Muslim Men Kidnap Pakistani Christian Girl to 'Purify Her'

Four Muslim abductors in Saleem Colony, within the jurisdictions of Shisharwali Police Station Satellite Town, Gujranwala City in the Punjab Province of Pakistan, allegedly kidnapped a Christian girl identified as Mehek (aged 14 years and 8 months), on Wednesday, August 17, 2011.

AsiaNews reports that the girl was taken by the main Muslim man so he could “purify her” to make her “Muslim and my mistress.”

ANS was apprised of this crime by Rashid Masih, a Christian laborer and father of six, including Mehek, who all live in a rented house.

According to our ANS investigation, the names of Rashid Masih’s family are: Mrs. Nasreen Bibi, his spouse, Masih’s abducted daughter Mehek, also daughter Soha, and sons Saul Masih and Usman Masih.

The abductors were said by eye-witnesses to be a young Muslim man, and his four accomplices who claimed they were armed with deadly weapons. They allegedly forced their way into the house of Rashid Masih brandishing their weapons in the air. The attack took place in broad daylight, and the assailants were said to have pointed a gun at the head of Mehek, and then forced her to climb aboard a white car.

ANS has learned that the alleged abductors were chased by the eye-witnesses, but the armed Muslim men threatened them telling them to desist otherwise they would kill them. They also were said to have used a derogatory word for female Christians.

On hearing the news, workers from the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), led by Khalid Gill, went to the local Police station, where, they said, police "reluctantly" registered the case against the perpetrators.

On the instructions of the Station House Officer, a sub-inspector was deputed to probe into the issue.

However, APMA sources said they were “concerned” that although the case was lodged, no efforts were apparently being made to "nail" the alleged Muslim culprits.

ANS was also told by locals that APMA head Dr. Paul Bhatti, has expressed his solidarity with the victim Christian family and pledged to extend all possible support and help towards them.

Interviewed by AsiaNews, the Archbishop Emeritus of Lahore and former president of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops' Conference Mgr. Lawrence John Saldanha stresses that such cases are “common in Pakistan,” and families “can do little or nothing” to save the victims from their captors. He adds: “The Muslim family has an advantage, because the law favors them.”

Rashid Masih, along with his family, had moved from Bawarey Village to Gujranwala city for the education and bright future of his Children, unaware that he would have to face such a fateful situation.

Source

Gujranwala update- Aman Chowk

Here is a rough translation of this article:
Strict action would be taken against those that ruin peace.
All the residents of Aziz Colony should return home as we assure full peace and protection. Khokharki visit and order to file a case against those who uploaded extremist video on Youtube. (by CPO)

CPO Gujranwala along with leaders of ETEHAAD COMMITTEE and journalists visted KHOKHARKI and inquired about the current conditions of peace in the area from the appointed officers. He said that a society can never survive without peace so he renamed the "Pawranwala Chwok" as "AMAN CHOWk". This name will be announced soon officially in the presence of Islamic Ulma and Christian priests. He said that strict acions would be taken against anyone who tried to ruin peace of the area as no one has right to do so. He assured peace in the area to all residents of the Colony and appealed them to return to their houses.


Are Christians looking for solutions to the blasphemy laws and an end to discrimination or to renaming of landmarks ?

Protests & attacks in Gujranwala on Christians

The situation in Punjab's city of Gujranwala has been tense since a month after two Christians; a father and a son were accused under Pakistan's controversial blasphemy law. Christians of Gujranwala praised the Punjab police for controlling mobs and planned attacks guarding the residence of the accused Mushtaq and Farrukh Gill as well as many other Christian properties including the Christian Technical Training College where Mushtaq was a faculty member.

In earlier reports it seemed as if both father and son were arrested in a fabricated case however it was not the case as Police had taken them into protective custody for their own safety. Police and Elite force monitored protests last week where a senior police officer asked the leader of the 100 gathered to step forward and immediately the protests dispersed. Since then those behind framing Mushtaq and Farrukh have been planning to carry out attacks and protests with warnings and threats to Christians of Gulzar Colony and other areas forcing many Christian families to move to their relatives or other safer locations outside Gujranwala.

What seemed to be a controlled situation soon took a twist with Reverend Issac being wanted in questioning and involved in the case also. Clerics and supporters demanded the arrest of Rev. Issac who went into hiding, and then escaped Police custody as reported by many individuals. There are many reports about Rev. Issac and it is still unclear why he is being dragged into this.

A Christian, Tariq Masih said "Rev. Issac is a prominent figure in his neighbourhood and is accompanied by armed bodyguards and many muslim neighbours either fear or feel inferior to him. First master Mushtaq and now Issac, the case is not of blasphemy anymore, these clerics want some damage done to the Christian community and no matter what they want to cause harm, fear and declare they are dominating"

It is being said many Christians are planning to move out of their properites and have considered selling them and shifting to safer locations.

