Pakistan: Christian Girls Forced to Convert to Islam; Rapes, Coersion, Abuse

By Agenzia Fides
4/14/2011
Agenzia Fides (www.fides.org)

Alarming trend in Pakistan calls for prayer and action

In Pakistan forced conversions to Islam, rapes and forced marriages are on the rise. The victims are mostly Hindu and Christian girls, belonging to religious minorities. A report sent to Fides by the Centre for Legal Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS), which takes care of legal assistance for Christians who are discriminated against and persecuted in Pakistan.

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LAHORE, Pakistan (Agenzia Fides) - In Pakistan forced conversions to Islam, rapes and forced marriages are on the rise. The victims are mostly Hindu and Christian girls, belonging to religious minorities, complain Fides local sources. This has been a worrying phenomenon for the Church in Pakistan for some time and that the Church is trying to address, looking for the cooperation of institutions but it is an uphill battle.

"The Christian girls are the weakest and most vulnerable, because their communities are poor, defenceless and marginalized, therefore easily exposed to harassment and threats. Often they do not even have the courage to denounce the violence," says a sister to Fides.

The sister hides and assists the girls who have managed to escape. "But the trend is worrying: There are hundreds of cases a year registered and those that come to light are only a fraction," she says. In a society that tolerates discrimination of religious minorities, especially of women, the dominant religion and related social position are used to impose tyranny.

A report sent to Fides by the Centre for Legal Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS), which takes care of legal assistance for Christians who are discriminated against and persecuted in Pakistan, confirms this issue, reporting some terrible cases that occur mainly in province of Punjab.

Sidra Bibi, 14 year old Christian in the district of Sheikhupura in Punjab, is the daughter of a worker in the cotton industry. A Muslim from the village had his eye on her and began to molest her, and eventually abducted and raped her before threatening her with death. Physically and psychologically abused, the girl became pregnant. She managed to escape from her tormentor and is now back, in a state of exhaustion, with her family. Police have refused to accept her complaint and now the CLAAS lawyers are handling the case.

Tina Barkat, 28 year old Christian, was approached by a Muslim friend who, after being friends with her for several months, asked her to convert to Islam. Her family began to read her verses of the Koran, kidnapped and threatened her, and then gave her in marriage to a Muslim family member. The lawyers have a current action to dissolve the marriage.

The same fate has befallen Samina Ayub, Christian, aged 17, who lives with her family near Lahore. Kidnapped by a Muslim, she was forcibly converted to Islam, and renamed Fatima Bibi and was forced to marry in the Muslim rite. Her family reported the abduction but police have not prosecuted those responsible. The case remains unsolved and the family calls for the mobilisation of civil society to save Samina.

Shazia Bibi, a 19 year old Christian from Gujranwala, in Punjab, worked as a maid in the house of a Muslim woman, the owner of a grocery store. The Muslim boy from the shop was in love with Shazia. In agreement with the owner, they held a conversion and forced her into marriage. The plan was successful but now, thanks to Shazia\'s family the case has ended up in court.

Also, two other Christian girls, Uzma Bibi, 15 years old, from Gulberg, and Saira Bibi, 20, a nurse from Lahore, were taken by force by Muslim neighbours, converted to Islam and then forced to marry in the Islamic rite. The families of the girls, shocked, have reclaimed their daughters and the cases are currently before the High Court of Lahore, represented by lawyers provided by CLAAS.

