Maira Shahbaz

(asked on 22nd September 2020) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Pakistani Government about the welfare of Maria Shahbaz, the 14-year-old Christian girl who was kidnapped and forcibly married and converted to Islam in Faisalabad in April 2020.


Answered by
Nigel Adams Portrait
Nigel Adams
This question was answered on 25th September 2020

We are closely monitoring Maira Shahbaz's case following her reported abduction in April. The UK Government strongly condemns the forced marriage and forced conversion of women and girls. We regularly raise our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief, women and girl's rights and gender equality with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level. Most recently, on 27 August, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon raised our human rights concerns including Freedom of Religion of Belief with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari. In addition, on 8 September, Lord Ahmad discussed Freedom of Religion Belief with the Governor of Punjab.

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