In a moment that should have been a turning point for justice, the legal victory for Shahida Bibi—a young Christian woman who was forced into an Islamic marriage after being coerced to convert—raises an uncomfortable question about Pakistan’s failure to protect its most vulnerable citizens: why was it allowed to happen in the first place? This ruling, while a step forward for Shahida, only highlights the systemic failures of the Pakistani state and its laws in safeguarding religious minorities, particularly young girls.
On February 12, 2025, Bahawalpur Civil Judge Afzal Baig annulled the marriage of 25-year-old Shahida Bibi, declaring her forced conversion to Islam invalid and restoring her religious status as a Christian. A rare win in a nation where religious freedom is frequently trampled, this case brings a spotlight on the flaws of Pakistan’s legal and governmental systems. For years, Shahida suffered at the hands of her captor, Shehzad Akhtar Khan, who took advantage of the legal loopholes and the country’s weak enforcement of child protection laws to subject her to an unimaginable ordeal.
Her tragic journey began when she was just 11 years old. Her mother handed over Shahida to Shehzad’s brother, who sexually exploited her. By the time she turned 18, she was forced into a marriage she had no control over, under the duress of her conversion to Islam. Her identity was stolen, her faith erased, and her life rewritten without her consent. Shahida gave birth to two children during her captivity, one of whom tragically died from physical disabilities after four years.
Even more chilling is the revelation that Shehzad forged documents to fabricate her conversion and marriage, dodging Pakistan’s child marriage laws. These laws—already weak and inconsistently enforced—failed her completely. Despite a bill that has been pending since April 2024 to increase the legal marriage age to 18 for both boys and girls, Pakistan continues to allow such violations to occur with alarming frequency.
This case should be a wake-up call to the Pakistani state: how many more young girls must suffer before meaningful change occurs? Shahida’s story is not isolated—there are countless other young women and girls trapped in similar situations, forcibly converted, married off against their will, and often too terrified to speak out. Their voices are stifled by fear and threats of violence, and the state, which is supposed to protect them, has turned a blind eye.
The Pakistani government has shown little political will to address these systematic human rights abuses. The forced conversions and marriages of religious minorities, especially Christian girls, are not isolated incidents but part of a pervasive pattern of abuse that continues to be ignored. The country’s legal framework, riddled with contradictions and loopholes, fails to safeguard the individuals it claims to protect. And under Sharia law, where marriage is permitted once girls reach puberty, the gap between legal and actual marriage ages puts minors at even greater risk.
Despite international pressure, including warnings from the European Union about the country’s deteriorating human rights situation, Pakistan’s authorities continue to fail its most vulnerable populations. The lack of a uniform marriage age law allows these forced conversions and marriages to happen unchecked. The legal failure of the Pakistani state is not just an oversight—it is a direct violation of international law, which guarantees every individual the right to practice their faith without fear of coercion or violence.
The international community is rightfully demanding that Pakistan take immediate action to protect its minorities and end these abuses. Pakistan’s government must take steps to align its laws with international standards and ensure the protection of girls and women from forced conversions and marriages. Until then, tragic stories like Shahida Bibi’s will continue to unfold, a stark reminder of a broken system that fails to protect the fundamental rights of its people.
Shahida Bibi may have won a small battle in court, but the larger war for justice, freedom of religion, and for the protection of vulnerable girls in Pakistan rages on. The question remains: will Pakistan finally act to protect its minorities, or will this case remain another tragic example of the state’s failure to defend its citizens? Only time will tell.