𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐄

03/08/2026

Pakistan: National Minority Day Conference in the Netherlands Calls for Justice and Protection for Religious Minorities

Harderwijk, Netherlands – As Pakistan prepares to observe National Minority Day on 11 August, the Social Wing of Urdu Church Holland organised a conference on 1 August 2026 at the Baptistengemeente Church in Harderwijk, the Netherlands, bringing together Pakistani Christian community leaders, human rights advocates, pastors, and activists to discuss the challenges facing religious minorities in Pakistan.

The conference served as a platform to reflect on the importance of National Minority Day, with participants emphasising that it should not be seen merely as a day of celebration, but as a day of demands, accountability, and renewed commitment to justice, equality, and the effective implementation of legal protections for religious minorities in Pakistan. Participants stressed that the day should represent a call to ensure equal rights, dignity, and protection for all religious communities.

The conference was presided over by Aneel Khan and Gulraiz Sandhu, with worship led by Azeem Masih. Elder Emmanuel and Elder Morris offered prayers for justice, peace, and religious freedom.

Speakers included Moon Samuel, Farrukh Ashbeel, Shahzad Ghori, Noble Tariq, Yasmeen Kennedy, Anjum Iqbal, Aroosh Zulfiqar, Kamran Simon Saif, Evangelist Sunny, and Ijaz Zulfiqar. They addressed a wide range of issues affecting religious minorities in Pakistan, including equal citizenship, political representation, education, women’s empowerment, youth engagement, economic opportunities, child protection, and religious freedom.

Shahzad Ghori stressed the importance of fair and transparent development policies, stating that resources must be distributed equally so that Christian and other minority communities receive the support needed for their social and economic development.

Moon Samuel called for genuine political representation of religious minorities in Pakistan, emphasising that minority representatives should be directly elected by their communities so that they can effectively represent the concerns and aspirations of their people.

Anjum Iqbal paid tribute to those who have served the Pakistani Christian community, stating:

“We remember the lasting contributions of V.R. Eric Sarwar, the late Gulbaz Fazal, and all those who have dedicated themselves to serving the Pakistani Christian community, including asylum seekers in the Netherlands.”

Other speakers highlighted the need for effective implementation of the five per cent employment quota for minorities, greater opportunities for Christian women, and stronger participation of Christian youth in serving their communities.

Speaking at the conference, Joseph Janssen, Founder of Voice for Justice and Advocacy Officer at Jubilee Campaign Netherlands, recalled that National Minority Day was officially recognised by the Government of Pakistan in 2009 through the efforts of martyr Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan’s first Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs. He highlighted that the day was established to honour the vision of Pakistan’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who promised equal citizenship and freedom of religion for all Pakistanis.

Quoting Jinnah’s historic address of 11 August 1947, Janssen recalled:

“You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed—that has nothing to do with the business of the State.”

Janssen stated that, nearly eight decades later, many religious minorities in Pakistan are still waiting for this promise to become a reality.

“We are not here to celebrate National Minority Day. We are here to demand justice. We will celebrate when every Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Ahmadi, and every other religious minority enjoys equal protection under the law; when no child is abducted because of her faith; when no girl is forced into marriage; and when no innocent person fears a false accusation under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws,” Janssen said.

Janssen highlighted the findings of the Stolen Girls report, prepared by Voice for Justice in collaboration with Jubilee Campaign and presented at the European Parliament in July 2026. The report documented 210 cases of Christian girls abducted, forcibly converted, and forced into marriage between 2019 and 2025, with 83 percent of victims being minors. He stressed that these cases demonstrate the urgent need for stronger child protection mechanisms in Pakistan.

He also raised the recent case of Amber Nadeem, a 13-year-old Christian girl from Faisalabad, as an example of the challenges faced by minority girls. Janssen explained that Amber was allegedly abducted on 12 June 2026 and that serious concerns remain regarding her age, conversion, and marriage documents. He expressed concern that the court granted custody of Amber to the accused and granted bail before the completion of the age determination process.

“Cases like Amber Nadeem’s show why we cannot remain silent. A child who has been abducted and is facing allegations of forced conversion and child marriage must receive protection, not be returned to the influence of the person accused of these crimes,” Janssen said.

“Pakistan does not lack laws. Pakistan lacks implementation. Child protection laws must be enforced equally for every child, regardless of religion,” Janssen stated.

Janssen also raised concerns about the misuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, referring to the Jaranwala attacks of August 2023, where more than 26 churches and over 100 Christian homes were attacked following blasphemy allegations. He called for stronger protection of religious minorities, effective implementation of child protection laws, and accountability for those involved in abduction, forced conversion, and child marriage.

