Pakistan (MNN) — Being a Christian girl in Pakistan means living as a target. 

Teenagers Maria, Sidra, Niha, and Elishba are just four of countless girls who have been abducted from their homes and forced to convert to Islam in the past year. Sidra and Niha were both abducted less than a month ago, in March 2026.

The abuse goes beyond kidnapping. Maria was taken in July and forced to marry a 30-year-old Muslim man. She later gave a statement saying she had done so of her own will and was now a follower of Islam. 

Despite the efforts of Maria’s parents in court, a Pakistani high court has ruled that the marriage was valid. Sidra and Neha are very likely on the same path with the same outcome.

Pakistani girl (Photo courtesy of Assad Tanoli via Unsplash)

“While this may appear to be a legal matter on the surface, it reflects such a deeper and painful reality faced by many Christian minority families in Pakistan,” says Nehemiah with FMI. 

He calls the situation “modern-day slavery,” as underage girls are kidnapped and then pressured into conversion to Islam and marriage.

“When I say underage girls, we are not talking about 17 or 18 years old, but we are talking about 12-, 13-, 14-year-old girls,” he says.

This pattern has been going on for years. When Christian or Hindu daughters go missing, their families often encounter police inaction, falsified birth records for their underage daughters, and long legal battles. 

Even if a girl escapes or the marriage ends, says Nehemiah, she may still be in danger from her captors and unable to reunite with her family. That’s because Islamic marriage ceremonies require a profession of faith in Allah. 

“Once someone is recognized as a Muslim, leaving Islam, known as apostasy, is not permitted,” says Nehemiah. “In some strict interpretations [of Islam], the penalty for apostasy can be death. And it’s very, very common in Pakistan.”

Pakistani girl (Photo courtesy of Muhammad Taha Khan via Unsplash)

FMI partners share the hope of Christ in the midst of these realities — trusting that even in suffering God is at work. One partner shared Romans 8:38-39 with Nehemiah, remembering that nothing is able to separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus the Lord.

“The situation is like walking on thin ice, yet they continue to bring hope, truth, and the message of Christ to those who are searching,” says Nehemiah. 

Pray with believers in Pakistan for protection for their young women.

“Pray for justice and meaningful legal reforms in Pakistan’s legal system, and pray for courage and safety for FMI partners serving on the ground,” says Nehemiah. 

“Pray for healing for victims and their families. And pray that even in the midst of suffering, many will encounter the love and hope found in Jesus Christ.”

 

Header photo of Pakistani young women is a stock image courtesy of Assad Tanoli via Unsplash.