Pakistan: Pakistani Girl Suffers Acid Burns For Clinging to Her Convictions, Pakistani Christian Girl Raped, Page 3

ICC Home Page > News/Reports > CONCERN Index

August 2002

Articles in this issue: Pakistan - Our New U.S. Ally?, Page 1 | Pakistan, Page 2 | Pakistan, Page 3 | Pakistan, Page 4

“...Loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke.” Isaiah 58:6

Pakistani Girl Suffers Acid Burns
For Clinging to Her Convictions (continued)


	Family members of 16-year-old Shakeela

After this incident, Gulnaz came out on the road and started screaming. Some people came and threw water on her face and then took her to hospital. It was more than 20 hours until her parents were informed about what had happened.

Adding insult to injury, her employer, Naseeb Ali, who himself witnessed the attack but did nothing to help the girl, asked the police not to bring charges against Tariq Saleem. Nevertheless, the police finally did bring misdemeanor charges against him after it was learned that the girl had burns on 40% of her body and may not survive. Now the police are putting pressure on the girl's family not to file criminal charges. Naseeb Ali has been attempting to get the family to accept money if they agree to remain silent. The poor parents of the girl realized that they do not have much chance to get justice as long as the court sides with the accused.

ICC was then asked to help. ICC is offering hope to Gulnaz and her family by providing financial assistance in order to meet their medical and legal expenses. Without additional help, adequate treatment will not be made available. The parents of the girl can not afford the expensive treatments that their daughter will require.

Because Gulnaz refused to give in to the sexual advances of her attacker, she has suffered tremendously. In a feeble voice, she told her father who was at her bedside: "Father, I did not accept the sin that he [Tariq] had demanded. I saved your honor and did not compromise my Christian faith."

Please pray for the recovery of this once pretty girl, who is now blind and disfigured. Pray that justice will be served.

Pakistani Christian Girl Raped

Like many young people her age, 16-year-old Shakeela Siddique has to deal with the poverty Christians endure in Pakistan by working to help provide for the family.

One day upon reporting to work at the home of her Muslim employer, Mr. Azam, Shakeela was raped at gunpoint. He had sent his wife and children into town in order to secretly carry out his evil plan. After having his way with the defenseless girl, Azam then threatened to kill her and burn her family to death if she told anyone.

Ashamed and horrified, Shakeela quit her job as one of Azam's domestic servants. However, after two months, Shakeela realized that she was pregnant, making it necessary to tell her parents about the rape. Shakeela's father, Siddique Masih, approached Azam, but was mercilessly beaten. As is the common treatment of Christians in Pakistan, the police refused to help, especially because Azam is very influential in the village. Suffering much mental anguish, and because of the severe social stigma of being pregnant out of wedlock, Shakeela felt she had no choice but to have an abortion and save her family from further shame.

Shakeela's mother told ICC that before the rape "Shakeela was a committed Christian girl and prayed daily. She was very caring for her family. That is why she wanted to contribute to lower the financial burden of her father." Shakeela had decided to work for Azam to help support her six brothers and sisters. However, her life has been drastically changed by the rape. Her father told ICC: "My daughter is now like a living corpse. No Christian in our village can even think about raising their voice against a Muslim." Siddique's family is one of 50 Christian families in a predominantly Muslim village.

(Click here for more information on Pakistan.)

PLEASE HELP!

The efforts of ICC include meeting the medical, legal and physical needs of persecuted Pakistani Christians, such as Gulnaz and her distraught family. Let us "remember those who are persecuted and ill-treated as though suffering with them" (Hebrews 13:3). Your gifts are greatly appreciated!

You can also help by sending an e-mail with your comments and concerns to Pakistan's President Musharraf at CE@pak.gov.pk.

Continue to Page 4...

POSTED: August 17, 2002