Pakistan

Pakistani Court Just Handed a 13 Year Old Christian Girl to Her Muslim Kidnapper

Michael Ringer

05 Feb 2026 — 2 min read

Pakistan Federal Court Grants Custody of Abducted Christian Girl Maria Shahbaz to Muslim Kidnapper

A federal court in Pakistan has handed custody of Maria Shahbaz, a 13 year old Christian girl, to Shehryar Ahmad, the 30 year old Muslim man who kidnapped her.

Maria was abducted on July 29, 2025, then forcibly converted to Islam and married. Despite her official birth certificate proving she is a minor, and despite a sessions court ruling the marriage illegal, Justices Karim Khan Agha and Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi of the Federal Constitutional Court ruled in Ahmad's favor on February 3, 2026.

Safdar Chaudhry, chairperson of Raah e Nijaat Ministry providing legal aid to the family, said: "We were hopeful that the court would consider the girl's official birth document and the sessions court order. If superior courts refuse to recognize official birth documents, there is little hope for protecting minor girls."

Pakistan Courts Fail Christian Minorities as Forced Conversion Crisis Grows

The police investigation confirmed the marriage certificate was fabricated. Ahmad had Maria in his custody for six months before the ruling, a period experts say makes coercion almost certain. Pakistan's Council of Islamic Ideology has actively opposed raising the legal marriage age to 18. Open Doors ranks Pakistan 8th on the 2026 World Watch List for the most dangerous countries for Christians.

The Crusader's Opinion

This ruling is not justice. It is state sanctioned kidnapping. A court looked at a 13 year old girl, saw the evidence that she was abducted and forcibly married, and handed her back to her captor. This is the reality for Christians in Pakistan: the law is not your shield, it is your chain. Every Western government that sends aid to Pakistan must demand an answer. How can you take our money while your courts deliver children to kidnappers? Silence is complicity.

Take Action

Donate: Support Open Doors Pakistan Ministry
Email: Contact the Pakistani Embassy in your country demanding Maria Shahbaz be returned to her family
Share: Post this story. A 13 year old Christian girl was handed to her kidnapper by a court. The world needs to know.
Pray: Pray for Maria Shahbaz and her family, and for all Christian girls at risk of abduction in Pakistan
Learn: Read about persecution in Pakistan

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