14-year-old Christian girl abducted from Pakistan’s Faisalabad region

By Rabwah Times -

14-year-old Christian girl Samra Bibi was abducted from her house in Pakistan’s Faisalabad region on September 16th, reports International Christian Concern.

According to ICC, Habib was kidnapped while she was alone at home by man named Muhammad Ramiz who was known in the area for sexually harassing Christian girls. The report claims Police registered the abduction case after pressure from human rights organization, however change the girls age to 16. Habib’s father Munir Masih claims the authorities changed Samra’s age to 16, in order to make her of “legal age” to marry. The report further alleges that Habib was “forcibly converted and married”.

The opening of the investigations led to the arrest of one of Muhammad Ramiz, however according to AsiaNews agency “he was released an hour later thanks to a bribe payment and pressure from local Clerics”.

Naveed Walter, president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan, told media that “minority girls are an easy target for kidnappings, conversions and forced marriages. They are weak [and easy] victims of blackmail, rape and murder”.

Condemning the abduction, Member of EU Parliament Marijana Petir said that the incident was the “latest in a long series of kidnappings and forced conversions of underage minority girls, obtained under threat and after sexual violence.”

Walter further added that sometimes courts are more inclined towards criminals.

Earlier this year in April, another Pakistani Christian in Faisalabad testified against her captor after her release.