August 29, 2026
By Xari Jalil
LAHORE
Human rights advocates have expressed their grave concern over the handling of the case of Amber Nadeem, a 13-year-old Christian girl from Faisalabad, who was allegedly abducted, subjected to forced conversion, and coerced into marriage.
On Saturday, at the Faisalabad Press Club, activists gathered, strongly condemning the court’s decision on July 25, which has granted the minor girl’s custody to the man accused of abducting her, warning that this verdict will likely place her at serious risk of further abuse, intimidation, exploitation, and coercion. They expressed concern over the protection of the child and how she was removed from the lawful parental custody and given to a man much older than her who was accused of abducting her. The press conference was organized by Advocate Akmal Bhatti, activist Joseph Janssen, Advocate Haroon Michael, Sadaf Adnan, and Nadia Nadeem, Amber’s mother.
The speakers called upon the Government, police and judiciary to take immediate measures to ensure Amber’s safety, recover her from the alleged perpetrator, restore her to appropriate parental or protective custody, and ensure an impartial investigation.
Case background
On June 12, 2026, Amber Nadeem was allegedly abducted by a man named Mohsin Liaqat. Following a police report (FIR No. 838/26 under Section 365-B of the Pakistan Penal Code), authorities recovered Amber, placed her in protective custody at the Gender-Based Violence Unit, and arrested Liaqat.
During initial proceedings before a judicial magistrate on June 27, 2026, Amber stated that the suspect’s family had pressured her to falsely claim she was an adult. The defense presented conversion and marriage certificates claiming Amber was 18, listing her birth date as June 2008—a document heavily disputed by her family and legal representation, who pointed out that her parents were married in 2012. Recognizing these inconsistencies, the magistrate ordered a court-mandated medical examination to determine her actual age and directed that she remain in a Dar-ul-Aman shelter home pending the results.
Despite the unresolved questions concerning her age, the alleged coercion, and the authenticity of the documents, the Sessions’ Court on 25 July 2026 granted custody of Amber to the accused or purported husband and granted him bail.
Amber’s mother, Nadia Nadeem, in the conference said that the family has submitted an application seeking registration of a criminal case concerning forged B-Form documents used to alter the ages of Amber and her sister Jennifer.
The family has also provided a verified Family Registration Certificate contradicting the disputed documents and has filed a suit seeking cancellation of the marriage certificate and a declaration that the marriage is illegal and void.
Minority girls in danger
Joseph Janssen, Chairman of Voice for Justice, said that Amber’s case demonstrates the vulnerability of minority girls when allegations of abduction, conversion and child marriage intersect. He called upon law-enforcement agencies and courts to enforce these provisions effectively and without discrimination, recalling the European Parliament’s resolution of 9 July 2026, which called on Pakistan to investigate allegations of forced conversion and child marriage involving minors, prosecute perpetrators and accomplices, ensure the safe recovery and protection of victims, strengthen judicial capacity, and fully implement child-marriage laws.
“Amber’s case is not only about one child; it is a test of whether Pakistan’s child-protection laws, constitutional guarantees and commitments to religious freedom are applied equally to every child, regardless of her religion,” said Janssen.
Advocate Akmal Bhatti emphasized that the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2026 provides enhanced protection for children and criminalizes child marriage and related abuse. He stressed that a child’s alleged consent or statement should not, by itself, determine custody or protection where there are credible allegations of abduction, grooming, coercion, intimidation or manipulation. He urged the authorities to ensure that the best interests, safety, dignity and long-term welfare of the child remain paramount.
Sadaf Adnan called for comprehensive legislation criminalizing forced conversion, particularly where minors are involved. She urged the authorities to ensure that allegations of forced conversion, abduction, child marriage and sexual exploitation are investigated independently and that all responsible persons are held accountable.
Advocate Haroon Michael appealed to the Punjab Government, police and judiciary to intervene without further delay, protect Amber from further harm, investigate the alleged fabrication of documents and other offences, and ensure that the case is decided in accordance with the law and the best interests of the child.
The Sessions Court ruling
On July 25, 2026, Additional District and Sessions Judge Rana Sohail in Faisalabad issued a ruling granting post-arrest bail to Mohsin Liaqat and handing full custody of 13-year-old Amber over to him and his legal representatives.
The judge accepted a newly submitted affidavit in which Amber claimed she had voluntarily embraced Islam, married Liaqat of her own choice, and was not abducted. The ruling was delivered despite the fact that the court-ordered medical examination to determine her age had not yet been completed or submitted to the magistrate. The government prosecutor, Muhammad Anwar Naz, strongly opposed the decision and urged the court to reject the bail application based on the case record. Rights advocates, including Joseph Janssen (Chairman of Voice for Justice), reported that during proceedings, defense lawyers warned Amber of punishment for apostasy if she recanted her conversion, raising severe concerns regarding intimidation and coercion.
Human rights activists, legal experts, and minority advocacy groups have strongly condemned the ruling. Critics highlight that returning an underage girl to the custody of an alleged abductor before establishing her legal age or ensuring protection directly undermines child protection frameworks—such as the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act—and exposes minors to ongoing coercion and abuse.