Christians Protest Alleged Forced Marriage, Conversion Of Minor In Pakistan

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

FAISALABAD, PAKISTAN (Worthy News) – A Christian family and supporters have rallied in the eastern Pakistani city of Faisalabad after a 16-year-old Christian girl reportedly disappeared and was allegedly forced to marry and convert to Islam.

Her family disputes claims that she voluntarily converted and married, saying she is a minor and may have been subjected to a forced conversion and underage marriage.

The case has renewed concerns among Christian leaders and human rights advocates over reports of forced conversions and underage marriages involving minority girls in Pakistan.

Relatives say Yashf, 16, disappeared on May 24 after leaving her home in Chak No. 220-RB Bawawala, a community near Faisalabad in Punjab province, to buy noodles from a nearby shop. Worthy News has identified the girl only by her first name because she is a minor and may be the victim of abuse.

The family said they later received documents claiming she had embraced Islam and married. However, relatives insist she remains a minor and argue that any conversion or marriage under such circumstances would be legally questionable.

FAMILY DEMANDS JUSTICE

Yashf’s father, Samuel John, said he has been searching for his daughter since her disappearance and appealed to authorities for help locating her.

Family members say she was 16 years and five months old when she vanished, citing records maintained by Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).

The family has accused two brothers, identified as Qalb Abbas and Qalb Ali, of involvement and urged police to conduct a full investigation.

Relatives also alleged that gunshots were fired outside the family’s home after her parents objected to the men standing near the residence, creating fear in the neighborhood.

The girl’s mother, who has six daughters and has already married five of them, was described by relatives as devastated by the disappearance of her youngest child.

CHRISTIAN LEADERS CONCERNED

Pastor Imran Amanat, leader of LEAD Ministries, condemned what he described as a continuing pattern of persecution and harassment targeting Christians in Pakistan.

LEAD Ministries is a Christian advocacy organization that documents cases involving violence, discrimination, and alleged persecution while promoting religious freedom and human rights.

“Snatching daughters from Christian families in the name of conversion to Islam for marriage is an invisible pain that only parents can truly understand,” Amanat told Worthy News.

“Behind every such incident is a family left emotionally broken, struggling with fear, uncertainty, and the desperate hope of seeing their child return home safely,” he added.

Amanat called for a transparent investigation, accountability for any wrongdoing, and stronger protections for vulnerable minority communities.

PAKISTAN UNDER SCRUTINY

The case has drawn renewed attention to Pakistan’s treatment of religious minorities, particularly Christians and Hindus, who have long complained of discrimination and insufficient legal protection.

Pakistan is home to more than 240 million people, the vast majority of whom are Muslim. Christians comprise roughly 2 percent of the population, making them one of the country’s largest religious minority communities.

Christian advocacy organization Open Doors ranks Pakistan among the world’s most difficult places to be a Christian. In its latest World Watch List, Pakistan ranked seventh worldwide, citing discriminatory blasphemy laws, societal hostility, attacks on churches, and reports of forced conversions and marriages involving minority girls. Christians and other religious minorities have also complained of discrimination in education, employment, and access to justice.

Pakistani authorities have repeatedly said religious minorities enjoy constitutional protections and that allegations of forced conversions are investigated when evidence is presented.

However, Christian leaders and human rights advocates argue enforcement remains inconsistent and that vulnerable families often struggle to obtain justice.

As investigations continue, Christian leaders and human rights advocates say the case has once again highlighted concerns about minority rights, child protection, and religious freedom in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

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