A Pakistani court just delivered a stunning victory for Christians around the world. In a landmark decision, a civil court in Bahawalpur annulled the forced marriage of Shahida Bibi, a young Christian woman who had been coerced into marriage with a Muslim man and forced to abandon her faith.
At a glance:
- A Pakistani court annulled the forced marriage and conversion to Islam of 18-year-old Christian Shahida Bibi
- Bibi was initially given to her captor at age 11 by her mother’s Muslim partner
- The civil court ruled in Bibi’s favor, allowing her to return to her father and practice Christianity
- ADF International reports that over 1,000 girls from minority communities in Pakistan are forcibly converted and married each year
- U.S. lawmakers are urging Pakistan to implement reforms to protect religious freedom
Christian Woman Finally Freed from Islamic Captivity
In a rare display of religious freedom in Pakistan, a court has overturned the forced marriage of a Christian woman who had been subjected to years of abuse. The civil court in Bahawalpur ruled that Shahida Bibi could return to her father and Christian faith after enduring a nightmare that began when she was just 11 years old.
The fact that this was won in Pakistan just tells you how bad the situation was.
Bibi’s ordeal started when her mother eloped with a Muslim man, who later married her off to his brother. Despite Pakistan’s anti-child marriage laws, her captors waited until she turned 18 to formalize the union through an Islamic Nikah ceremony, by which time she had already been forced to bear two children.
Christian teen escapes forced marriage and conversion in landmark Pakistan rulinghttps://t.co/W6v41KOli7
— Premier Christian News (@PremierNewsDesk) March 12, 2025
Growing Pattern of Religious Persecution
The case highlights the widespread persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan. According to a 2014 study, approximately 1,000 women and girls from Pakistan’s Hindu and Christian communities face abduction, forced marriage, and conversion annually.
Tehmina Arora, Director of Advocacy-Asia for ADF International, which supported Bibi’s case, stated: “We are grateful that Shahida Bibi has received justice over her captor. Shahida is now free and able to begin the process of healing from this ordeal.”
Under Sharia law, marriages at puberty are legitimized, often leaving Christian and Hindu families powerless to protect their daughters. The practice is particularly devastating for minority communities who face systemic discrimination and limited legal protections in the predominantly Muslim nation.
International human rights organizations have consistently raised alarms about Pakistan’s treatment of religious minorities. The European Union warned Pakistan in January 2025 that its poor human rights record could jeopardize its valuable GSP+ trade status, which provides economic benefits contingent on upholding human rights commitments.
When Democrats complain about Republicans talking about the problems that come with mass immigration, they reveal themselves to be ignorant about how the rest of the world seems to function.
America Takes Stand for Religious Freedom
U.S. lawmakers have taken notice of the persecution in Pakistan. In 2024, U.S. senators introduced a bipartisan resolution urging accountability for religious freedom violations, with special focus on forced conversions and marriages of minority women.
Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), James Lankford (R-OK), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) called on the U.S. Government to “leverage all diplomatic and sanctions tools available to the United States Government to hold religious freedom violators accountable for their actions.” Their united front shows that protecting Christians from persecution remains an American priority regardless of partisan politics.
Open Doors, a Christian advocacy organization, ranks Pakistan as the seventh worst country in the world for Christian persecution. Christians in Pakistan face discrimination in employment, are often relegated to low-class jobs, and remain vulnerable to bonded labor practices that amount to modern-day slavery.
