Karachi

Protests broke out outside the Karachi Press Club in Karachi, where Christian organisations and human rights activists voiced serious concerns over the safety of minor girls, particularly in cases of alleged forced marriages and religious conversions.

According to Dawn, multiple groups, including the National Christian Party and the Gawahi Mission Trust, organised separate demonstrations reflecting widespread anxiety within the community.

Women and young girls were among the protesters, holding placards and raising slogans demanding justice and stronger legal safeguards.

Prominent voices at the protest, including Bishop Kashif and Shazia Samoon, alleged that minor girls are being abducted, coerced into religious conversion, and subsequently married. They termed these incidents as serious human rights violations and called for urgent intervention.

The demonstrators also expressed concern over a recent court ruling in the “Maria case,” arguing that it has heightened fears within the community and raised critical legal and ethical questions. They appealed to Pakistan’s top judicial authorities to review the decision.

Protesters questioned how minors—who cannot independently obtain official identity documents—can legally consent to decisions regarding religion and marriage. They demanded stricter laws against child marriage and stronger enforcement of existing protections.

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Emphasising unity, the demonstrators urged all religious communities to stand together in safeguarding minority rights and ensuring equal protection under the law, warning that continued inaction could deepen insecurity among vulnerable groups.