HRFP Seeks Justice for Minor Christian Girl in Abduction and Forced Conversion Case

Faisalabad (Pakistan) : Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) has raised great concern about the kidnapping, forced conversion, and forced marriage of Sataish Maryam, a 13-year-old Christian girl from Tehsil Chichawatni, District Sahiwal, Pakistan.

Sataish Maryam was allegedly abducted on the night of January 10 and 11, 2026, according to a First Information Report (FIR) filed on January 11, 2026 under Section 365-B of the Pakistan Penal Code. Her father, Basharat Masih, a daily wage laborer, told locals that Ali Haider Gulzar and unnamed accomplices forced the little daughter into a vehicle. Basharat Masih informed the HRFP team that the police had accepted the allegation and had launched legal actions, but there had been no satisfactory outcomes.

The incident occurred while Sataish’s mother, Shahnaz Bibi, was immobile due to a fractured heel. Sataish, according to her family, was forcibly brought outside while doing home chores. Despite numerous requests to law enforcement and assertions that the girl had been found in Karachi, the family believes that no real recovery efforts were made.

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On January 22, 2026, a second FIR was filed after numerous people allegedly entered the family’s home, made threats, and intimidated them for investigating the kidnapping. Charges were apparently filed under Sections 452, 506, 148, and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code, alleging house trespass, criminal intimidation, and unlawful assembly.

The accused abductor claimed that the minor girl had converted to Islam and married. The victim’s family claimed that Sataish’s statements were recorded, and that the court proceedings before the Additional Sessions Judge, Chichawatni, Noor Muhammad Dothar, on January 28, 2026, which ruled in favor of the alleged abductor, were conducted without the parents’ knowledge or consent, and without allowing them to meet their daughter.

Sataish’s parents renewed their call for justice on February 3, 2026, at the HRFP office. Sataish’s mother, Shahnaz Bibi, confessed that she was alone at home, unable to protect her daughter owing to her physical condition, and was concerned for the family’s safety in the face of constant threats. Sataish’s parents claim that he is a minor and hence legally incapable of agreeing to marriage or religious conversion.

HRFP expressed concerns about the protection of minor minority girls

Naveed Walter, president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP), expressed concerns about the protection of minor minority girls from forced conversion and child marriage, as well as the victim’s family’s alleged intimidation and threats, the lack of transparency and representation in legal proceedings, and the safety and welfare of the minors involved.

The Human Rights Focus Pakistan stands in solidarity with Sataish Maryam and her family,” HRFP President Naveed Walter assured Sataish Maryam’s parents during their visits to the HRFP offices. “We call upon the relevant authorities to ensure an impartial review, safeguard the rights of the minor, and guarantee protection for the family from harassment and threats.”

HRFP asks federal and provincial authorities, child protection institutions, minority rights agencies, and international human rights organizations to take prompt action to ensure that Pakistan’s constitutional and child protection legislation are effectively implemented.

The organization is committed to providing ongoing legal, moral, and humanitarian support to the family while pursuing justice through legal means.

Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) is a non-governmental organization working to defend and promote human rights, minority rights, and access to justice throughout Pakistan.