The conference concluded with a united call for Pakistan to uphold the vision of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, honour the legacy of Shahbaz Bhatti, protect religious minorities, and ensure equal rights and justice for every citizen regardless of religion.

Participants welcomed the recent European Parliament resolution calling on Pakistan to investigate cases of abduction, forced conversion, and child marriage involving minority girls. They urged the international community to continue supporting efforts to protect vulnerable religious minorities and ensure that every child in Pakistan can live with dignity, safety, and freedom.

02/08/2026

“Pakistan does not lack laws; Pakistan lacks implementation. Child protection laws must be enforced equally for every child, regardless of religion,” said Joseph Janssen.

As Pakistan prepares to observe National Minority Day on 11 August, Joseph Janssen had the privilege of speaking at the National Minority Day Conference organised by the Social Wing of Urdu Church Holland in Harderwijk, the Netherlands.

In his address, Joseph Janssen highlighted the need for justice, equality, and protection for religious minorities in Pakistan, especially the suffering of vulnerable minority girls facing abduction, forced conversion, and child marriage. He stressed that protecting children must be a priority and that every child, regardless of religion, deserves safety, dignity, and equal protection under the law.

Joseph Janssen reminded participants that National Minority Day was established to honour the vision of Pakistan’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and the efforts of Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan’s first Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs, who worked for equal citizenship and religious freedom. He emphasised that this day should not only be a symbolic occasion but a renewed call for justice, dignity, and equal rights for all religious communities.

Addressing the situation of minority girls, Joseph Janssen referred to the findings of the Stolen Girls report by Voice for Justice in collaboration with Jubilee Campaign, which documented cases of Christian girls abducted, forcibly converted, and forced into marriage. He also highlighted the recent case of Amber Nadeem, a 13-year-old Christian girl from Faisalabad, as a reminder of the urgent need to strengthen child protection mechanisms and ensure that vulnerable children receive justice, safety, and protection.

“We are not here to celebrate National Minority Day; we are here to demand justice. We will celebrate when every Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Ahmadi, and every other religious minority enjoys equal protection under the law; when no child is abducted because of her faith; when no girl is forced into marriage; and when no innocent person fears a false accusation under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws,” said Joseph Janssen.

Joseph Janssen thanked the organisers, community leaders, pastors, and human rights advocates who continue to raise their voices for justice, religious freedom, and the dignity of every person.

29/07/2026

Pakistan: Court Gives Custody of Abducted Christian Minor Girl Amber Nadeem to Man Accused of Abduction, Forced Conversion, and Child Marriage — Activists Demand Her Immediate Protection, Return to Her Parents, Enforcement of Child Marriage Laws, and Accountability

https://www.asianews.it/en/south-asia/pakistan/abducted-converted-to-islam-girl-13-handed-back-to-kidnapper-by-court

On 25 July 2026, the Additional District and Sessions Court Faisalabad granted custody of 13-year-old Christian girl Amber Nadeem to Mohsin Liaquat, the man accused of abducting her, forcibly converting her to Islam, and coercing her into marriage. The court also granted bail to the accused, despite serious questions remaining regarding Amber’s age and the circumstances surrounding the alleged marriage.

On 27 June 2026, Amber appeared before a Judicial Magistrate and disclosed that the accused’s family had pressured and coached her to falsely claim that she was an adult. The accused later presented a conversion certificate and marriage certificate (Nikah Nama) showing Amber’s date of birth as June 2008, despite the fact that her parents were married in 2012. Due to these serious inconsistencies, the Judicial Magistrate ordered a medical examination to determine Amber’s age and directed that she be placed in Dar-ul-Aman, a government shelter home, pending further proceedings.

Joseph Janssen, Chairman of Voice for Justice, expressed deep concern over the court’s decision to grant custody and bail before the completion of the age determination process.

“Despite the unresolved contradictions regarding Amber’s age and statement, the court granted custody to the person accused of abducting and marrying her. Returning a minor child to the custody or influence of the accused undermines the responsibility of the justice system to protect vulnerable children,” Janssen said.

Janssen stated that forced conversion is a religiously motivated practice that continues because of the support or silence of those responsible for protecting the rule of law. He said that during the court proceedings, he witnessed lawyers threatening Amber with punishment for apostasy if she renounced Islam, describing this as a grave abuse of legal and moral authority.

He further highlighted concerns that laws designed to protect children, women, and religious minorities are often ignored once a person, regardless of age, converts to Islam. Janssen called on Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and the Government of Punjab to use all available legal and administrative measures to ensure the effective implementation of the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2026, passed by the Punjab Assembly. He warned that child protection laws lose their purpose when they are not properly enforced by authorities.

