European Parliament Demands Pakistan Address Forced Conversions of Christian Girls

Faith Facts

• The European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on Pakistan to establish a national mechanism to protect minority girls from abduction and forced conversion
• Christian and Hindu girls in Pakistan face systematic targeting for abduction, forced marriage, and conversion to Islam
• The resolution demands Pakistan take immediate action to protect religious minorities and uphold fundamental human rights

The European Parliament took decisive action Thursday, July 9, adopting a resolution that directly addresses the ongoing crisis of abduction and forced conversion of religious minority girls in Pakistan. The resolution calls for the establishment of a national mechanism to handle complaints from families whose daughters have been taken and coerced into converting from their faith.

This parliamentary action brings international attention to a pattern of persecution that has affected countless Christian and Hindu families across Pakistan. Young girls from minority communities are being systematically targeted, abducted, and forced to convert to Islam, often through sham marriages to much older men.

The resolution represents a significant step in holding Pakistan accountable for the protection of its religious minorities. European lawmakers recognized that current Pakistani authorities have failed to provide adequate safeguards or justice for families who have lost their daughters to these abductions.

For years, Christian advocacy groups have documented case after case of young girls—some as young as 12 or 13—being kidnapped from their homes or on their way to school. These girls are then subjected to forced conversions and marriages, with local authorities often complicit or unwilling to intervene.

The European Parliament’s action sends a clear message that the international community will not remain silent while religious persecution continues unchecked. Pakistan must now face growing pressure to implement real protections for its Christian, Hindu, and other minority populations.

This resolution also highlights the importance of religious freedom as a fundamental human right that transcends borders. When governments fail to protect their most vulnerable citizens—particularly children—from religiously motivated violence and coercion, the international community has a moral obligation to speak out.

The demand for a national complaint mechanism represents a practical first step, but advocates stress that Pakistan must go further. Enforcement of existing laws, prosecution of perpetrators, and cultural change are all necessary to end this human rights crisis.

American Christians should pay close attention to the persecution of believers in Pakistan and around the world. These are our brothers and sisters in Christ facing unimaginable trials simply for their faith.

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