Minor Christian Girl Abducted In Pakistan After Child Marriage Ban Signed Into Law (Worthy News Investigation)

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (Worthy News) – Christians in Pakistan’s Punjab province were searching Thursday for an abducted minor girl, days after the provincial governor signed legislation raising the legal marriage age to 18 and criminalizing child marriage as a non-bailable offense.

Advocacy group LEAD Ministries told Worthy News that the girl, identified only as Aneesha, is believed to be 13 or 14 years old and was abducted earlier this month in the village of Rattian Khurshid in Punjab’s Sheikhupura District.

Christian advocates say a Muslim man, reportedly supported by relatives, is alleged to have been involved in the abduction.

Human rights lawyer Sardar Mushtaq Gill, founder of LEAD Ministries, expressed concern that the girl could be subjected to forced marriage and religious conversion.

“There is concern that the Muslim man may try to marry her and convert her to Islam,” Gill told Worthy News.

MINORITY CHILDREN SUFFERING

He said the case again highlights “vulnerabilities” faced by minority children in Pakistan, a Muslim-majority nation of about 240 million people, particularly those from economically fragile backgrounds.

According to Christians familiar with the situation, the girl’s father is deceased, and her mother reportedly suffers from mental illness, leaving the household in a precarious condition.

“Such circumstances often make marginalized families more susceptible to exploitation, intimidation, and injustice,” Gill said.

Christians also alleged that members of the accused’s household assaulted the family following the abduction. Gill added that the suspect allegedly used his influence to have the girl’s brother detained for a day.

Police did not immediately comment, and no arrests were reported Thursday.

CHILD MARRIAGE LAW TEST

The abduction comes shortly after Punjab’s governor, Saleem Haider Khan, signed the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 2026 into law on February 11 under Article 128(1) of Pakistan’s Constitution.

The ordinance raises the minimum legal age of marriage to 18 for both men and women and makes child marriage a non-bailable offense punishable by up to seven years in prison.

It replaces provisions of the nearly century-old Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929, which had set the marriage age at 18 for men and 16 for women.

The new law took immediate effect across Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, home to more than 120 million people, including a significant Christian minority.

Gill said the latest case is expected to test whether the strengthened legal framework will be implemented effectively.

CHILD BRIDES REMAIN WIDESPREAD

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), roughly one in five girls in Pakistan is married before the age of 18, meaning millions of women in the country entered marriage as children. UNICEF data indicate that Pakistan ranks among the countries with the highest absolute numbers of child brides globally.

Child rights advocates say poverty, social pressure, and inconsistent enforcement of existing laws have allowed underage marriages to persist, particularly in rural areas. Minority girls, including Christians and Hindus, are often described by advocacy groups as especially vulnerable to forced conversions and coerced marriages.

“While acknowledging that Pakistan has laws intended to protect minor girls from abduction, forced marriage, and exploitation, the mechanism for obtaining justice remains extremely difficult and exhausting for poor Christian families,” LEAD Ministries said in a statement.

“The gap between legislation and implementation continues to be a major obstacle.”

Gill stressed that when minors are involved, claims of voluntary conversion or consent must be carefully scrutinized.

CALLS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, COURT

“When minors are involved, questions of free will and consent must be examined with the utmost seriousness, as a child cannot legally or morally make such life-altering decisions under pressure or coercion,” he said.

Christians urged authorities to ensure the girl’s immediate and safe recovery, conduct a transparent investigation, and provide full protection for the affected family.

They also called for the child to be presented before an independent court where her age, safety, and genuine consent—free from fear or influence—can be properly evaluated.

Worthy News generally does not publish full names of alleged minor victims of abuse and identifies adults only when they clearly agree to be named publicly.

LEAD Ministries says it continues to call for institutional reforms, accountability, and effective enforcement of laws to ensure equal protection for all citizens. The case is likely to serve as an early test of whether Punjab’s strengthened child-protection laws will be enforced consistently when minority families seek justice.

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