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Christian Man Raped and Murdered for Refusing Islam

Christian Man Raped and Murdered for Refusing Islam
Pakistani Caught in Compromising Situation Still Kept His Faith


By Jawad Mazher and Jeremy Sewall
06/08/09 Pakistan (International Christian Concern) – A young Christian man from Pakistan was caught in a compromising situation with the daughter of a radical Muslim family but refused to convert to Islam despite her insistence and the threats of her three brothers. On May 15, the young man’s father found his dead body near a canal in a rural Punjab village, after he had been missing for three days.


The young Christian, Litto, was studying for a Masters Degree in English when he met and fell in love with a Muslim girl from his village. During their courtship, she repeatedly attempted to entice him into becoming a Muslim.


Litto’s father, Amjad Masih Ghauri, told ICC, “On May 10th, while my son and that Muslim girl, Shazia Cheema, were making love in a lonely part of the fields, her two elder Muslim brothers found them in an objectionable posture and this enraged them.” Litto managed to escape the scene and ran home, telling his father everything.


The next day Shazia’s three brothers arrived at Litto’s house, where they demanded that Litto convert to Islam and marry their sister. Litto said he would marry her, but that he would not convert to Islam. This infuriated the brothers, who kidnapped him at gunpoint and threw him into their car.


Ghauri immediately reported to the police what had happened. In response, the officer on duty said, “How dare you Choohra (derogatory term for Christian) cast malicious eyes on a Muslim girl.”


Denied help by the police, Ghauri gathered some of his relatives and searched the countryside for his son for three days until finding his body on May 15. The autopsy revealed that Litto had been sodomized, flogged, clubbed, and stabbed five times in the stomach and genitals. He died from the stab wounds. It is almost certain that during the four days Litto was kidnapped, he was offered land, wealth, and his girlfriend if he were to convert to Islam. It was his refusal to become a Muslim that spelled his death sentence in the eyes of these radical Muslims.


Police have filed a court case against the three brothers, but have taken no action. The three young men are roaming freely in the village and telling everyone that they have “taught a good lesson to the Choohras (derogatory term for Christians).”


It is likely that Shazia was operating at the command of her brothers to catch Litto in a compromising situation. It is common in Pakistan for Muslims to use their sisters or daughters to entice Christians to convert to Islam.


Would you consider calling the Pakistani embassy in your country to protest this outrageous miscarriage of justice? Please reference the Atta Shaheed Police Station, which is in charge of the investigation. The exact location of the incident was Adda 46 SB, which is 45km east of Sargodha. The names of the three brothers are Muhammad Aslam Cheema, Muhammad Usman Cheema and Muhammad Akber Cheema.


Pakistan Embassies:


USA: (202) 243-6500, info@embassyofpakistanusa.org
Canada: (613) 238-7881, parepottawa@rogers.com
UK: 0870-005-6967, hoc@phclondon.org

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Christian Man Raped and Murdered for Refusing Islam

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 


CONTACT:
Jeremy Sewall, Advocacy Director
1-800-422-5441, jeremy@www.persecution.org


Christian Man Raped and Murdered for Refusing Islam
Pakistani Caught in Compromising Situation Still Kept His Faith


WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 8, 2009) – International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that a young Christian man from Pakistan was caught in a compromising situation with the daughter of a radical Muslim family but refused to convert to Islam despite her insistence and the threats of her three brothers. On May 15, the young man’s father found his dead body near a canal in a rural Punjab village, after he had been missing for three days.


The young Christian, Litto, was studying for a Masters Degree in English when he met and fell in love with a Muslim girl from his village. During their courtship, she repeatedly attempted to entice him into becoming a Muslim.


Litto’s father, Amjad Masih Ghauri, told ICC, “On May 10th, while my son and that Muslim girl, Shazia Cheema, were making love in a lonely part of the fields, her two elder Muslim brothers found them in an objectionable posture and this enraged them.” Litto managed to escape the scene and ran home, telling his father everything.


The next day Shazia’s three brothers arrived at Litto’s house, where they demanded that Litto convert to Islam and marry their sister. Litto said he would marry her, but that he would not convert to Islam. This infuriated the brothers, who kidnapped him at gunpoint and threw him into their car.


Ghauri immediately reported to the police what had happened. In response, the officer on duty said, “How dare you Choohra (derogatory term for Christian) cast malicious eyes on a Muslim girl.”


Denied help by the police, Ghauri gathered some of his relatives and searched the countryside for his son for three days until finding his body on May 15. The autopsy revealed that Litto had been sodomized, flogged, clubbed, and stabbed five times in the stomach and genitals. He died from the stab wounds. It is almost certain that during the four days Litto was kidnapped, he was offered land, wealth, and his girlfriend if he were to convert to Islam. It was his refusal to become a Muslim that spelled his death sentence in the eyes of these radical Muslims.


Police have filed a court case against the three brothers, but have taken no action. The three young men are roaming freely in the village and telling everyone that they have “taught a good lesson to the Choohras (derogatory term for Christians).”


It is likely that Shazia was operating at the command of her brothers to catch Litto in a compromising situation. It is common in Pakistan for Muslims to use their sisters or daughters to entice Christians to convert to Islam.


Would you consider calling the Pakistani embassy in your country to protest this outrageous miscarriage of justice? Please reference the Atta Shaheed Police Station, which is in charge of the investigation. The exact location of the incident was Adda 46 SB, which is 45km east of Sargodha. The names of the three brothers are Muhammad Aslam Cheema, Muhammad Usman Cheema and Muhammad Akber Cheema.


Pakistan Embassies:


USA: (202) 243-6500, info@embassyofpakistanusa.org
Canada: (613) 238-7881, parepottawa@rogers.com
UK: 0870-005-6967, hoc@phclondon.org


# # #


ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides Awareness, Advocacy, and Assistance to the worldwide persecuted Church.  For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.


You are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference ICC (International Christian Concern) and include our web address, www.www.persecution.org.

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