Saima Rasheed subjected to forced conversion after repeatedly raped by Muslims
On February 17, 2016 Rasheed Pervaiz aged 58, Iqbal Bhatti about 50 years old approached Christians’ True Spirit (CTS) and asked for legal assistance in kidnapping case; they lodged against Muslims named Mohammad Murad Ali, Mohammad Feryad Ali and others in Chung Police Station District Lahore; police did not pursue the case against Muslims as per law and legislations.
Rasheed Pervaiz informed Katherine Sapna Director CTS, that Saima Rasheed aged 17 was was abducted by the neighbor Muslims on January 28, 2016 and raped. Muslims subjected her for forced conversion and forced marriage after kidnapping case FIR lodged against perpetrators.
Case FIR no. 169/16 offence under section 496-A according to Pakistan Penal Code, lodged against Mohammad Nadeem s/o Faryad Ali, Mohammad Murad s/o Faryad Ali etc by Rasheed Pervaiz in the Chung Police Station Lahore but the said police joined hands with the culprits and did not take any legal action against them. The poor Christian father of Saima requested police for the recovery of her daughter but police has have been making false excuses and provided opportunity to the culprits to get pre-arrest bails from the court on February 11, 2016. The bails were granted by the Additional Session Court Lahore for a week and the confirmation of bails fixed for February 18, 2016.
Rasheed and other family wanted to see Saima and ask her willingness for conversion to Islam and marriage, but the Muslims never allowed her to see parents because she had been forced for conversion. During the bail period the accused managed conversion as well as marriage certificate of Saima Rasheed and submitted with the concerned police officer Khalid Virik Investigation Officer (IO) in the police station.
The poor family needed council to appear in the court to contest the bail applications of the accused on February 18, 2016. Immediately CTS provided a council to the family to contest the bail applications of the culprits in the court.
Subsequently, on Feb 18, Khalid Virik Investigation Officer presented investigation report in the court and submitted conversion and marriage certificates of Saima Bajwa along with the dismissal of the case FIR. He said on behalf of Saima that she does not want to see her Christian parents as she was happy in her Islamic marriage.
The bail applications were withdrawn by the culprits and Rasheed Pervaiz and Iqbal Bhatti asked legal support in filling a private complaint in the High Court against the culprits for the custody of their daughter Saima Rasheed as they believed that Saima was forced to conversion. CTS assured all kind of assistance to the family in this case and provided lawyer to file a private complaint in the High court Lahore.
“Being younger in all children she was favorite child of parents” said Rasheed Pervaiz. He further stated that he is broken hearted and very disappointed. For a month he has been struggling to get his beloved daughter back from the Muslim’s custody but remained failed.
Facts behind the case:
Saima Rasheed, beautiful young girl, student of 9th grade lived along with her parents at Badami Bagh Lahore, surrounded by Muslim community. She was intelligent Christian girl who dreamed a successful life after completing her studies. About 1 ½ year ago Rasheed had a dispute with Muslim neighbors Mohammad Murad Ali and Feryad Ali, and they warned him for severe consequences.
Subsequently, Mohammad Murad started misbehaving and passing dirty compliments to Saima while passing through. Therefore Rasheed Pervaiz changed his resident place and shifted about 25 kilometers at Shadab Colony, Maqbool Chauk Chung – Multan Road Lahore.
Note:
Forced conversion is a big challenge for religious minorities in Pakistan. According to a report of Pakistani Muslim NGO, every year between 100 to 700 Christian women, “usually between the ages of 12 and 25 are abducted, converted to Islam, and married to the abductor or third party” (source World Watch Monitor).
Not only Rasheed Pervaiz but also several other Christian parents waiting for the justice and seeking help to get back their daughters from the custody of Muslims. It is just helplessness that the courts are prejudiced too and support culprits on the name of Islam instead they proved justice.
Reported by:
Christians’ True Spirit (CTS)
Dated: 24-02-2016