A civil court in Pakistan’s Punjab province has annulled the forced marriage of a Christian girl who had been subjected to years of abuse and coercion, allowing her to reunite with her family after enduring forced conversion and marriage to her stepfather’s brother.
The court, in Bahawalpur city, ruled in favor of Shahida Bibi, declaring the marriage invalid and reversing her coerced conversion to Islam, according to the legal advocacy group ADF International, which supported her case along with allied attorneys.
Authorities issued new identification documents that restored her status as a Christian. The legal battle represents a rare instance of justice being served in cases involving forced conversion and marriage in Pakistan, the group said.
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Bibi’s ordeal began at the age of 11 when her mother eloped with a Muslim man. The man handed Bibi over to his brother, who later entered into an Islamic marriage union, or Nikah, with her after she turned 18.
This move was reportedly made to bypass Pakistan’s anti-child marriage law, which prohibits unions involving minors. During this time, Bibi gave birth to two children while being trapped in the forced marriage.
A 2014 study by The Movement for Solidarity and Peace Pakistan estimated that about 1,000 women and girls from Pakistan’s Hindu and Christian communities were abducted, forcibly married to their captors and forcibly converted to Islam every year.
Under Sharia law, which permits marriage at the age of puberty, such unions are often legitimized, leaving families powerless to intervene.
Global organizations, including the United Nations Children’s Fund, warn that child marriage remains an urgent issue worldwide, with over 100 million girls at risk of being forced into marriage in the next decade.
Minority girls, such as Christians and Hindus in Pakistan, are particularly vulnerable due to systemic discrimination, limited legal protections and fear of retribution.
Tehmina Arora, director of advocacy for Asia at ADF International, called the victory a step toward justice and freedom for young women facing similar ordeals.
“The government has an opportunity to make a difference, and they should start by implementing a uniform age for marriage to prevent these forced kidnappings and marriages from happening in the first place,” said Arora.
“Every person under international law has the right to freely choose and live out their faith without fear of violence,” she added. “Every state, including Pakistan, must ensure that their laws and policies are in line with their commitments to protect religious freedom under international law, and that the laws they do have in place to protect girls from these violations are enforced.”
In January 2025, European Union officials issued a formal warning to Pakistan, citing ongoing human rights violations, including blasphemy laws and the persecution of religious minorities. The EU cautioned that failure to address these issues could jeopardize Pakistan’s trade relations with Europe.
Similarly, in 2024, U.S. senators introduced a bipartisan resolution urging the U.S. government to hold violators of religious freedom accountable. The resolution specifically called attention to the plight of girls like Bibi, underlining the need for diplomatic and legal measures to combat forced conversions and marriages globally.
