persecution
European Parliament Stands with Pakistani Girl Fighting for Justice
By commsmanager at International Christian Concern
· July 17, 2026
· 3 min read
The European Parliament condemned Pakistan on July 7 for its violation of human rights, citing a 13-year-old Christian Pakistani girl who is still fighting for her freedom from the 30-year-old Muslim man who abducted her. Maria Shahbaz was kidnapped in July 2025 by Shehryar Ahmad, who forced her to
Key takeaway “Maria is only 13 years old, yet she has been through more than any child should ever have to face,” ADF’s Asia Director of Advocacy Tehmina Arora said.
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Category: persecution ·
Published: July 17, 2026 ·
Source: International Christian Concern ·
Reading time: 3 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? The European Parliament condemned Pakistan on July 7 for its violation of human rights, citing a 13-year-old Christian Pakistani girl who is still fighting for her freedom from the 30-year-old Muslim man who abducted her. Maria Shahbaz was kidnapped in July 2025 by Shehryar Ahmad, who forced her to
When was this published? This article was first published on July 17, 2026 by International Christian Concern and curated for Christgiving readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by commsmanager at International Christian Concern. To learn more about how Christgiving selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more persecution coverage from Christgiving, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .