Human rights groups condemn court ruling granting custody of abducted minor to alleged abductor, urging protection and legal reform.
Newsroom (28/07/2026 Gaudium Press ) Human rights defenders have voiced alarm over the handling of a case involving a 13-year-old girl who was allegedly abducted, forcibly converted, and coerced into marriage, warning that a recent court decision has placed the child at further risk and raised serious concerns about the protection of minors and religious minorities.
Rights advocates have strongly condemned a session court ruling issued on 25 July 2026 that granted custody of the girl to her alleged abductor and purported husband, who was also granted bail. Activists argue that the decision disregards critical evidence regarding the victim’s age and exposes her to continued intimidation, violence, and abuse.
The case stems from the alleged abduction of the girl on 12 June in Faisalabad. According to the reported facts, Mohsin Liaquat kidnapped the minor, leading to the registration of a First Information Report under Section 365-B of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Raza Abad police station.
Two weeks after the reported kidnapping, police arrested the accused, rescued the victim from his custody, and placed her under the protection of the Gender-Based Violence Unit of the Faisalabad Police.
On 27 June, the girl reportedly informed authorities that members of the accused’s family had coached and pressured her into falsely claiming she was an adult. Rights advocates say that after the abduction, documents were produced to support claims of her conversion and marriage. These included a religious conversion certificate and a marriage certificate that allegedly listed her birth date as June 2008.
Activists point to what they describe as a significant inconsistency in the records, noting that the victim’s parents were married in 2012. As a result of these disputed claims, the court ordered a medical examination to determine the girl’s age and directed that she be housed at Dar-ul-Aman, a government-run shelter, while proceedings continued.
Despite those unresolved questions, the court later granted custody of the child to the accused, a decision that has prompted widespread criticism from human rights organizations and child protection advocates.
Joseph Janssen, president of Voice for Justice, described forced conversion as a religiously motivated practice that continues because of support from or silence among those entrusted with enforcing the law.
Janssen said that during court proceedings he witnessed lawyers allegedly threaten the victim with punishment for apostasy if she chose to renounce Islam. He characterized such actions as a severe abuse of both legal and moral authority.
He further argued that a widespread perception exists that laws designed to protect minors, women, and religious minorities cease to apply once a person converts to Islam, regardless of age. Janssen appealed directly to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to intervene, describing the case as an injustice involving statutory rape and the unlawful removal of a minor from her parents’ custody.
He also stated that unless the girl is returned to her family, the matter would be raised before international institutions, including the United Nations and the European Parliament.
Human rights activist Ashiknaz Khokhar said the case highlights longstanding concerns about the treatment of documentary evidence in cases involving child victims. He expressed concern that courts do not always accord sufficient weight to official birth records and related documentation when determining age.
Khokhar argued that child protection principles should never be subordinated to allegedly fabricated documents, coerced statements, or claims of consent obtained from children who may be under the influence or control of others. He described the case as a key test of Pakistan’s commitment to protecting children, safeguarding religious minorities, and enforcing child protection laws.
According to Khokhar, a minor’s statements alone should not determine questions of custody or guardianship, particularly when concerns exist about coercion or vulnerability. He warned that the court had failed to prioritize the child’s best interests.
Lala Robin Daniel, another human rights advocate, said flawed investigations and judicial proceedings risk undermining progressive legal reforms, including the Punjab Child Marriage Restriction Act 2026. He argued that such cases can effectively legitimize child marriage and abuse despite clear legal prohibitions.
Daniel stressed that authorities responsible for administering justice must recognize that child marriage and any cohabitation resulting from it constitute criminal offences. He also criticized what he described as a broader failure by Pakistani authorities to adequately address recurring cases involving the abduction, forced conversion, and marriage of underage minority girls.
Rights advocates have linked their concerns to growing international scrutiny. Daniel referenced the European Parliament resolution adopted on 9 July 2026, which called on Pakistan to independently investigate allegations of forced conversions and child marriages, prosecute perpetrators and accomplices, ensure the recovery and protection of victims, strengthen judicial capacity, and fully implement child marriage laws nationwide.
As criticism intensifies, human rights defenders are calling for immediate measures to safeguard the girl, hold all those involved accountable, and strengthen legal protections against coerced religious conversion. They are also urging the government to enact comprehensive legislation that explicitly criminalises forced conversions, arguing that meaningful reform is necessary to prevent similar cases and ensure that the rights of children and vulnerable minorities are protected under the law.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Asianews.it
