Hight of Islamic Brutality

The three reported cases of rape and one man charged under the blasphemy law out of many incidents happened only in the month of September, 2005. Alarming number of similar cases are not reported due to death threats, police oppression, and family honor Steve Almas

Ribqa 22 years old Christian girl , another victim of rape by Muslims in September 2005, in Pakistan

A Christian woman has accused three men of repeatedly raping her earlier this month and attempting to force her to convert to Islam, according to a September 27th report from Compass Direct. Testifying in court on September 22nd, Ribqa (22) said Ghulam Abbas and Mohammad Kashif drugged her on September 2nd and took her to Lahore, approximately 100 km from her home. Upon arrival, she was repeatedly raped throughout the night. They threatened to kill her and her family if she did not recite the Islamic creed, which would have been considered an official conversion to Islam. She refused, saying she would rather die than renounce her faith. The next morning she was handed over to another man who was supposed to take her home. Instead, he raped her several times over the next three days. Finally on September 6th she was finally left at a bus stop in Faisalabad Ribqa hired a rickshaw to take her to her uncle's home where she called her parents. Only one man, Abbas, has been taken into custody, and he denies the charges. Ribqa still has difficulty walking because of her injuries. Many girls do not report rapes because of the impact on their family honor, which often is a matter of life and death in Pakistan. "Nobody wants to marry these girls, even though they are innocent," said Khalil Tahir, a lawyer. Father Paschal Paulus, her priest, credits the family for their willingness to stand with Ribqa. Her six younger siblings have been forced to leave school because of taunts and threats. The family has also been threatened by Muslim neighbors if they do not drop the charges.

A Christian girl, Sara Tabasum, 12 years old was abducted and gang raped by 16 Muslim men at Rawlpindi, bordering city of Islamabad, Capital of Pakistan. She escaped after two weeks, when she was being again shifted to some other place in a vehicle; she grabbed an opportunity to jump out of the vehicle on the busy Pindora road and raced away. She was chased but she managed to get away and reached her family.

According to the facts collected by APMA team from Mother and brother of Sara and Sara herself, Sara Tabasum along with her mother Nasreen Bibi and brother Suleman is the resident of Dohk Kala Khan, Rawalpindi. In the last week of June, Perveen Bibi, a Muslim woman along with her husband rented an apartment next to Sara’s house. Both families shared single bathroom and main entrance door.

After few days, these new Muslim neighbours were seen with strangers in suspicious and immoral activities. Many drunken men and women were also seen carrying out immoral activities in Perveens’ house by other neighbours and found out that Perveen and her husband have brothel business. Mother of Sara Tabasum along with other neighbours complaint to the owner of apartment about the immoral activities and their profession. On which the owner of the apartment, ordered Perveen and her husband to leave the apartment immediately. When Perveen came to know that Sara’s mother complaint to the owner, she abused and warned her of dire consequences. Perveen shifted to some other place in the same city.

On 5th September 2005, Sara mother, Nasreen Bibi went to her relatives on a funeral. Sara in the late evening went out to buy dome loafs from the nearby shop when Perveen and her husband Babar, (previous Muslim neighbours) along with another two men intercepted her. They put a piece of cloth soaked in some intoxicant on her mouth after which she fainted.When she regained consciousness she found herself in Perveen’s house, where later three men including Babar, raped her. Sara cried and begged for mercy. Perveen told her that she can be saved if she embraces Islam and get married to one of her Muslim brother. On refusing Sara was beaten badly during captivity and shifted to another house in Sadiqabad where five persons raped her. She was repeatedly asked by Perveen and other men to embrace Islam and recite Islamic creed to save herself from the misery.

She was again shifted to another house in Tench Bhatta where seven people assaulted her. Finally, on 20 September 2005, they made a deal to sell her to another gang and were shifting her to some other place in a vehicle, when she grabbed an opportunity to jump out of the vehicle on the busy Pindora road and raced away. She was chased but she managed to get away and reached her family in the mid night.

Sara mother, Nasreen Bibi continued to search for her since the day she was gone missing. She went to hospital mortuaries (Morgues), Edhi welfare centres, relatives and even approached police on the kidnapping of her daughter.

On 20 September mid night, When Sara reached home, her mother was not at home as she was gone out of city in her search. Sara was in pathetic and appalling state; her brother Suleman was shocked to see her in this condition. He arranged for primary medical aid and inquired from her; she remained in shock and constantly kept crying. After two days when her mother returned home she narrated the entire incident. Her mother went to the police station to register a case against the perpetrators. Police asked for medical examination and took Sara to the hospital, and later on 26 September, at 7:00pm police registered a case against culprits under Hadood/Zina ordinance.After the registration of case culprits are threatening the victim family and pressurizing to withdraw the case. Police is continually in search of culprits but real culprits are not arrested yet as Perveen and Babar run a brothel business and are very influential.

Sara mother appealed for prayers and solidarity. She said, “I will knock every door to get justice for my beloved daughter.”

All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, (APMA) strongly condemned the abduction and gang rape of a 12 years old Christian girl, Sara Tabasum from , Rawalpindi.

It is a horrific, brutal and shameful act, which should be condemned at all levels, as it is the insult of Humanity itself. The incidents of rape, kidnapping, torture, and gang rape are increasing at an alarming rate and the victimized women are begging for justice and protection to save their dignity and honour. The official failure to condemn or punish rape is encouraging the perpetrators to continue to commit such heinous crimes.

APMA has demanded the Prime Minister of Pakistan to take immediate notice of this case, arrest culprits, provide justice and issue public statement to condemn this tragic incident. APMA also asked the government authorities to visit the victim family and share their grievances.