Sana’s family (further images at bottom of page)
A Christian girl from New Miana Pura Roras Road, Sikandarpura, near Sialkot, has joined the growing list of adolescents to have been forcibly converted
to Islam and then married to a Muslim man.
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An FIR was registered in Hajipura police station on Monday 9th November 2015, by Sana’s father Mr Shahid Jaan, 47, reporting that Sana Bibi, 13, had
been abducted, raped and forced into Islamic marriage by a Muslim, Waheed Akhtar, and currently an investigation is underway.
Sana and her sister Hina were studying at Government Primary Girls School, Mianpura, and attended the same class. In total there are three sisters
and three brothers in the family.
On the day of the incident Hina was accompanying Sana on her way to school, a trip they had always undertaken together. On the way they were met by Mr
Akhtar, known locally as ‘Rambo’ Mr Akhtar knew the girls as he had previously lived in the house to the rear of their former home. Mr Akhtar started
talking to Sana and asked Hina to carry on going to school advising her that he would make sure her sister arrived there safely. As the girls
knew Mr Akhtar, Hina carried on travelling to school not thinking any bad of the situation. After school Hina waited for her sister who she then
discovered had not arrived. Terrified and concerned for her sister Hina ran back home and informed her family. Sana’s mother, Nosheen,
42, and her paternal aunt went to Mr Akhtar’s home which they knew well. They knocked on the door but there was no response, so they waited for
two hours and then returned home anxious and distraught. The women simply began to pray asking for God to intervene in the situation and awaited arrival
of the father, as in Pakistan’s patriarchal society men are required to get a decent response from local police.
When the father Shahid Jaan, a poorly paid labourer, returned home he was very shocked to hear of his daughter’s abduction. He immediately travelled
to Mr Akhtar’s home with Main Zubair, a local Muslim elder, to demand the return of his daughter. Again he was met with no reponse at the door
so he called the local police who arrived immediately and forcibly entered Mr Akhtar’s home. They found only children in the home and on questioning
none of the children gave away the location of Mr Akhtar.
Shahid Jaan, said:
“The shock of this debilitating news made my legs tremble. My innocent vulnerable girls were walking together for their safety, a trip they undertake so often, but this evil man was waiting for them. Waheed Akhtar used his familiarity with my girls to take advantage of them and satisfy his predatory and perverse nature. He took the elder of my daughters by force and Hina my younger daughter came running back home from school, alone and traumatised. We have visited Waheed Akhtar’s house as he and his father are well known local butchers and lived behind our old home. When the family refused to open their door I went to the police station and registered a complaint. I am praying for my daughter’s safety and return every moment I can now.”
Assistant Sub Inspector Muhammad Ashraf who is lead officer for this investigation informed our chief reporter Shamim Masih that police had conducted some
raids to recover the girl:
“The lawyer of the accused has contacted us by phone and sent a written request as well. He has told us that they have got pre-arrest bails from the court and would join the investigation on Monday. We have been advised that the alleged victim is 15 years old and that she first converted to Islam and then married Waheed.”
Ashraf explained that local police were being extremely cooperative and immediately registered ‘First Incident Reports’ (FIR) against five suspects on
receipt of Shahid Jaan’s complaint. However since the registering of the case police impetus now seems to have waned.
On Tuesday Mr Akhtar called the family and threatened them. He said:
‘’I have married to your girl and she is Muslim now so whatever you want to do you can do. The law is on my side as I am a Muslim and you are just kaffir”.
Mr Jaan has confirmed to the BPCA that Sana was born April 17, 2002, which means she is under the legal age of consent for marriage, which currently stands
at 14 years in Pakistan. He further explained that Sana’s age can be confirmed via her NADRA (ID Card) as well as the maintained school record.
Wilson Chowdhry, Chair of the BPCA, said:
“This attack reinforces the report by Muslim NGO ‘Movement of Solidarity and Peace’ who stated 700 Christian girls are forcibly converted into Islam by
rapists, that use Sharia Law to act with impunity. Sadly these cases go to Sharia Courts where Christian lawyers are not allowed to defend victims
and Muslim lawyers notoriously provide shallow prosecution services meaning Sana is more than likely going to remain in an abusive relationship for
the rest of her life. The majority of the girls abducted in this way are around 12 years of age, so laws regarding the legal age of consensual
marriage could save a large proportion of victims, however failures by the government to enforce these laws suggests that passion for justice is non-existential.”
“The family
have asked us to provide legal counsel and to reserve a fund for potential relocation of them temporarily as they are already receiving threats demanding they drop the case. We have provided food parcels and will help the family through other financial trials as they champion freedom for their daughter.”
Please pray:
For God’s hand of protection to be on Sana and for her safe and swift return. She is a 13 year old school girl whose thoughts were focused, like
any other’s, on her homework, her chores, and playing with her siblings. She is not equipped in any way to cope with this horrendous abduction,
rape, forced conversion, and marriage. She is a child and under the legal age of consent.
For her parents and family as they try to bring her home and end her nightmare.
Pray that Muslim men will no longer see Christian girls as easy prey and that the Pakistani authorities would no longer be complicit in these atrocities
against minority women.
Poor Christians living in rural areas simply do not have the finance to hire Christian lawyers who are either inadequately competent or charge high
fees. Eventually, charges are dropped in favour of compensation when all access to justice is prevented in this manner. The BPCA intends to bridge
the gap and enable victims to have a decent legal provision but needs your help to make this a reality. If you would like to donate to our work
to help us raise the funds necessary for providing safe homes and legal cover to affected families, then please either click ‘donate’ on
our website or send your gift using these details:
Payee: BPCA
Sort Code: 20-44-22
Account number: 43163318
Bank: Barclays
Ref: Love for Sana Bibi
For international donations please use these details:
IBAN: GB62 BARC 20442243163318
SWIFTBIC: BARCGB22
Alternatively you can give via PayPal, our email address is info@britishpakistanichristians.org.
Cheques should be made payable to the BPCA to our address: 57 Green Lane, Ilford, Essex, IG1 1XG.
BRITISH PAKISTANI CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION is a trading name for BRITISH PAKISTANI CHRISTIANS LTD which is a charity entered onto the Register of Charities with the Registered Charity Number 1163363
Thank you.
With your support we hope to change the lives of millions of Pakistani Christians.
