A Pakistani court has refused to hand over custody of a 14-year-old Christian boy to his parents in a controversial case involving an alleged religious conversion, raising serious concerns among minority communities and human rights advocates across the country.
The boy, Jameel Masih, from Kotla Sharif village in Sheikhupura district, had reportedly been working for several years for a local landlord, identified by the family as Muhammad Boota Bajwa. According to relatives, the teenager was employed in a live-in arrangement and received no formal wages, but was instead compensated annually with wheat.
The case came to light when villagers informed Jameel’s parents that their son had allegedly been converted to Islam and was no longer allowed to meet them.
“We were told that our son had accepted Islam and that we should not come to see him anymore,” Jameel’s mother said, appealing to authorities to help bring her minor child back home.
Community elders initially intervened and convened a local panchayat (village council), which concluded that the boy was underage and should be returned to his parents. Jameel was briefly reunited with his family. However, relatives claim that shortly afterwards the employer arrived with several associates and forcibly took the boy away again.
The dispute later reached the courts, where judges reportedly declined to return the minor to his parents. The opposing side has argued that Jameel willingly converted and chose to remain where he is, while the family insists the boy was taken and pressured into conversion.
The ruling has left the parents distressed and uncertain about where to seek justice. Members of the local Christian community say the decision has intensified fears among minority families, particularly in rural areas where children often work in agricultural or domestic settings.
Growing Human Rights Concerns
Human rights advocates say the case highlights broader structural vulnerabilities faced by minority children in Pakistan, particularly in rural communities where poverty forces families to send children to work at an early age.
Pakistan currently lacks a clear federal law establishing a minimum age for religious conversion. In the absence of such legislation, disputes involving minors are frequently treated as matters of personal choice, even when allegations of coercion or pressure are raised.
Legal experts warn that this ambiguity can make it extremely difficult for families to regain custody of their children once claims of religious conversion or marriage arise.
“This case raises urgent questions about child protection, religious freedom, and the rights of minority families,” rights advocates say. “Without clear safeguards, vulnerable children can easily fall through the cracks of the legal system.”
Under international human rights standards, including protections relating to child welfare and freedom of belief, any religious conversion involving a minor must be carefully scrutinised to ensure that it is voluntary and free from coercion or exploitation.
Following the court’s decision, churches and minority leaders have called on Pakistani authorities to conduct a transparent investigation and introduce stronger legal protections to prevent the exploitation and forced religious conversion of minors.
The UK-based human rights organisation CLAAS‑UK has also expressed serious concern over the case, stating that since the boy is underage he should be returned to the custody of his parents.
Advocates say the case has reignited national debate about the adequacy of Pakistan’s child protection laws and the urgent need for reforms to safeguard vulnerable children and minority communities.