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1 - 10 of 14 Comments

Jessy
2 years ago
Those Muslim Pakistanis who are raping, abusing etc. for Chirsitains to convert are not called Muslims,There are called disbelievers. This is not real Islam.There is no compulsion in the religion of Islam. These men are are not practicing any thing of Islam. The traditions, myths, beliefs and rituals are present in every Society not only in Pakistan. But groups of Muslims are always highlighted so people around the world has opinion about them. When can there be peace and unity among humanity?
Beren
2 years ago
I am sure that the Lord hears the cries of our sisters who have been greatly violated! May He send forth His mighty help from above as always. I commend these sisters into His hands. May the persecutors see the light of Christ- repent- convert and be saved. May those who persistently deny the truth face the wrath of God!
vance
2 years ago
This is Islam. It is a religion of rape, murder, and terrorism. I don't know why America is giving money to Pakistan. America needs to tell Pakistan if they want any money from us, they will need to protect the rights of Christians. This is a tough spot for us to be in because there isn't alot we can do to protect them. I am ready to go to the streets and protest on the behalf of persecuted Christians BUT are any of you guys willing to do that? Notice Muslims take to the streets in protest by the big numbers when they are upset about something. We can do the same thing. We don't need to burn cars or kill people. Just do what the TEA Party People are doing. Be out on the streets holding signs. Most Catholics are too lazy and don't care.
Dylana
2 years ago
St.Cecilia, pray for these girls who, like you were, are being forced into unchristian marriages. May their "Cantantibus" be heard and answered as they cry out to the Spouse of Virgins, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Robert
2 years ago
Why don't we hear about this during the homilies on Sunday? Why won't our pastors speak about these atrocities?
Fr.Thomas
2 years ago
Dear Andy Holland, I am living in India which is the cradle of spirituality. However we have to live in constant fear because anything may happen at anytime. Everyday we read in the newspapers only bad news. Whether it is politics, religion or any other social sector, positive news are very less and negative and threatening news dominating the newspapers and other media. Especially religious violence is not uncommon. Though majority of the are want to live in peace, a handful of people in the name of religion make unrest in the society. We have to accept the truth that the christian sects which are appearing like mushrooms everyday, without any prudence provoke the people of the majority religion and a major hindrance for evangelization. Since the sects are not organized they will provoke the people and run away. But the catholics who have institutions and church are attacked because they cannot move away from their established parishes. Thus for the mistakes of the sects the catholics are paying the price. So in a country where the majority of the people are from other religions we have to be more careful in using our toungue and our mechanism for evangelization. Let us pray that God may bring all the Christians in one fold. But it is our duty to take every effort to eliminate the hindrances of evangelization. God bless you.
Anonymous Reader
2 years ago
For average citizens of America, Europe, etc, the most we can do is pray that they will be released from this horror. I shall pray every day for these poor victims, and others should pray with their hearts also.
Kimbo
2 years ago
This video is sooo deceptive it makes me feel sick..THIS IS conflict between islam and all non-muslims. just read the quran for God's sake and BE HONEST for once in your life:
Qur'an:9:5 "Fight and kill the disbelievers wherever you find them, take them captive, harass them, lie in wait and ambush them using every stratagem of war."
Qur'an:8:39 "Fight them until all opposition ends and all submit to Allah."
Qur'an:8:39 "So fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief [non-Muslims]) and all submit to the religion of Allah alone (in the whole world)."
Ishaq:324 "He said, 'Fight them so that there is no more rebellion, and religion, all of it, is for Allah only. Allah must have no rivals.'"
Bukhari:V4B53N386 "Our Prophet, the Messenger of our Lord, ordered us to fight you till you worship Allah alone or pay us the Jizyah tribute tax in submission. Our Prophet has informed us that our Lord says: 'Whoever amongst us is killed as a martyr shall go to Paradise to lead such a luxurious life as he has never seen, and whoever survives shall become your master.'"
Qur'an:9:123 "Fight the unbelievers around you, and let them find harshness in you."
Tabari VI:139 "Allah had given his Messenger permission to fight by revealing the verse 'And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is all for Allah.'"
Qur'an:4:104 "And do not relent in pursuing the enemy."

STOP the politically correct LIE that islam is friendly to christianity. This video is sooooo manipulative and false it is sickening!
T Smith
2 years ago
I am active duty and have just returned from Afghanistan and the above practices are not uncommon in Muslim countries. Further, we are seeing such acts here in the US! Don't kid yourself, this is a religious war against the US AND ALL CHRISTAINS! Moderate Muslims, and there are some, are failing to stand up and be heard, therefore, we must! Get active, be heard and protect our religious freedoms and our country.
Andy Holland
2 years ago
Dear Fr. Thomas our collective problem is we tend to resist the Holy Spirit who brings wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom. We see persecution and suffering as obstacles, but they stem from grace and lead to salvation. Of course that's easy to say when one is not inundated in the suffering. The Muslims will exercise their passions whether provoked or not - they have done so for many centuries and now have been financed to do so now by trillions in oil revenues. When their financing ended in the 17th Century, their impoverished religion led them to a lack of industry and their threat to the heart of Europe subsided. They are on the move again because we prefer to use their oil to our own coal (which can be converted to a very clean form of diesel oil), and naively believe they will love us if we give them more material wealth. I was in the classroom when we were teaching Nuclear Engineering to Iranians - we are headed to a massive disaster owing to our own greed and abject stupidity. Secularism thought it was the hope of the world, and acted like it - Christ is, and the problem with us Christians is we don't practice our own gentle, loving, kind religion - but rather act with brute force or faithlessness.

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