Do you remember being 13?
Long summer afternoons. Laughing with friends. Dreaming about who you might become. The small, ordinary freedoms that fill a childhood.
Maria Shahbaz is 13 years old. But her life looks nothing like that.
Last year, she was abducted from her Christian family in Pakistan by Shehryar Ahmad, a man more than twice her age.
After making her renounce her faith, Shehryar then forced Maria to marry him. Since then, she has suffered abuse and exploitation that no child should ever endure.
In February, Maria's case reached Pakistan's Federal Constitutional Court. At this point, her parents were hoping that the courts would step in and protect their little girl.
Instead, the court sent her back to her abductor.
Even more shockingly, this was done without confirming Maria’s age, which is a clear violation of Pakistani law. A previous investigation had already found she was a minor and that the marriage certificate used against her was forged.
Fortunately, this story isn’t over yet.
Today, with support from ADF International, Maria’s family petitioned Pakistan's Federal Constitutional Court again. The court accepted the plea for a review, issuing notices to the abductor, the attorney general, and the Punjab advocate general to appear for trial after the summer holidays.
The outcome could go on to establish a precedent with stronger protections against child marriage in Pakistan.
Tehmina Arora, ADF International's Director of Advocacy for Asia, said:
“This case is a crucial moment in the movement to protect young girls from the crisis of forced marriage in Pakistan.
We hope that Pakistan’s highest court will reconsider the evidence that was previously relied upon by the lower courts.
Maria must be freed and safely returned to her family, where she will be safe from harm and able to practice her Christian faith.”
Please join us in support and prayer for Maria.
Sadly, Maria's case is not an isolated one. More than 1,000 underage girls are abducted, forcibly converted, and married off in Pakistan every single year.
ADF International is calling for an end to forced marriage and conversion in Pakistan, so children like Maria can experience the small, ordinary freedoms many of us have enjoyed.
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