(Publish from Houston Texas USA)
(By Mian Iftikhar Ahmad)
Minor Christian girl marriage verdict exposes legal gaps and raises human rights concerns
Faisalabad: Bishop Andreas Rahmat and the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) Faisalabad have expressed deep concern over the minor Christian girl marriage verdict delivered by the Federal Constitutional Court, calling it alarming for human rights and legal protections.
According to a joint statement, the minor Christian girl marriage verdict exposes serious flaws in the legal system, particularly regarding the protection of underage girls, and may lead to long-term social and humanitarian consequences.
The statement explained that under the Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929, child marriage is considered a punishable offense but is not declared void, creating a contradiction highlighted in the minor Christian girl marriage verdict, where a person can be both a criminal and a legal husband simultaneously.
Serious objections were also raised regarding the minor Christian girl marriage , particularly the acceptance of the minor girl’s consent, rejection of critical evidence such as a birth certificate, and recognition of religious conversion based solely on an affidavit. The transfer of guardianship from parents to the husband was described as deeply troubling.
They warned that the minor Christian girl marriage verdict could encourage forced marriages and potentially increase cases of abduction and forced religious conversion among minority girls in Pakistan.
Highlighting legal shortcomings, Bishop Andreas Rahmat and NCJP stated that the minor Christian girl marriage reflects systemic gaps, including the absence of laws declaring child marriages void, lack of mandatory marriage registration, and unclear custody rules for minors.
They urged the Government of Pakistan and Parliament to take immediate action in light of the minor Christian girl marriage verdict, including setting the minimum marriage age at 18 for both genders, declaring child marriages null and void, and ensuring custody of minor girls remains with parents or authorized child protection institutions.
Furthermore, they emphasized that the minor Christian girl marriage verdict underscores the need for mandatory judicial inquiries in cases of forced religious conversion and strict penalties for those facilitating illegal marriages.
In conclusion, they stated that the minor Christian girl marriage verdict presents an opportunity to reform existing laws and establish a strong legal framework that safeguards children from forced marriage, abduction, and exploitation.
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