Naveed Aziz with Elishba Bibi
Shamim Masih
ISLAMABAD:
After a violent attack on an expectant Christian mother who lost her child due to the severity of the attack, humanitarians and lawyers are calling for justice. The incident which occurred in November last year was based on the apparent untouchable status of Christians (Read more).
The vicious attack involved Elishba being hit with metal poles while other men watched and jeered after an altercation with clients. The argument began after Elishba who provides beautician services asked for the fees for her service from a woman called Rani and her daughter-in-law, who Elishba had just completed work on. They refused to pay and Rani called her sons to attack Elishba who she said had insulted her and should not be able to speak to this way a Muslim. The sons then stripped Elishba naked and publicly humiliated her whilst beating her with metal poles. The BPCA visited soon after the incident and Elishba recalled the attack, she said:
“I was deeply embarrassed at being being stripped naked so publicly the men had no thought of my honour”. Elishba
showed some of the scars on her legs from her brutal attack, these were not her worst injuries. Sadly she also described how the Muslim men beat
her stomach when she told them that she was pregnant, the two assailants told her “Christian children are no better then faeces” as
they murdered the embryo within her. (Read more)
In addition to her child Elishba lost her phone, one weeks wages and gold jewellery which in total amounted to around £400 – these items were stolen by
Rani’s sons. Other Muslim men threw stones at her and laughed as she ran naked from the area. A Christian woman from the local area took her into her home,
and covered her with some spare clothes.
On November 19, 2014, Elishba Bibi, resident of Dagei, Jadeed Christian colony, Rana Town, submitted an application at the Police Station (PS) Ferozwala,
Distt. Sheikhopura against Mubeen Gondal, Muneeb Gondal, Mahjabeen daughter of Mushtaq and Rani Bibi daughter of Mushtaq, stating that Rani Bibi, Mahjabeen,
Muneeb Gondal and Mubeen Gondal had beaten her in the street, torn her clothes off and made her stand naked in the street.
During the attack Elishba alleged that the group of assailants had beaten her badly and snatched Rs.10,000, a gold chain and her mobile. In her application
to the police she explained that villagers in the street had seen the whole incident and that they had rescued her from a potentially more dire consequence.
Elishba submited her application to register a First Investigation Report (FIR) against the attackers, however as per usual police insouciance, poor administration
and deliberate malintent meant that FIR No. 1220/14 under section PPC 354 (assault and use of force on a woman with the intention of shaming her modesty) and
PPC 379 (theft), favoured the culprits and the case was dismissed during initial local court proceedings.
It transpires that the culprits had friendly relations with the local authorities, Police and even a PML-N parliamentarian. Knowing that their wealth
and associations placed them in a place of strength the cheeky perpetrator of the attack on poor Elishba, Rani Bibi submitted a counter-application
in Police Station Ferozwala against Elishba and six other persons, who had appeared as witnesses for her.
Brave Elishba was not satisfied with the investigation made by the local police and fought against the counter-claim laid by Rana Bibi. A hurdle
that few thought she would succeed with due to their obvious power and influence, and the weight of history in similar claims.
Her defence council Malik Zaman Haider Gujjer argued that the police has maliciously ruined key facts and that their initial report favoured the
culprits through maladministration and poor evidence collection. He successfully argued that the original FIR should have been registered under the section
PPC 354-A (assault and use of force on a woman and stripping of her clothes with the intention of shaming her modesty and exposing her to public view);
L2 337-F1(intentional harm to a person); 379 (Theft); 506 (criminal intimidation); 34 (criminal behaviour by a group, each member is jointly and equally
culpable) and 452 (trespassing on a property with intention to kidnap, restrain, intimidate or assault) and after a successful hearing, her appeal for
a review of the original investigation has been accepted. Lahore High court has now ordered the police to reinvestigate the case, accepting Elishba’s petition.
The BPCA has given one month’s food provisions for Elishba and her family and next week Mehwish Bhatti will be visiting her to take her to a goldsmiths
and replace her stolen jewellery. Our visit to Elishba was delayed due to her going into hiding after our original guide, the owner of a former Pakistani
charity, failed to arrive at our meeting point on the scheduled date. Your BPCA team has been extremely embarrassed by this delay but we did not
give up and are grateful for Shamim Masih, and his wonderful detective work, in making this encounter finally possible. Mehwish Bhatti has expressed
great excitement at finally meeting with Elishba, she said:
“When I first joined the BPCA Elishba was the first person I was sent to help, however acts transpired against us and it has taken ten months to finally meet my brave sister. Wilson and I have been praying hard for a breakthrough and God has made a way. I can’t wait to take Elishba shopping! Her marriage gold was stolen, which will have hurt her confidence and pocket, but we will replace it to restore her sense of self esteem as it is important to her culturally. Moreover, I will assess how we can assist her and will make sure the BPCA gives her the help she so rightly deserves. When I think of the loss of her child I cry, but news of her legal breakthrough spurs me and the BPCA team on. Through God anything is possible.”
Elishba, a mother of 4 growing children, works as a beautician in various houses to make a living. Her children are all quite young aged 10, 8, 5 and
3 years. As a consequence of this incident, she lives in hiding and is struggling to finance her home. At the time of the attack she was 3 months pregnant
and lost her expectant child which has left her scarred for life. Not a day passes when she does not feel that loss or remember the humiliation and
terror of her ordeal.
While meeting BPCA representative Naveed Aziz in the office of her defence council, she started weeping and explained more of her difficult situation.
She said:
“Sadly my father and brother died in recent years, they used to support my children and I as my husband is unable to work. My wages are only a few thousand rupees per month so I cannot even afford to send my children to school now. I used to go to many more homes to work but after the attack I am too scared, I was dishonoured publicly and was expecting to die due to the threats that I would be burned alive. We were living a stable enough life before this attack now I find myself in despair.”
Elishba has made it clear that she desperately requires help with the school fees for her children which will be £30 per child. She has specifically
asked for our help with this saying that she would really like to see her children educated properly so that they might prosper in life. She has also requested
help with the cost of her defence counsel fee and other expenses which is around £400.
Pakistani
police normally do not investigate cases on merit alone and will only take action when outside pressure is applied. Since Christians are a deprived
group who do not have the resources required to exert pressure on the authorities their voice often goes unheard. Unfortunately the courts are also influenced
all too frequently by religious extremists and government institutions, making justice for Christians elusive.
Wilson Chowdhry, BPCA Chairman, said:
“Elishba Bibi has undergone a really traumatic experience and despite the pain she suffered, and the numerous witnesses who saw this, the Pakistani legal system has failed again in protecting its most vulnerable citizens. Unless legislative change brings about stronger more stringent processes to protect minorities, the ongoing hatred and pariah status of Christians will only worsen.Brave Elishba as a woman in Pakistan of Christian origin has shown us that through struggle things can be achieved. We at BPCA intend to support her as much as possible and I pray that people will respond to our appeal for this beleaguered woman.”
Please sign our petition click here
Please pray:
God’s comfort and healing for Elishba as she grieves her lost child and continues to come to terms with the terrible ordeal she has been through.
Strength and courage for Elishba during the court case and that her attackers will be held accountable for their awful actions.
Elishba can come out of hiding in order to work in safety and without feeling ashamed to provide for her family.
Her children will be well fed from now on and she can send them to school.
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With your support we hope to change the lives of millions of Christians in Pakistan.
