Following is report of the miserable family in Pakistan who facing life threats due to Christian belief.
Saniya Ghosh aged 29 is a convert; she belongs to a fanatic Muslim background in Faisalabad Punjab, but strongly believes in Jesus Christ since 2005. After conversion she used to go church along with her Christians friend in Faisalabad. Her family asked her strictly to stop going to the church but Saniya did not care of the family advice. Saniya’s mother noticed that she was not interested to practice Islam but she reads bible regularly and pray like Christians. She beat Saniya and asked her to stop reading the Bible. Saniya’s father and other family male were very strict and therefore her mother confined Saniya in the room and did not allow her to go outside the home as she did not wanted to disclose her daughters interest in other religion as her father could kill her.
Saniya got annoyed because of the strictness of her mother, and runaway from the house and lived with her Christian friend as she wanted to read Bible and go to the church. During the period Saniya’s mother told the family that she was away from the house due to her job, as she worked with a multinational company as a promoter. Saniya’s mother tried to bring her back to home also asked her to leave Christians, but she was not agreeing to return as she knows that again she would be locked in the house.
With the passage of time her mother disclosed that Saniya was converted. Her father and other family members became furious. They wanted to kill her because for changing her religion and declared her liable to death. He along with few others went to the house where Saniya lived with the Christian family to kill her. He could not find Saniya as she escapes already, he asked accompanied people to beating the Christian family as they were alleged to convert Saniya in to Christianity. The family hides Saniya at some secure point as they knew her father’s aggression that he could kill her at the spot just because of her Christian belief.
Robin’s parents were beaten severely just because to keep Saniya with them in the house. The local people gathered and they rescue the family. Saniya’s father also threatened the locals that if Christians will not return his daughter he will kidnap many of Christian’s girls and also they will burn the Christian’s houses.
Saniya’s father get registered a case FIR against Robin Ghosh and his family for kidnapping her and converting her in to Islam forcefully. Robin Ghosh and Saniya were escaped but Robin’s father and his brother got arrested by the police in Faisalabad and beaten up severely, meanwhile Robin and Saniya went to the High Court Lahore and filed an application for their life safety against her parents. She also recorded her statement before the court that she was not kidnapped or converted. So the court instructed the police station for the released of both arrested.
Meanwhile Saniya received life threats over the phone and also threats to kill the family of Robin.
Later in 2006 Saniya decided to get married a Christian man as she needed support to live hide at some unknown place, and started her Christian’s marriage life. Since then Robin and Saniya facing life threats by Saniya’s parents. Robin’s family also moved to some unknown place. Out of this wedlock she has two sons, Rajeel Ghosh aged 9 and Rahul Ghosh aged 6 presently.
Since 2006 Saniya and Robin lived hide in protection of different Organizations and individuals for limited periods, continually faced life threats. In 2013 Saniya and Robin was asked by the NGO that they should find some other place to live on their own as the organization provided safe accommodation and food for a long period 2009 – 2013. The Organization felt no risk of attack after a long time even Saniya and Robin informed time to time the organization about life threats by phone calls.
Robin had to move to a rented house along with his children which he arranged with the help of CTS.
Robin also tried to find work a day labor in the locality to earn something for children needs and other households. He worked hard to manage food of his children and also rent of the house. But it does not work for long as he was attacked by some unknown, on the way returns home after his work on August 20, 2015. He noticed 4 unknown following him therefore he changed his way to home and went to some other side instead to return home. He got afraid that if the people following him they with see the house and they can kill his wife and children. The followers understood that he did not going home they started beating him and inquired about Saniya. Robin was beaten severely and threatened him for life but did not disclose Saniya’s whereabouts.
The perpetrators kept torturing Robin for 2 hours, due to severe beating he got unconscious. They threw him away and left the place. He was taken to the hospital by locals and get medical treatment in the hospital for two days. Robin did not return home therefore Saniya and children were afraid of any mishap, Saniya prayed a lot for his safe return.
After two days Robin made a phone call and informed Saniya about his well being. He informed her to leave the place along with children as soon as possible but carefully. As Saniya’s father could trace her in the area where he was caught near the place of their living.
It was difficult to find a new place without money therefore Robin requested a Christian co worker for help. He accommodated the family at his own house for the couple of weeks. Meanwhile Robin approached the churches and NGO,s but no hope for help. On September 13, 2015 again he took one room on rent to live with his wife and children, but afraid to go out for work. He does labor if he found in the area near by his place and cannot provide proper food to his children as he avoids to go to work outside the area as he do not feel secure.
Present location is again insecure for this family and they need to move somewhere else.
Robin is helpless in this situation and failed to make security masseurs for his family. On September 26, 2015 Robin and Saniya approached CTS and asked help to provide them a safe place to live. Due to the danger as well as the recent torture by the extremists Robin is unable to work, therefore the family needs support for the house rent and food. The family is on high life threats especially Saniya because of her Christian belief. If his parents find her any where she must be killed as Islamic religious leaders also has issue a “FATWA” (religious verdict) against Saniya and according to Islam she has no right to live.
Need prayers and support for the life safety of Saniya and her family.
In Christ’s service,
Katherine Sapna
Director
Christian True Spirit (CTS)