On Sunday, Pakistani Human rights activist Rahat Austin shared a video on Twitter, wherein the father of a 13-year-old minor Christian girl narrated his ordeal. According to him, the girl identified as Mehwish was forcefully abducted, raped and converted to Islam by Sajid Ali, Sumaira and Tarav in Thokar Nayaz, Kanjrah Lahore. “Police have investigated the matter. After examining the documents, the cops said that the papers are forged. Despite this, no action has been taken till now. We will know after they take action,” said the father of the victim. He informed that the documents made by the accused, following the girl’s marriage and forceful conversion, are fake.
On being asked whether he sought help from any political leaders, the man lamented, “Initially, we tried to meet Minister Jahaz Alam Ghasti on two occasions but failed. However, we met him later on 3 different occasions. He said that he cannot do anything about it… If Prime Minister, Ministers, Chief Justice and Parliamentarians do not listen to me or ensure the safe return of my child, then, I will be forced to kill my entire family.”
“We (Non-Muslims) can never get justice in Pakistan. I, with my family will commit suicide if our daughter is not returned”
— Rahat Austin (@johnaustin47) December 20, 2020
Says a Christian whose 13-year-old daughter Mehwish is abducted for rape & conversion to Islam by a 42-year-old Muslim Man in Thokar Nayaz, Kanjrah Lahore. pic.twitter.com/SG16wMCHXX
“It is impossible to get justice in Pakistan. Justice will only be rendered when my daughter returns back to me. Do not take my words lightly. If my daughter does not come back, then, I will do what I have promised,” the victim’s father remarked.
Persecution of religious Minorities
Movement for Solidarity and Peace (MSP) has estimated that about 1000 Christian and Hindu women between 12 and 25 years are abducted, raped, married, and forced to convert to Islam. Due to limited financial means of the families of such victims, many cases go unreported.
On October 10 last year, another 14-year-old Huma Younus was abducted from her parents’ home in Karachi by a Muslim man named Abdul Jabbar, a resident of Dera Ghazi Khan in Punjab. Farzana (14), and Sehrish (16) were gang-raped by 3 Muslim men but the families were forced to settle the matter outside the Court. In the case of Sana John (13) and Mehwish (14) who were abducted by Muslims, the police conducted a botched investigation and no attempts were made to rescue them. A 11-year-old Christian girl named Maria Sarfraz was also gang-raped for 3 days but was forced to settle the matter outside. In April 2020, 14-year-old Christian girl Myra Shehbaz was abducted in Faislabad in Pakistan by Muhammad Naqash and his accomplice while she was travelling to her workplace.
