Archbishop Joseph Arshad denounces Pakistan court ruling upholding marriage of 13-year-old, calling it a threat to justice and child protection.
Newsroom (07/04/2026 Gaudium Press ) Archbishop Joseph Arshad of the Catholic Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi has voiced grave concern over a controversial ruling by Pakistan’s Federal Shariat Court that validated the marriage of a 13-year-old Christian girl to a Muslim man. The decision, which disregarded official birth records and the country’s legal age of consent, has triggered alarm among religious and civil rights advocates.
Under Pakistani law, the minimum age for marriage is 18, a restriction designed to protect minors from exploitation and forced unions. However, the Shariat Court, tasked with ensuring laws align with Islamic principles, upheld the union, declaring the girl had “attained maturity” and converted to Islam by her own will. The court dismissed government-issued birth documents as “unreliable.”
A Family’s Plea for Justice
The case stems from the June 2025 disappearance of a teenager from Lahore, identified as the daughter of Masih Shahbaz, a local Christian. Shahbaz alleges that his child was abducted and groomed by Shehryar Ahmad, a neighborhood mechanic who later claimed marriage to the minor after her alleged conversion.
Despite documentary evidence proving the girl was thirteen at the time of her disappearance, a two-judge bench of the Shariat Court accepted the defendant’s statements and upheld the marriage. The decision has ignited widespread condemnation, particularly from Christian leaders who view it as a blow to the integrity of Pakistan’s judicial system.
Archbishop Arshad: “Deeply Troubling and Dangerous”
“This situation is deeply troubling,” Archbishop Arshad told Crux Now, emphasizing that the inconsistency in applying laws meant to safeguard minors undermines trust in justice and jeopardizes the dignity and safety of vulnerable communities.
He stressed that such cases must strictly follow civil law, which unambiguously prohibits marriage under eighteen. Arshad reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to justice, equality, and human rights, calling on authorities to enforce constitutional protections and fulfill Pakistan’s obligations under international human rights agreements.
“The apparent inconsistency in legal protections for minors,” he added, “creates a dangerous precedent that endangers not just Christians, but all young girls across Pakistan.”
Faith and Rights Advocates Demand Action
In a joint statement released through the human rights outlet Voicepk.net, the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (PCBC) and the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) decried the ruling as a violation of both legal and moral principles. They warned that the “selective application” of child marriage and conversion laws threatens to erode constitutional guarantees of equality and justice.
“Courts are not consistently applying legislation that prohibits the marriage of anyone under 18,” the bishops’ statement read. They urged the judiciary to prioritize transparency, impartiality, and adherence to the Constitution, especially when cases involve religious minorities or underage victims.
Protests and Public Outcry
The ruling has galvanized human rights and women’s advocacy groups, including Minority Rights March, Aurat March, and the Minority Forum Pakistan, which organized a rally and press conference at the Karachi Press Club shortly after the decision. Participants denounced the verdict as an attack on child protection laws and called for its immediate review.
Protesters, many holding placards demanding justice for Shahbaz’s daughter, expressed anger and sorrow over what they described as the legitimization of child abduction and forced marriage. They warned that the court’s stance undermines years of progress toward protecting minors, urging the government and judiciary to rescind the decision and ensure the girl’s safety.
“The ruling sets a dangerous precedent that could embolden future cases of forced conversion,” said a human rights activist at the rally. “This is not only a minority issue—such legal interpretations can endanger Muslim girls as well.”
Broader Implications for Pakistan’s Legal System
Legal observers note that this case exposes the tension between religious jurisprudence and state law in Pakistan’s legal framework. The Shariat Court’s authority to interpret cases through an Islamic lens often intersects uncomfortably with the civil code, especially in issues involving women and minorities. The court’s latest decision, critics argue, deepens that conflict.
“The blending of religious doctrine with statutory law must not come at the expense of human rights,” wrote one legal scholar on Voicepk.net following the ruling.
For Archbishop Arshad, the matter transcends faith or judicial debate—it’s about protecting the innocence and dignity of a child. “Courts,” he said, “have a fundamental responsibility to ensure all allegations, particularly those involving forced conversion and underage marriage, are investigated in a transparent, impartial, and just manner.”
As Pakistan’s legal community and religious institutions grapple with the ruling’s consequences, international attention is turning once again to the ongoing plight of minority girls—victims caught at the crossroads of faith, power, and law.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Crux Now
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