Christian-Pakistani young woman was kidnapped in Pakistan
then forced to convert to Islam followed by a forced marriage. Shamim Mahmood
(Masih) submitted this news. Here are some links with similar information but
with tidbits of further details if you look at them:
Christian family 'devastated' after
daughter, 24, is kidnapped on the streets of Pakistan and forced to marry a
Muslim man; Daily Mail;
5/16/16 12:06 EST – UPDATED 5/18/16 03:04 EST
Brazen abduction of Christian girl in broad
daylight by two masked Muslim men sparks concern over her safety!
BPCA; 5/16/16
Christian woman 'snatched off street and
forced to wed Muslim but police won't make kidnappers free her';
Daily Mirror; 5/18/16 17:53 – UPDATED
5/18/16 19:27
Pakistan: Christian woman abducted and
forced to marry Muslim kidnapper; Christian Today; 5/17/16
Christian Woman in Pakistan Kidnapped, Forced To Marry Muslim Captor, Family Devastated: 'Jesus is The Center of Her Life'; The Gospel Herald; 5/17/16 12:53 PM EDT
Christian girl, abducted in Pakistan last
year, forced to marry Muslim captor; Deccan Chronical; 5/17/16 2:57 pm IST
Below is Shamim’s version.
JRH 5/17/16
*********************
Christian Girl
Abducted in Broad Daylight
In Christian Populated Area of Lahore
Maryam Mushtaq – The Victim
By Shamim Mahmood
Sent: 5/16/2016 9:05
PM
Islamabad (Shamim
Masih): It was broad daylight, on Thursday, May 12, 2016; a 24 year-old
Christian divorced woman was kidnapped whilst returning home from Excel
Education School, an adult learning center in Bihar Colony Kot Lakhpat, Lahore.
She joined this institution and started learning only few months back, as
Maryam Mushtaq decided to educate herself to help her family out of poverty
that she might be able to earn a higher wage. She was undertaking a very basic
level Matriculation education (GCSE standard) and was hoping to progress onto further
education for an eventual full-time career in teaching.
On the sad day, around at 13:30 hours whilst she was walking
back to her house with her younger brother Rohail Mushtaq (11 years) and Maryam
was fully force grabbed by two Muslim men with their faces covered with masks.
The abductors bundled Maryam into the back of a white Toyota Corolla, Licence
plate LEA -5393. The men hurled abuse at young Rohail and threatened violence
if he intervened and the young man simply froze in fear. However, two men on
motorcycles saw the abduction and chased the vehicle but sadly the kidnappers
escaped.
Mussarat Mushtaq (53 years), the mother of Maryam reported the abduction to local police at Liaquatabad Police Station and registered a first incident report (FIR). Police initiated an investigation on the license plate of the vehicle and then phoned the owner. After two days on 14th May 2015 Police called Mussarat to the police station explained to the family that Maryam had been married to a 32 year-old Muslim man Muhammad Ali and showed certificates of Maryam's marriage to her. Cases like this are normally rejected outright however due to a number of witnesses having observed the crime; it seems Police had no option but to register a crime.
Muhammad Ali ID – Muslim Abductor
I don't read Urdu - Either an FIR or Marriage Certificate
Mussarat told that "Three years ago my husband died of
cancer, two years ago Maryam's sister died. Now kidnappers have taken away my
daughter, I am devastated. Maryam was a good intelligent hard working girl, she
went back to college to improve her chances for employment so that she could
support her family. The kidnappers have destroyed her future. Maryam
had a good relationship with her brother Rohail and remaining sister Khusboo
(23 years), they would know if she had been interested in this man. None of them
have ever even seen him before. Maryam like the rest of us attends church every
week there is no way she would give up her whole life and salvation to marry a
Muslim man. Jesus has always been the centre of her life."
I met the investigating officer Mohammed Razaq, who told him that police were taking this kidnap case very seriously.
"Police are following through on a kidnap and forced marriage charges and are bringing Maryam and Muhammed Ali to the local court in the next few days, for an initial hearing. However, Maryam, has not been removed from the clutches of Muhammed Ali and it is feared she will be coerced into stating she is in a lawful marriage. The fact that she has been found so quickly is advantageous as the pressure applied by the abductors will be minimal; moreover, the daylight abduction yielded a number of material witnesses."
Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the BPCA, said:
I met the investigating officer Mohammed Razaq, who told him that police were taking this kidnap case very seriously.
"Police are following through on a kidnap and forced marriage charges and are bringing Maryam and Muhammed Ali to the local court in the next few days, for an initial hearing. However, Maryam, has not been removed from the clutches of Muhammed Ali and it is feared she will be coerced into stating she is in a lawful marriage. The fact that she has been found so quickly is advantageous as the pressure applied by the abductors will be minimal; moreover, the daylight abduction yielded a number of material witnesses."
Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the BPCA, said:
"Yet again an innocent Christian girl has been kidnapped and forced into Islamic marriage. We do not know the depravity or the brutality she has had to face but her entrapment will have a sordid edge to it no doubt. Police have responded relatively quickly, but had to in circumstances of traumatic daylight abduction that was witnessed by many. The abductors are known and yet the girl still has not been returned to the family and it is feared that corrupt police could collude with the kidnappers if bribed significantly. A justice system that does not permit the release of an abductee to her family is indicative of a flawed and failing rule of law.
May God grant this poor woman
freedom and a chance to fulfill her ambition of becoming a teacher, where she
might be able to teach love and hope where so much cruelty exists."
The family has requested help with legal counsel for Maryam and a safe relocation whiles the lethargic legal process of Pakistan, slowly proceeds. The initial solicitors’ fee will be $500 and a safe house for 3 months will be in the region of $300 per month. If you would like to help with a donation, please contact at shamimpakistan@gmail.com **
** [First contact
Shamim in case he has found an easy way to donate. I like to use Western Union.
SUPPORT Shamim’s Christian advocacy
in Pakistan by Western Union sending
money with this LINK
to the destination Islamabad. Shamim’s email is shamimpakistan@gmail.com,
Western Union may ask for Shamim’s phone - +92-300-642-4560]
Be Blessed,
Shamim Mahmood
Diplomatic Correspondent
Daily Times, Islamabad
email. shamimpakistan@gmail.com
___________________
Edited by John R. Houk
Text embraced by brackets and some links are by the
Editor.
© Shamim Mahmood
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