Christian Girl Struggles to Void Forced Marriage in Pakistan
August 08, 2026
The case of a 16-year-old Christian girl in Lahore has highlighted continuing concerns over alleged forced conversion and marriage involving religious-minority girls in Pakistan. After reportedly being abducted and held for months, the teenager is now seeking legal recognition that the marriage she says was forced upon her should be declared invalid.
Her case has also raised broader concerns about the vulnerability of young Christian women from financially struggling families and the difficulties victims can face when attempting to escape forced marriages and seek protection through the legal system.
Aneeqa Ishaq, a 16-year-old Christian from Lahore, said she began working to help support her family after her father became unemployed. She initially worked at a restaurant, where she said a Muslim coworker, identified as Majid Ali, repeatedly pressured her to marry him.
Aneeqa said she made it clear that she was a Christian and did not intend to marry outside her faith. After telling her family about his behavior, she was asked to leave the restaurant. She later obtained employment at a kindergarten.
According to Aneeqa, her circumstances changed dramatically on January 4, 2026, when she was walking to church with her older sister and a cousin.
She said Ali arrived in a vehicle accompanied by two other men. According to her account, one of the men pointed a gun at her before she was forced into the vehicle. She said her face was covered and she lost consciousness.
When she regained consciousness, Aneeqa said she was in a house in Bahawalnagar, hundreds of kilometers from her home in Lahore.
Aneeqa reported that several men confronted her after she regained consciousness and warned her that her family would be unable to locate her because of the distance from Lahore.
She said she was ordered to obey their demands and was subsequently forced to recite the Islamic declaration of faith.
She also alleged that she was taken before a local court and compelled to sign and place her thumbprint on documents without being permitted to properly read them.
According to her account, one of the documents stated that she had voluntarily converted to Islam and married Ali of her own choice.
Aneeqa strongly disputes that account, saying the conversion and marriage were forced upon her.
She further alleged that she was kept in confinement for approximately six months, moved between different locations and physically assaulted when she asked to return to her family.
A breakthrough came on July 7 when Aneeqa was staying at the home of Ali's sister.
She said she was briefly able to use a mobile phone and contacted her older sister. She provided her location through WhatsApp and pleaded with her family to rescue her.
Her family contacted Christian lawyer Zunaira Patrick, who travelled with them to Bahawalnagar.
When the family and lawyer arrived at the reported location and called for Aneeqa, the situation reportedly became tense. According to Patrick, Ali's relatives and others in the area confronted them after claiming that they were attempting to take away a married Muslim woman.
Patrick said Ali also arrived and threatened the group, insisting that Aneeqa was his wife.
Concerned that the growing crowd could become violent, Patrick contacted police. Officers arrived and escorted Aneeqa and the legal team to safety.
Aneeqa and her mother were subsequently taken to a government shelter for the night.
After hearing the teenager's account, a judge permitted her to return to Lahore with her family and legal representatives.
Aneeqa has since filed a petition before a Lahore family court seeking to have the marriage declared void.
Her lawyer said the family has so far been reluctant to pursue criminal charges against Ali because of the trauma surrounding the case and continuing concerns for their safety.
The family has reportedly changed its residence and telephone numbers because of fears that those involved could attempt to locate them.
Patrick emphasized that cases involving alleged forced conversion and marriage should not be treated simply as private family disagreements.
She said such cases involve fundamental issues concerning religious freedom, personal liberty, human dignity and equal protection under the law.
Aneeqa's experience comes amid broader concerns regarding Christian and other religious-minority girls in Pakistan.
A study presented by Jubilee Campaign at the European Parliament in July documented 210 verified cases involving alleged abduction, forced religious conversion, child marriage and sexual violence against Christian and other minority girls between 2019 and 2025.
According to the study, 186 of the documented cases occurred in Punjab, while 22 were reported in Sindh and two in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. More than 83 percent of the victims were under 18, and the study reported an average victim age of 12.8 years.
The report also alleged that fraudulent documentation, manipulation of legal procedures and institutional weaknesses can make it difficult for victims and their families to obtain justice.
The findings have intensified calls from Christian and human-rights advocates for stronger protection of religious-minority children, more effective law enforcement and greater scrutiny of cases involving alleged forced conversion and marriage.
Despite the trauma she has experienced, Aneeqa said she hopes that telling her story will help protect other young women.
She warned that vulnerable girls can be targeted through promises of relationships or marriage, particularly when financial hardship forces them to seek employment outside the home.
She encouraged Christian girls who encounter persistent pressure from men seeking relationships or marriage to inform their families immediately and seek assistance rather than attempting to deal with the situation alone.
Her case now depends on the Lahore family court's determination regarding the validity of the marriage and the evidence surrounding the circumstances in which it was contracted.
Christian Persecution Relief Pakistan (CPRP) is deeply concerned by the allegations made by 16-year-old Aneeqa Ishaq and the circumstances surrounding her reported abduction, forced conversion and marriage.
No child or young woman should be forced to abandon her faith, enter a marriage against her will, or be separated from her family through intimidation, violence or coercion. When allegations of this nature arise, the protection and dignity of the victim must be placed above all other considerations.
CPRP calls upon Pakistani authorities and the courts to ensure that Aneeqa receives genuine protection, independent legal assistance and a fair opportunity to present her account without pressure or intimidation. The allegations surrounding her conversion, marriage and confinement should be investigated impartially, and any person found responsible for criminal wrongdoing should be held accountable under the law.
We further urge authorities to strengthen safeguards for Christian and other religious-minority girls who may be particularly vulnerable because of poverty, discrimination or social pressure. Every child deserves protection, regardless of her religion, and no alleged conversion should be used as a means of removing that protection.
CPRP stands with Aneeqa and her family as they seek justice and the restoration of her freedom and dignity. We pray that her legal efforts will lead to truth, protection and justice, and that her experience will encourage stronger action to prevent other girls from suffering similar abuse.