Pakistani Christian teen’s forced marriage case highlights threats, trauma, and systemic risks faced by minority women, activists warn.
Newsroom (21/04/2026 Gaudium Press ) Christians and rights advocates in Pakistan are calling for urgent protection and justice for a Catholic teenager and her family, as a high-profile case of alleged abduction, forced marriage, and conversion continues to unfold in Punjab province. The case has drawn renewed attention to what activists describe as a persistent pattern of violence and coercion targeting women from religious minority communities.
Adan Sabir, 19, and her family from Jaranwala in Faisalabad have reportedly been living under constant threat from a Muslim man accused of abducting her at gunpoint, forcibly converting her, and compelling her into marriage. According to her mother, Afasn Sabir, the family has received repeated threats over the past two months, including warnings of further abduction and death threats.
The legal battle began in July last year after Sabir’s brother filed a case following her alleged abduction on July 3. The complaint came after she refused a marriage proposal from the accused, Usman Ali. Despite the ongoing proceedings, the family says intimidation has escalated, particularly after they arranged her engagement to a Christian man.
“He repeatedly threatened us, saying that if he could take Adan once, he could take her again, and this time he would not let her escape,” Afasn Sabir told UCA News.
The case took a controversial turn during a magistrate’s court hearing in Faisalabad last August, where the accused allegedly presented a forged Muslim marriage certificate, claiming Sabir had willingly converted and married him. During the hearing, Sabir reportedly remained silent when questioned about the alleged abduction and forced conversion—silence her family attributes to fear stemming from threats against her and her relatives.
The court initially ruled in favor of Ali, allowing him to take her home. However, with support from a charity, the family appealed the decision in the Lahore High Court in September. After reviewing evidence pointing to coercion and threats, the high court ordered further investigation and directed that Sabir return to her family. In November, she formally divorced Ali through a legal notice accepted by the court.
Despite this legal reprieve, the family says the ordeal has left lasting psychological scars. Afasn Sabir described her daughter as deeply traumatized, often withdrawn and fearful.
“She remains silent all day, and sometimes at night she wakes up trembling and asks us to pray with her. We have been in hiding for the past two months, constantly changing locations to avoid another abduction,” she said.
The threats have not subsided. The mother alleged that on April 20, Usman Ali fired shots at their home in Jaranwala after they had already relocated. The family is now considering filing an additional complaint, including allegations of cyber harassment, though such cases require preliminary police investigation before formal registration.
Human rights advocates say the case underscores systemic vulnerabilities faced by minority women in Pakistan. Lazar Aslam, convener of the Catholic-run Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission, described the situation as “a flagrant violation of the fundamental right to religious freedom and a direct assault on human dignity.”
He urged authorities to act decisively. “No person should be forced to choose between their faith and their life,” Aslam told UCA News, calling for immediate protection for the victim and her family, as well as swift prosecution of those responsible.
Local religious leaders echoed similar concerns. Shakoor Alam, a pastor at Hope for Light Ministries in Jaranwala, said the case reflects a broader and troubling pattern.
“These are not isolated incidents; these are repeated attacks on Christian females. It is heartbreaking to see what Adan has endured at such a young age,” he said. “Her case offers a glimpse into the reality of forced conversion cases in Pakistan.”
Usman Ali was not available for comment when contacted.
Rights groups maintain that abductions, forced marriages, and coerced conversions of girls from religious minorities remain a longstanding issue in Pakistan, with cases like Sabir’s highlighting both the human cost and the urgent need for systemic reform.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCA News
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