Rights Groups Seek Recovery of 13-Year-Old Faisalabad Girl
News Desk
Faisalabad: The custody of a 13-year-old Christian girl has come under renewed scrutiny after lawyers and human rights activists raised questions over conflicting age documents, alleged coercion and a court decision to hand her custody to a man accused of abducting her.
The concerns were raised during a press conference at the Faisalabad Press Club, where rights activists demanded immediate steps to ensure the safety of Amber Nadeem and called for an impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding her alleged abduction, conversion and purported marriage.
According to the case record, Amber was allegedly abducted by Mohsin Liaquat on June 12. Police registered FIR No. 838/26 under Section 365-B of the Pakistan Penal Code at Raza Abad Police Station and subsequently arrested Liaquat and recovered the girl.
During a judicial proceeding on June 27, Amber reportedly told a magistrate that members of the accused’s family had pressured her to state that she was an adult.
The dispute over her age has become a central issue in the case. Documents presented by the accused’s family reportedly give Amber’s date of birth as June 2008, while her family claims she was born in 2013. Her family has also pointed to records showing that her parents married in 2012, which they say raises questions about the disputed birth record.
Following the conflicting claims, the court ordered a medical age assessment and placed Amber in a Dar-ul-Aman.
Despite the unresolved age dispute, the Sessions Court on July 25 granted custody of Amber to Liaquat, described as the accused or purported husband, and also granted him bail.
Amber’s mother, Nadia Nadeem, said the family had submitted a verified Family Registration Certificate challenging the disputed age records. She said an application had also been filed seeking registration of a criminal case over alleged alterations to B-Form documents belonging to Amber and her sister Jennifer.
The family has separately approached the court seeking cancellation of the marriage certificate and a declaration that the purported marriage is illegal and void, according to the rights activists.
Pastor Haroon alleged that the police had not adequately cooperated with the family and called for authorities to investigate the allegations without bias.
Joseph Janssen, chairman of Voice for Justice, said the case illustrated the challenges faced by minority girls in cases involving alleged abduction, forced conversion and child marriage.
He referred to a European Parliament resolution adopted on July 9, 2026, which called for allegations of forced conversion and child marriage involving minors in Pakistan to be investigated and for victims to receive protection and safe recovery.
Janssen said Amber’s case should be viewed as a test of the implementation of child-protection laws and constitutional safeguards.
Advocate Akmal Bhatti said the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2026 had strengthened protections for minors and criminalised child marriage and related forms of abuse.
He argued that where allegations of abduction, grooming, coercion or intimidation are pending, a minor’s alleged consent should not be treated as the sole basis for determining custody.
Sadaf Adnan of the Minorities Alliance of Pakistan called for legislation specifically criminalising coerced religious conversion, while Advocate Haroon Michael urged the Punjab government, police and judiciary to intervene to safeguard Amber and investigate the disputed documents.
The rights advocates demanded that the authorities verify the girl’s age and the authenticity of the marriage and identity documents and determine whether any criminal offences were committed.
