations and child rights activists have strongly criticised the judgment. The girl’s parents had submitted official documents asserting she was a minor, but the court reportedly rejected that evidence. The family has sought legal remedies since the girl’s reported abduction in July 2025.
A sessions court investigation reportedly concluded the marriage certificate was forged and local officials said there was no official registration of the marriage. Despite those findings, the higher court upheld the marriage — a decision critics warn could embolden perpetrators and increase vulnerability for minority communities.
Bhatti insisted that minors cannot legally or ethically give informed consent to convert or marry and called for transparent, independent scrutiny of such cases. He recommended that authorities review the recent ruling in light of Pakistan’s constitutional duties and its commitments under international child-rights treaties.
To ensure impartial investigations and protection for victims, Bhatti proposed creating an autonomous review body composed of human rights experts, legal professionals, representatives of faith communities and child protection specialists. Such a commission, he argued, should have the mandate to examine allegations, recommend prosecutions where appropriate, and strengthen safeguards for minority children.
(Reporting based on Geo News/ANI)
