Christian Girls in Pakistan Face Abuse and Forced Conversion, Rights Groups Warn
Christian minors in Pakistan face abuse and forced conversions, highlighting systemic discrimination.
Christian rights advocates and civil society organizations in Pakistan have raised serious concerns following reports of a 13-year-old Christian girl, Zarnaab, being tortured while working as a domestic worker for a prominent family in Punjab. The case has sparked nationwide outrage over the systemic exploitation of religious minorities, particularly children.
LEAD Ministries leaders, including Farzana Imran and Pastor Imran Amanat, condemned the harassment, citing the prevalence of underage labor among Christian girls due to lack of access to education. They emphasized that poverty, illiteracy, and social marginalization trap minority families in cycles of exploitation and abuse.
Sardar Mushtaq Gill, founder of LEAD Ministries, stressed that minority women and girls are disproportionately affected by these societal issues. Human rights activists have urged the government to enforce child labor laws strictly, hold abusive employers accountable, and implement social protections for vulnerable communities.
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The case has renewed calls for justice and protection, coming shortly after another federal court case involving Maria Shahbaz, a 13-year-old Christian girl allegedly abducted, forcibly converted to Islam, and married to a Muslim man in Lahore. Advocates allege police collusion and judicial negligence in both cases, highlighting systemic failings in protecting minority children.
Supreme Court Attorney Rana Abdul Hameed revealed that Maria was coerced to falsely claim she willingly converted and married, despite evidence proving she was underage. Her father, Shahbaz Masih, has repeatedly sought justice, filing complaints that were initially dismissed by lower courts.
Rights groups warn that these incidents are part of a disturbing pattern in Pakistan, where young minority girls are abducted, forcibly converted, and subjected to sexual abuse under the cover of religious ‘marriages.’ Advocates stress urgent reforms to prevent further violence and exploitation and to safeguard the rights and dignity of children from marginalized communities.
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