 The Blasphemy law was introduced by the late Zia-Ul-Haq and since then it has been a noose waiting to lynch some innocent citizen of Pakistan, Muslims and Christians have been subjected to false accusations and baseless evidences or witnesses can file an FIR to arrest any individual for personal gain or enimity.

 Clerics gathered people yesterday and brainwashed them with false information and ordered them to attack Christians in Gujranwala. They damaged the windows of Christian Technical Training College and also tried to unsuccessfully burn the Christian seminary and Church heavy managing to hurl stones at windows, there was reported firing going on in the Christian colony. Protestors also clashed with police on Sialkot road.

10 people have been injured so far that includes some policemen and Christians,
25 arrests have been made, crowds were shot at by police to disperse them. It is being said if the situation goes out of control then Punjab rangers will impose a curfew.

A protest was announced the night before but then cancelled; however burnt pages of the Quran were found in a graveyard next morning at 7 am and they are trying to frame Rev. Issac for it, no matter what- they want Issac to be arrested.
His property too has been attacked at 8 am.

 A banner was hung on Katcha Fatomabad chowk that said :

In Aziz Colony Gujranwala, We strongly condemn the ghastly incident of Burning Quran and blasphemy against Prophet by these Christians, Sons of Bitches

A Christian on Facebook answered a discussion thread with this Bible verse:

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2- Timothy 3:1

لیکِن یہ جان رکھ کہ اخِیر زمانہ میں بُرے دِن آئیں گے۔ ۲۔ تِیمُتھیُس 3 : 1

Those of you who do not know how Farrukh was arrested and what was the evidence based upon, a child went to a local mosque and handed a letter from an unknown person; the letter read "Farrukh Gill has burnt a Quran"

Is that evidence ? You be the judge.

Blasphemy case fabricated against father & son in Gujranwala [Mushtaq & Farrukh Gill]

Farrukh Mushtaq Gill and his father Mushtaq Gill, have been arrested for blasphemy friday evening from their residence in Gujaranwala. Farrukh is being charged with burning a Quran.
The father of the accused Mushtaq Gill, is an Elder of Presbyterian Church and a teacher at the Christian Technical Training Center in Guranjawala. Farrukh is employed at National Bank of Pakistan. This incident reports back to 2-3 months ago when someone charged Farrukh with desecrating the Quran however the Police did not proceed with the case.
Yesterday in a preplanned move a mob consisting of several clerics and locals pressured the police to arrest both the father and the son, seeing the present situation the police had no other option but to arrest the two men to control and please the mob, Police then assigned several officers in front of Gill's residence and on the roof-top as well to avoid any attacks. Christians residing in Gulzar Colony had moved to their relatives or friends houses in fear of being targeted by angry mobs. One of the residents said "This must be the lamest excuse in Pakistan that a Christian has burnt a Quran, the lawmakers and everyone else too knows it's a fabricated case and no Christian in Pakistan would do this but officials are either bribed or threatened by clerics backed by extremists"

Farrukh Gill was instructed by Church officials in the last incident to resign and search for another job as it could be possible someone was discriminating and targeting him as he was the only Christian employed there. Farrukh reported he has no enmity with anyone but many colleagues were not in favour of a Christian in their midst. However Farrukh had thought the problem was now over.
Yesterday rumors arose of an attack at Christian technical training center but the situation has been calm in the city since yesterday and all reports of attacks have been dismissed as false. Apparently it is claimed some mosques announced the incident and gathered more people however a few Christians claim they heard no such announcements in the area that they reside. Friday is an important prayer for Muslims and it is then that they have the most number of attendees.

The reason behind the false charges against Farrukh are still unknown and whether he is being framed due to discrimination or professional jealousy is unclear, however there seems to be no other motive at present.

Recently the blasphemy cases against Christians are on the rise with Arif Masih of a village near Chak Jhumra, Faisalabad being arrested last week in a fabricated case for property. Most are accused under the controversial blasphemy law of Pakistan for which Christians and many Muslims have protested against, Salman Taseer the outspoken brave Governor of Punjab was assassinated a few months ago over his support of the release of Aasia Bibi an accused of the Blasphemy case. Following Taseer was the assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian who held the position of Minorities minister and was in support of repealing the Blasphemy law. The 295-c law has many Christians as well as muslims arrested under false cases for personal grudges or enmity and even professional jealously, usually there is no procedural inquiry and without lack of evidence and statements of a few clerics or persons an FIR is registered.

In 2010 the Rashid brothers from Faisalabad, the country's third-largest city were released without lack of evidence by the court. Both brothers had been charged under the blasphemy law for distributing anti-Islam material, Rashid and Sajid Emmanuel were both shot by unknown assailants outside courtroom. The hatred in Pakistan has gradually increased against Christians due to the ignorant actions of Florida's Pastor Terry Jones who burned the Quran and planned the 'Burn a Koran day", Several Church officials had condemned his un-Christian actions and demanded his removal by the Church of America.