Photo: Flickr / Guilhem Vellut (cc)
In May 2021, 13-year-old Nayab Gill was forcibly converted and married to a 30-year-old Muslim man named Saddam Hayat. Despite court challenges, custody was given to her "husband." (For more details, go to this report.) A year later, reports surfaced indicating that the young Christian girl may have been sold to someone else as a bride (details here). With support from various advocacy organizations, Nayab's parents have continued to fight for justice on behalf of their daughter.
In a promising update, the Supreme Court of Pakistan agreed on August 29th to hear a petition on behalf of Nayab. At the heart of the petition is the girl's age. Pakistani law specifies that any sexual relations with a girl under the age of 16 is rape and punishable by death. However, in contradiction, Islamic law states that any consenting girl who has reached puberty can marry. The family's lawyer argued that, even if allowed under Islamic law, Nayab was not of legal age to make such a decision without consent from one of her guardians.
The Supreme Court, in deciding to hear this case, has recognized the disconnect between the penal laws and Islamic Sharia laws over the concept of "adulthood." Consequently, the court has called on the government to respond to this discrepancy and resolve the issue by enacting legislation governing the age of marriage.
Since Nayab's "marriage" in 2021, the Islamabad High Court ruled in March 2022 that marriage under the age of 18 is prohibited, even if an individual claims to do so of their own free will. It is hoped that this ruling will direct the nation's government to establish a minimum age for marriage across the country.
Forcible conversions and marriages of underaged girls are far too common for impoverished religious minorities in Pakistan. Often, such families have little to no recourse against the influence of their employers and community leaders. For additional reports on the persecution of Christians in Pakistan, go to our country report.
Pray that the hope and resolve of the Gill family will be strengthened in light of this recent action by the Supreme Court. As they anticipate the safe return of Nayab, may the members of her family receive greatly needed comfort, encouragement and peace. Specifically ask the Lord to lovingly watch over Nayab and tangibly convey His reassuring presence and care in her life, despite the circumstances in which she presently finds herself. Finally, pray that the courts will rule equitably in her case, and that the governing leaders of Pakistan will enact just legislation – providing protection to the country’s most vulnerable citizens – regardless of the pressures they may receive to do otherwise.
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