‘There Is No Security for You Except by Islam or Jizya

Pakistan’s Federal Constitutional Court granted custody of 13-year-old Christian girl, Maria Shahbaz, to a 30-year-old Muslim man accused of kidnapping, forcibly converting, and marrying her. The court rejected her official birth certificate and ignored prior findings that the marriage was illegal, instead accepting her statement that she converted and married voluntarily—despite claims from her family and lawyer that it was made under coercion. Rights advocates and the girl’s family criticized the ruling, pointing to evidence that the marriage certificate was fake and raising concerns about police inaction and possible collusion. They argue the girl had been in the suspect’s custody for months, making any statement unreliable. — Morning Star News, February 1, 2026, Pakistan.