ICC Note:

A Christian woman in Lahore has reportedly been beaten and threatened by local police. The incident follows a Christian man and Muslim woman eloping. According to reports the Christian woman attacked by the police is the sister of the Christian man that eloped with the Muslim woman. Interfaith relationships in Pakistan often cause communal tensions. Reports of Christian men expressing interest in Muslim women can often lead to violence against the Christian community.

6/28/2016 Pakistan (Christians in Pakistan) – A Christian girl was subjected to inhumane torture by the police in public. The incident took place in Lahore’s Haji Park, Taj Pura area where extremists were furious after a Muslim woman who eloped with a Christian man, named Bahadur. After the couple eloped, local Muslims intimidated the family of Bahadur and other local by Christians threatening to kidnap Christian girls and burning them alive.

Reportedly, the woman who eloped with Bahadur was already married and a mother of two. After she absconded, her Muslim husband registered a police complaint against the family of Bahadur and other Christian residents maintaining that they had abducted his wife.

The Christian girl, named Shagufta, who endured the humiliation in public as she was tortured by male police personnel in a market place is sister of Bahadur. Male constables stormed into Bahadur’s house and arrested Shagufta. After dragging her out of the house, they slapped her publicly. The girl was hooked by male constables, which is a violation of law as lady constables are only authorized to deal with and arrest females. Shagufta was then detained in Shad Bagh Police Station.

The police then threatened the Christian community of Taj Pura demanding they present the Muslim woman back to her husband or they would gun down Shagufta and Bahadur’s entire family in a fake encounter.

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