resolution motion, 6 July 2026
On the abduction, forced conversion and child marriage of Maria Shahbaz, and the protection of religious minority girls in Pakistan
Motion B-10-2026-0349 · (2026/2801(RSP))
on behalf of the PfE Group · Rapporteur: Mieke Andriese, Jaroslav Bžoch, Afroditi Latinopoulou, Susanna Ceccardi, António Tânger Corrêa, Jorge Martín Frías, Hermann Tertsch, Silvia Sardone
AI:In short
This resolution condemns the abduction, forced conversion and child marriage of Maria Shahbaz and similar abuses against girls in Pakistan, and calls for protection of religious minorities. It demands that Pakistani authorities protect Maria Shahbaz, reunite her with her family, review her case transparently, and hold those responsible accountable. It calls for effective implementation of the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Act 2026, abolition of blasphemy laws, and judicial protection for victims and witnesses. It condemns institutional failures exposed by UK inquiry reports on grooming gangs and the kidnapping, rape and extortion of Dutch and Venezuelan women in Lahore. It calls on the Commission and the EEAS to assess Pakistan's compliance with GSP+ conditionality and consider appropriate measures under the GSP framework.
Key points
- Strongly condemns the abduction, forced conversion and child marriage of Maria Shahbaz and similar abuses, and all violence, Islamic coercion and discrimination against religious minorities.
- Condemns Pakistani authorities' failure to prevent, investigate and prosecute these crimes; calls for immediate protection of Maria Shahbaz, reunion with her family, transparent review and accountability.
- Calls on Pakistan to effectively implement the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Act 2026, eradicate child marriage, and provide protection and legal remedies for victims.
- Expresses concern that blasphemy laws foster fear and facilitate abuses; calls for their abolition, including the death penalty.
- Urges the judiciary to uphold due process and protect victims, witnesses, lawyers and judges from intimidation.
- Condemns institutional failures exposed by UK inquiry reports on grooming gangs; stresses child protection must prevail over political, cultural or religious sensitivities.
- Condemns the kidnapping, rape and extortion of Dutch and Venezuelan women in Lahore; demands perpetrators be brought to justice.
- Calls on the Commission and the EEAS to assess Pakistan's compliance with GSP+ conditionality and consider measures under the GSP framework given serious violations.
Who is affected
- Religious minority girls in Pakistan, including Maria Shahbaz, and their families.
- Pakistani authorities, including the judiciary, are called on to act.
- The Commission and the EEAS are tasked with assessing GSP+ compliance.
Figures and deadlines
- 13-year-old Christian girl, Maria Shahbaz, disappeared in July 2025.
- 30-year-old Muslim man she allegedly married.
- February 2026: Pakistan's Federal Constitutional Court granted custody to the alleged abductor.
- Punjab adopted the Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Act 2026 raising the minimum marriage age to eighteen.
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Full text
Text 19 paragraphs
B100349/2026
European Parliament resolution on the abduction, forced conversion and child marriage of Maria Shahbaz, and the protection of religious minority girls in Pakistan
(2026/2801(RSP))
The European Parliament,
–having regard to Rule 150 of its Rules of Procedure,
A.whereas Maria Shahbaz, a 13-year-old Christian girl from Lahore, disappeared in July 2025 and later appeared before Pakistani courts claiming to have voluntarily converted to Islam and married a 30-year-old Muslim man; whereas her family maintains that these statements were made under coercion; whereas earlier findings indicated that Maria Shahbaz’s marriage documents were falsified; whereas Pakistan's Federal Constitutional Court granted custody to the alleged abductor in February 2026, raising serious concerns among human rights organisations;
B.whereas Pakistan continues to face persistent reports of the abduction, forced conversion and forced marriage of underage Christian and Hindu girls; whereas civil society organisations have documented hundreds of such cases in recent years;
C.whereas Punjab adopted the Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Act 2026 raising the minimum marriage age to eighteen; whereas effective implementation remains insufficient;
D. whereas a Dutch woman and her friend were recently kidnapped, raped and extorted in Lahore; whereas Pakistani police arrested the grandson of Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister as a perpetrator;
E. whereas Pakistan benefits from GSP+ preferences, which are conditional upon the effective implementation of core international human rights conventions;
1.Strongly condemns the abduction, forced conversion and child marriage of Maria Shahbaz and similar abuses against girls in Pakistan; condemns furthermore all acts of violence, Islamic coercion and discrimination directed against Pakistan’s religious minorities;
2.Condemns the longstanding failure of the Pakistani authorities to effectively prevent, investigate and prosecute these crimes; calls on the Pakistani authorities to protect religious minorities from violence, intimidation, and Islamic coercion; calls for the immediate protection of Maria Shahbaz and for her to be immediately reunited with her family, a transparent review of her case and accountability for all those responsible;
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3.Calls on Pakistan to effectively implement the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Act 2026, eradicate child marriage, and provide effective protection and legal remedies for victims and their families;
4.Expresses deep concern that Pakistan's blasphemy laws continue to foster a climate of fear and facilitate abuses against religious minorities; calls for the abolition of blasphemy laws, including the death penalty;
5.Urges the judiciary to uphold due process and protect victims, witnesses, lawyers and judges from intimidation;
6.Condemns the serious institutional failures and crimes exposed by the UK’s inquiry reports, which found that numerous prominent grooming gangs were composed of men of Pakistani Muslim heritage; stresses that child protection must always prevail over political, cultural or religious sensitivities;
7.Strongly condemns the brutal kidnapping, rape and extortion of the Dutch and Venezuelan women in Lahore; demands Pakistani authorities bring the perpetrators to justice and hold them to account with the full force of the law;
8.Calls on the Commission and the EEAS to closely assess Pakistan’s compliance with GSP+ conditionality, and consider if appropriate measures under the GSP framework should be taken given the continued serious and persistent violations;
9.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the relevant parties.