Dr Paul Bhatti seeks independent panel on forced conversion cases

Islamabad: All Pakistan Minorities Alliance chairman and former federal minister for national harmony and minorities affairs Dr Paul Jacob Bhatti has called on the government to set up an independent parliamentary commission to examine cases involving the forced conversion and marriage of minor girls.

In a statement, Dr Bhatti said the issue had become a matter of

serious and legitimate concern.

and warned that recurring cases of forced conversion and child marriage were eroding basic human rights. He said these included children’s rights, freedom of religion, and the inherent dignity of every person.

His demand came amid protests held in different parts of the country after a ruling by Pakistan’s Federal Constitutional Court drew criticism from civil society, legal experts, and child protection advocates.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Muhammad Karim Khan Agha ruled that 13-year-old Maria Shahbaz was of

mature age

and therefore in the lawful custody of her alleged husband, 30-year-old Shehryar Ahmad. The court also declared her conversion to Islam valid under Sharia law.

The court dismissed documentary proof of the girl’s age submitted by her parents. The family has repeatedly approached the courts seeking her recovery since Maria was reportedly abducted on July 29, 2025.

A re-investigation ordered under the sessions court found that the marriage certificate had been fabricated. The relevant union council also confirmed that there was no official record of the marriage. Despite those findings, the higher court upheld the union, a move critics say could embolden perpetrators and place minority girls at greater risk.

Call for independent scrutiny

Dr Bhatti said a minor could not, by definition, give full and free consent in matters relating to religion or marriage. He said any conversion or marriage taking place under pressure or coercion should undergo strict and independent examination before being accepted as legally or morally valid.

He also urged the authorities to immediately revisit the Federal Constitutional Court’s ruling so that it aligns with Pakistan’s constitutional protections and the country’s commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Dr Bhatti proposed a formally mandated review body created through parliamentary approval. He said the panel should include internationally recognised human rights experts, representatives of all major religious communities, qualified human rights lawyers, and child protection specialists.

He said such a body must function completely free of outside influence, with testimonies recorded and reviewed in a protected and professionally supervised setting. He further said that consent in such cases should be verified through independent psychological assessment and legal safeguards.