ICC Note:

Christians in Pakistan are often treated like second-class citizens by both the country’s Muslim majority population and government. According to reports in Pakistan, a 8-year-old Christian girl was raped by three Muslim men in the province of Punjab. Local authorities attempted to silence the victim’s family by pressuring them into not filing a case against the girl’s attackers. Fortunately, the media got involved after the Christian community staged a sit-in at the police station demanding justice for the little girl. Please pray for justice and the wellbeing of the 8-year-old girl.

4/28/2014 Pakistan (Pakistan Christian Post) – Dr. Nazir S. Bhatti, President of Pakistan Christian Congress (PCC), has strongly condemned the silence of Mian Shahbaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Punjab, on incident of gang rape of a 8-year-old Christian girl in district Sialkot. The incident happened in a constituency where the National Assembly of Pakistan and Punjab Assembly seats are currently held by Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Group PML (N) of Cheif Minister of Punjab and Mian Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan, who is the elder brother of Mian Shahbaz Sharif ruling Pakistan.

The 8-year-old Christian girl was gang raped by three Muslims on Easter Day in the village of Malloke in Sub-District Daska of District Sialkot. Due to pressure from the media, local police arrested the three culprits but released one and kidnapped father of the victim to pressure him into withdrawing the case. The family of culprits are very influential and have contacts with leaders of ruling PML (N) who look to be supporting them.

Whenever Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz PML (N) comes into power in Pakistan, violence against religious minorities raises in general and against Christians in particular. In 1997, when Mian Nawaz Shrif was Prime Minister of Pakistan, the Christian village of Shanti Nagar was burnt to ashes and none of culprit were brought to justice. A report from high level Commissions formed to investigate incident of Shanti Nagar was also never published.

When Mian Shahbaz Sharif previously held the position of Chief Minister of Punjab, the incident of Gojra took place in which Muslim mobs set of fire more than 60 homes and burnt eight Christians alive. There were similar attacks in villages Korian and village Bahminwali in District Kasur on Christian life and property during this time as well. A judicial commission was also formed to investigate the Gojra carnage and its report was posted on Government of Punjab Website. Unfortunetly, nothing was punished regarding the police officers who failed to protect the lives of Christians.

Recently, since PML (N) has come back into power, Christian women were paraded naked in District Kasur, but their attackers are free on bail making a mockery of justice. There are also a rising number of blasphemy cases against Christians in Punjab province, which is ruled by PML (N) leader Mian Shahbaz Sharif.

Hundreds of Christians from Punjab province are fleeing from Pakistan and taking refuge in other countries of South and South East Asia. This is likely due to the rule of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Group PML (N) and the substandard treatment of Christians by Mian Shahbaz Sharif.

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