New Delhi, July 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A court in Pakistan has reportedly granted custody of a 13-year-old Christian girl to the Muslim man accused of kidnapping her, allegedly forcing her to convert to Islam and marrying her, prompting sharp criticism from rights advocates.
According to a report by Christian Daily International, Joseph Janssen, Chairman of the advocacy group Voice for Justice, said the decision was issued by an Additional District and Sessions Court in Faisalabad despite a pending court-ordered medical examination to determine the girl’s age.
The report said the court accepted an affidavit submitted by the minor, Amber Nadeem, in which she stated that she had embraced Islam and married the accused, Mohsin Liaqat, of her own free will and denied that she had been kidnapped. The court subsequently granted post-arrest bail to Liaqat, who had been in judicial custody since June 26.
Janssen alleged that after recording her statement, the girl left the courtroom with the accused’s relatives and lawyers, while her parents remained outside.
According to the rights advocate, Amber had earlier appeared before a judicial magistrate on June 27 and claimed that members of the accused’s family had pressured her into falsely stating that she was an adult. He further alleged that the marriage and conversion certificate produced by the accused listed the girl’s birth year as 2008, despite her parents reportedly marrying only in 2012, raising questions about the authenticity of the documents.
The magistrate had reportedly ordered a medical examination to determine Amber’s age and directed that she be housed in a government shelter pending further proceedings.
Janssen questioned the sessions court’s decision to grant custody of the girl to the accused and release him on bail before the medical examination had been conducted.
Earlier this month, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the abduction, forced conversion and child marriage of underage girls belonging to religious minorities in Pakistan. The resolution specifically referred to the case of Maria Shahbaz, a 13-year-old Christian girl who was allegedly abducted, forcibly converted and married in March 2026.
Citing United Nations figures for 2025, the resolution stated that among women and girls subjected to forced conversion through marriage in Pakistan, approximately 75 per cent were Hindus and 25 per cent were Christians. It urged Pakistani authorities to fully implement measures to end child marriage nationwide and establish an effective mechanism for addressing complaints involving the abduction and forced conversion of minority girls.
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