He urged the police and judiciary to ensure that appropriate legal provisions are registered and applied in cases involving abduction, forced conversion, child marriage, and abuse of minors, and that those responsible are held accountable. He further vowed to raise Amber’s case at international forums, including the United Nations and the European Parliament, unless she is safely returned to her family and justice is served.

Please pray for Amber, her family, and all girls facing abduction, forced conversion, and child marriage in Pakistan.

For more information, please contact:
Joseph Janssen
📧 [email protected]

Human rights groups are shocked by the court’s decision. The girl had been rescued after her family filed a complaint. In court, she was threatened her with apostasy if she rejected Islam. Activist Ashiknaz Khokhar urges the authorities to vet documentary evidence to verify victims’ age.

29/07/2026

Pakistan: Court Gives Custody of Abducted Christian Minor Girl Amber Nadeem to Man Accused of Abduction, Forced Conversion, and Child Marriage — Activists Demand Her Immediate Protection, Return to Her Parents, Enforcement of Child Marriage Laws, and Punishment of Those Responsible

https://www.christiandaily.com/news/alleged-kidnapper-given-custody-of-christian-girl-in-pakistan

On 27 June 2026, Amber appeared before a Judicial Magistrate and disclosed that the accused’s family had pressured and coached her to falsely claim that she was an adult. The accused later presented a conversion certificate and marriage certificate (Nikah Nama) showing Amber’s date of birth as June 2008, despite the fact that her parents were married in 2012. Due to these serious inconsistencies, the Judicial Magistrate ordered a medical examination to determine Amber’s age and directed that she be placed in Dar-ul-Aman, a government shelter home, pending further proceedings.

Joseph Janssen, Chairman of Voice for Justice, expressed deep concern over the Sessions Court’s decision to grant custody and bail before the completion of the age determination process.

“Despite the unresolved contradictions regarding Amber’s age and statement, the court granted custody to the person accused of abducting and marrying her. Returning a minor child to the custody or influence of the accused undermines the responsibility of the justice system to protect vulnerable children,” Janssen said.

Janssen called on the Government of Punjab to use all available legal and administrative measures to ensure the effective implementation of the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2026, passed by the Punjab Assembly. He warned that the purpose of child protection laws is defeated when individual judges and authorities fail to properly apply these laws, leaving minors vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.

He urged the authorities to ensure that child marriage laws are fully enforced, that police register the correct legal provisions in cases involving abduction, forced conversion, and abuse of minors, and that those responsible for these crimes are held accountable.

Please pray for Amber, her family, and all girls facing abduction, forced conversion, and child marriage in Pakistan.

For more information, please contact:
Joseph Janssen
📧 [email protected]

A court in Pakistan on Saturday (July 25) handed custody of a 13-year-old Christian girl to the Muslim accused of abducting her, forcibly converting her to Islam and coercing her into marriage, a rights advocate said.

24/07/2026

Pakistan's Federal Constitutional Court has admitted a review petition in the Maria Shahbaz case, involving the alleged abduction, child marriage, and forced conversion of a 13-year-old girl. During the hearing, the Court observed that luring away underage girls is "a matter of reflection for the entire society."

Joseph Janssen of Jubilee Campaign welcomed the Court's recognition, stating: "Protecting children is a shared responsibility. We hope this review will strengthen safeguards against child marriage, forced conversion, and the exploitation of vulnerable children."

https://voicepk.net/2026/07/maria-shahbaz-case-luring-away-underage-girls-is-a-matter-of-reflection-for-the-entire-society-federal-constitutional-court/

24/07/2026

During proceedings held on 24 July 2026, a division bench of the Federal Constitutional Court issued notices to all relevant parties, including the Attorney General for Pakistan, the Advocate General of Punjab, Maria Shahbaz, and her purported husband, directing them to file their responses before the next hearing.

The Court's decision to entertain the review petition marks a significant procedural development and provides an opportunity to re-examine important constitutional and legal issues arising from the earlier judgment.

Read details: https://voicepk.net/2026/07/maria-shahbaz-case-luring-away-underage-girls-is-a-matter-of-reflection-for-the-entire-society-federal-constitutional-court/

24/07/2026

Pakistan: Update on the Maria Shahbaz Case 12 years old Christian girl abducted, forcibly converted to Islam and married with her Muslim abductor.

