U.S. Lawmakers Urge Pakistan to Safeguard Rights of Abducted Christian Woman
Eleven U.S. Representatives wrote to Pakistan’s justice minister urging protection and a fair judicial process for 18-year-old Neha Faqir, who was allegedly abducted and forced to convert to Islam.
A group of eleven members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter on August 20 to Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, pressing for protective measures and a just resolution for Neha Faqir, an 18-year-old Christian woman reportedly abducted in March and later converted to Islam. The signatories, led by Rep. Chris Smith, urged Pakistani authorities to guarantee her physical safety, confidential legal representation, and private communication with her family, while ensuring any court proceedings are free from intimidation.
The letter referenced Articles 20 and 25 of Pakistan’s constitution, which safeguard religious freedom and equality before the law. Christian Solidarity International has drawn international attention to the case, reporting that Ms. Faqir was found at a Lahore madrassa after attending a sewing course and that her family’s request to speak with her was denied by the Lahore High Court. Lawmakers framed the incident as part of a larger pattern of abductions and forced conversions affecting religious-minority women in Pakistan.
Why it matters
The appeal highlights international concern over religious-minority rights and forced conversions in Pakistan.
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