TP REPORT
Peshawar: Leaders of the Christian community, government representatives, and political figures held an emergency meeting on Monday following the alleged abduction, forced religious conversion, and underage marriage of 13-year-old Christian girl Maria Shehbaz in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The meeting was chaired by Bishop Humphrey Sarfraz Peter, Bishop of Peshawar, who strongly condemned the incident, calling it “a grave violation of human rights” and “contrary to national laws and societal values.” He stressed the urgent need for measures to protect minority communities, particularly young girls.
Among those present were Wazirzada special Assistant to chief minister for minority affairs along with representatives from the PTI minority wing including Habkook Gill, Asif Bhatti, human rights defender Rahat Nazir, and Tadeel Kamran.
Participants expressed deep concern over the incident and called for immediate legal action against those responsible. They urged the government to introduce legislation to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The meeting also appealed to the President of Pakistan to take immediate notice of the case and ensure protection for minorities, especially underage girls. Additionally, participants demanded that the Federal superior Court take suo motu notice, provide justice, and ensure the safety of the affected girl.
The session concluded with reaffirmation of the commitment to uphold religious freedom and fundamental rights as guaranteed by the Constitution, emphasizing that no one should take the law into their own hands.