We welcome the decision of the Federal Constitutional Court to admit for hearing the review petition challenging its earlier judgment dated 3 February 2026 in the case of Maria Shahbaz, a 13-year-old Christian girl from Lahore who was abducted in July 2025 and coerced into conversion and marriage to her abductor. During the hearing held on 24 July 2026, a division bench of the Federal Constitutional Court issued notices to all relevant parties, including the Attorney General for Pakistan, the Advocate General of Punjab, Maria Shahbaz, and her purported husband, directing them to submit their responses before the next hearing. The Court's decision to proceed with the review petition presents an important opportunity to re-examine significant constitutional and legal questions raised by the case.

The review petition, filed on 15 May 2026, raises serious constitutional concerns. It argues that the Federal Constitutional Court exceeded its constitutional jurisdiction by making determinations on matters that fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Shariat Court under Article 203-G of the Constitution of Pakistan. The petition further contends that the impugned judgment relied on legal precedents that have since been superseded by the Federal Shariat Court's judgment in Ali Azhar v. Province of Sindh, which affirmed the compatibility of child marriage legislation with Islamic injunctions and reinforced statutory protections against child marriage. The petition also challenges the Court's reliance on outdated jurisprudence suggesting that child marriages remain legally valid despite statutory prohibitions. It submits that such reasoning is inconsistent with recent constitutional and Islamic legal developments, undermines the purpose of child protection legislation, and weakens legal safeguards intended to protect children from forced marriage and exploitation.

According to counsel for the petitioner, the case extends beyond the individual rights of Maria Shahbaz, and it raises broader constitutional questions concerning the protection of fundamental rights, including religious freedom, Child rights, due process, and the proper constitutional distribution of jurisdiction between superior courts. The petitioner submits that authoritative judicial guidance on these issues is essential for ensuring consistent and effective protection of vulnerable children.

We remain hopeful that the Honourable Federal Constitutional Court will undertake a thorough, transparent, and impartial review of the case in accordance with the Constitution, due process, the best interests of the child, and applicable child protection laws. A reasoned judgment that upholds these principles will not only serve the interests of justice for Maria Shahbaz but also strengthen the protection of children and fundamental human rights in Pakistan.

21/07/2026

19/07/2026

EU MEPs & Experts Call to Protect Minority Girls from Abduction, Forced Conversion & Child Marriage in Pakistan: The Maria Shahbaz Case

Watch the statements from MEPs, legal experts, and human rights advocates, and share to help raise awareness.

On 14 July 2026, MEPs, experts, advocates, and affected families gathered at the European Parliament in Brussels to call for stronger protection and justice for minority girls. The event highlighted the case of Maria Shahbaz and the “Stolen Girls” report, documenting 210 cases of abduction, forced conversion, and child marriage between 2019 and 2026. 83% of the victims were under 18.

🌐 Voice for Justice: voiceforjustice.eu
📧 Advocacy inquiries: [email protected]



https://youtu.be/HwRErPx37e8?si=fB-jK3MakdJiJv1f

EU MEPs & Experts Call to Protect Minority Girls from Abduction, Fo...

16/07/2026

EU Event Sulema Jahangir Pakistan’s Justice System Must Protect Girls from Abduction &Child Marriage

At the European Parliament event on 14 July 2026, hosted by MEPs Bert-Jan Ruissen and Matej Tonin, with the support of Jubilee Campaign Netherlands Advocacy Officer Joseph Janssen, Sulema Jahangir delivered a powerful analysis of Pakistan’s legal and judicial system and its failure to adequately protect minority girls from abduction, forced conversion, and child marriage.

Sulema Jahangir explained that the problem is not simply a matter of legal loopholes, but also reflects a broader permissive and enabling environment in which state institutions and the justice system often allow these abuses to continue. Although provinces such as Punjab have set the minimum marriage age at 18, courts have sometimes relied on interpretations of Islamic law to validate marriages involving girls who have reached puberty. She stressed that laws must be implemented consistently and equally, and that courts must not ignore statutory protections for children.

Jahangir also called for stronger safeguards for girls involved in cases of alleged abduction, forced conversion, and child marriage. Girls should be separated from alleged abductors and placed in safe shelters before giving statements to a court, ensuring that they can speak freely and without coercion. She further called for the use of Pakistan’s NADRA national database to verify ages before marriage and help prevent the falsification of official documents.

Concluding her remarks, Sulema Jahangir stressed that addressing these abuses requires political will and genuine accountability. Freedom of religion includes the right to change one’s religion, but there is a fundamental difference between voluntary religious persuasion and conversion obtained through coercion, intimidation, or abuse of power. She emphasised that minority girls are among the most vulnerable victims and called for stronger laws, better judicial implementation, and an end to institutional practices that enable discrimination and impunity.

At the European Parliament event on 14 July 2026, hosted by MEPs Be...