In a significant move signalling unease within the state over a recent judicial ruling, the federal government has constituted a committee to review the Federal Constitutional Court’s (FCC) judgment upholding the marriage and conversion of a Christian minor, with recommendations to be submitted to the Ministry of Law and Justice within a week.
The announcement came on Sunday in an unusual but symbolically charged setting: an interfaith Easter gathering in Lahore, where ministers, academics, and community leaders from Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh backgrounds had assembled under one roof. The event, hosted by the Center for Law and Justice (CLJ), combined celebration with quiet but palpable concern.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Atta Ullah Tarar, addressing the gathering after cutting an Easter cake, said the committee would examine the FCC ruling and present its recommendations on an urgent basis to the federal Ministry of Law and Justice. The committee will be headed by Minister of State for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Kheeal Das Kohistani, with CLJ Executive Director Mary James Gill among its members.
The move follows the FCC’s February judgment in the widely reported case of Maria Shahbaz, a Christian minor whose marriage to Muhammad Naqash—described by her family as her alleged abductor—was upheld by the court. The bench dismissed a habeas corpus petition filed by her father, Shahbaz Masih, effectively validating the marriage.
In its reasoning, the court placed significant reliance on the girl’s statement recorded under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, as well as its own assessment of her physical appearance and claimed age. This was done despite the existence of a NADRA-issued birth certificate indicating that she was between 13 and 14 years old. The ruling has triggered renewed debate around alleged “forced” conversions and marriages.
Tarar, a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader elected from NA-127 Lahore after defeating Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in the 2024 general elections, said he represented more than 60,000 Christians from his constituency and felt a responsibility to address the concerns of minority communities.
Kohistani, who is set to head the review committee, emphasised that the government would not take any step that could render minorities more vulnerable. “The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz cannot support any measure that compromises the protection of minority communities,” he said.
At the provincial level, Punjab Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora announced that his department was also constituting a parallel committee to examine the legal dimensions of the issue, indicating a coordinated federal–provincial response.
Mary James Gill, who will serve on the federal committee, framed the issue in structural terms. She noted that such marriages disproportionately affect the most marginalised segments of society—particularly scheduled caste Hindus and Christians—who remain trapped in cycles of poverty and limited access to education. While welcoming the government’s swift response, she described the broader moment as one requiring both sensitivity and resolve.
“In this rising tension among Abrahamic faiths, an interfaith gathering like this—where Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs celebrate together—is itself a powerful message,” she said. “It is in this atmosphere that the government’s decision to revisit the matter, despite a recent Supreme Court judgment, reflects a commitment to protecting the most vulnerable.”
Also present were Major General (r) Noel Khokhar, former Ambassador to Ukraine and currently head of the Center for Public Policy and Governance (CPPG) at Forman Christian College University, and Prof. Dr Iram Anjum, Principal of Kinnaird College for Women University, who expressed support for the government’s initiative and assured cooperation with the committee’s work.
The gathering brought together a cross-section of academia, legal experts, and senior public officials. Among those present were Prof. Dr Amanullah Malik, Principal of University Law College, Punjab University; Dr Sadaf Aziz, Dean of the Sheikh Ahmad Hassan School of Law, LUMS; and Prof. Dr Lubna Zaheer, Chairperson of the Department of Film and Broadcasting, Punjab University.
From the legal fraternity, Syed Ali Raza Shah, Partner at Common Law Chambers, attended, while senior government representation included Jahanara Watto, Vice Chairperson of the Punjab Social Protection Authority; Kanwar Anwaar Ali Khan, Additional Secretary Home (Police); Safi Ullah Gondal, Chairperson of the Punjab Ring Road Authority (PRRA); Ibrar Ahmad Khan, Chairman of the NESPAK Foundation; Ayesha Gulzar, Chairperson of the Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Board; and Saira Iftikhar, former MPA and livestock and dairy expert.
For now, the Easter gathering offered a moment of unity—but beyond the symbolism, the question remains whether the law will evolve to protect those who remain most at risk.