ICC Note:

The abduction, rape, forced marriage, and forced conversion of Christian women in Pakistan continues to be one of the major issues faced by the minority community. As many as 1,000 women face this horrifying ordeal every year according to local human rights reporters. Recently, a Christian woman who was a victim of this abuse escaped her Muslim captor and returned to her Christian family. Unfortunately, the Muslim captor is using local police to hunt down his victim and threaten the family that is now hiding their daughter.  

2/12/2016 Pakistan (Christian Post) – A Pakistani Christian mother of three who was kidnapped and forced into an Islamic marriage with her Muslim landlord last summer has escaped from her captor and is now in hiding, as local authorities have threatened to arrest members of her family if she is not returned to her abductor.

Thirty-year-old Fouzia Sadiq, whose entire family works as bonded laborers at a brick kiln in Pattoki owned by 60-year-old Muslim Muhammed Nazir, was called to come to Nazir’s home on one of her off days last July to provide cleaning services because he was expecting guests.

Although Fouzia’s family was expecting her to return home later that day, she never returned. As previously reported, Fouzia’s brother went to Nazir’s home to inquire about his sister and was told that she would return the next day. When Fouzia did not return the next day, her brother went back to the landlord and was told not to return to the home because Fouzia committed to a marriage with Nazir and was now considered to be his property.

The family then went to the police and requested that the department to investigate the abduction. According to the British Pakistani Christian Association, the police initially failed to lodge an incident report on Fouzia’s kidnapping. It wasn’t until BPCA officer Mehwish Bhatti challenged the police officials on their refusal to register the case that the department finally lodged a report.

BPCA hired a Muslim lawyer who was referred to them to handle the case. After the lawyer met with a local imam, he attempted to delay the judicial process because he came to the conclusion that Fouzia’s marriage to Nazir was legitimate.

As Fouzia has spent over half a year in the clutches of Nazir, the family was able to devise a plan with her, through a secret phone to help her escape.

With the help of her family, Fouzia was able to escape earlier this week and is now hiding out in a BPCA safe house.

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