Pakistan Apex Court Backs Marriage of 14-Year-Old; Church Raises Alarm

The Catholic Church in Pakistan has expressed concern over a verdict delivered by the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on March 25, 2026, which validated the marriage of a 14-year-old Christian girl to a 40-year-old man. The FCC is Pakistan’s highest judicial authority responsible for interpreting the Constitution and ensuring that all laws align with constitutional mandates.

The ruling pertains to the case of Maria, a teenager from Lahore who was reported missing in June 2025. Her father, Shahbaz Masih, maintains that she was abducted and groomed by Shehryar Ahmad, a local mechanic.

A two-member FCC bench, consisting of Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Muhammad Karim Khan Agha, upheld the marriage despite birth records from the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) indicating Maria was 13 at the time of her disappearance. NADRA is the state agency responsible for the registration and management of all Pakistani citizens' identification and civil records.

The court categorized the government documents as "unreliable" and instead prioritized the respondent’s claim that the minor had reached a "mature age" and converted to Islam voluntarily. Church leaders state this sets a precedent allowing religious interpretations to supersede civil registration laws.

Fr. Bernard Emmanuel, National Director of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP), described the decision as a setback for the rule of law. He noted that the verdict leaves minority youth vulnerable and called for a judicial review that prioritizes constitutional protections for children. The CCJP is the human rights arm of the Catholic Church in Pakistan, dedicated to advocating for the rights of marginalized communities.

Sr. Sobia Tabussam Ashiq, a member of the Daughters of St. Paul, an international congregation of religious women, stated that the judiciary has removed a critical legal shield for young girls by discarding verified NADRA records. She emphasized that a valid marriage requires the free and mutual consent of two adults, a condition that cannot be met by a minor.

Fr. James Channan, OP, Director of the Peace Center in Lahore, an organization dedicated to interfaith harmony, stated that the verdict contradicts the Child Marriage Restraint Acts of both the Islamabad Capital Territory and the Punjab Province. These laws, updated in 2025 and 2026, mandate a minimum marriage age of 18 years for both males and females.

Fr. Channan noted that the ruling conflicts with international human rights standards and Christian Canon Law. He called on human rights organizations to advocate for the decision to be declared null and void.

The ruling comes amid a documented rise in forced conversions and marriages. The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), a Lahore-based advocacy group, recorded over 100 cases in the past year. However, international monitors and United Nations human rights experts estimate the actual scale may reach 1,000 cases annually, with approximately 75% of victims being minors from the Christian and Hindu communities.

As the FCC is the highest authority on constitutional matters in Pakistan, its decisions are binding on all lower courts. Religious minority leaders warn that this precedent jeopardizes the safety of Christian children across the country and undermines recent legislative efforts to end child marriage.