Despite the arrest and charging of serial killer and rapist Imran Ali who murdered 7 year old Zainab crimes of this nature are on the increase in Pakistan.
BPCA learned that just over a week ago a 13 year old Christian girl was raped by a coworker at a farm she was working at. Only the quick-thinking
of a passing neighbour who was alerted by the screaming of her cousin who was also tied up and told she would be the next victim, reduced the
time the first victim had to endure her rape and saved the cousin from a similar fate.
Saira was working as a general labourer on the land of Chowdhry Riasat a local farm-owner on Sunday 14th January 2018 a job she had been undertaking
for the last two years as her parents could not afford to send her to school. All 9 of Saira’s family members also work as cleaners and general labourers
at the same farmhouse in the village of Kotwaris. The family have lived in the village for twenty five years and members of the family have worked
on the farm for 13 years without complaint.
Saira would normally attend church on this day however her brother was getting married on Monday 15th January 2018 so she was obliged to work on the
Sunday in lieu of the day she would have to take off. Poorly paid employment such as a farmhand does is cash-based and employers in the industry
ubiquitously flaunt employment laws that incredibly exist but are rarely applied in Pakistan.
As it was a Sunday there were few others employees, however her cousin Komal (12 yrs) who also needed to take Monday off and another Muslim co-worker
Aamir Zaman (42 yrs) were also working that day.
and committed workers and went about their duties immediately and vigorously. However, despite their exhibited annoyance and demands that predator
Aamir leave them alone, he kept hovering around them and tried to engage with them in an inappropriate discussion with sexual undertones.
He kept asking them if they had watched any porn or romantic movies, whether they had ever fallen in love with anyone and when they were getting
married amongst other uncomfortable questions for the young girls.
The girls kept moving away and continued to demand that Aamir leave them to get on with their work, but their reasonable requests infuriated Aamir
who became angry and violent. He slapped Saira and then hit Komal who both screamed in protest but their reaction angered Aamir even more.
Aamir continued his violence and grabbed Komal by the hair who continued to flail until her strength ran out, he then tied Komal with her own duppatta
(headscarf) to a nearby charpai (string bed). Saira froze in fear and wept as she watched the violence on her cousin Komal. Komal was
still screaming at this point so Aamir picked up a sickle and threatened to kill her unless she stopped immediately. Unable to protect herself
in her vulnerable position Komal went silent and wept bitterly as she heard her cousin Saira being dragged out of the room by the enraged
and psychopathic Aamir. Aamir told Komal that after he raped Saira he would be coming back for ‘some fun’ with her.
Saira was taken to the landowners fields and was ordered to strip and lie down by Aamir who still held the sickle in his hand. Saira had
no choice but to accept her fate and underwent a brutal sexual assault and rape in silence for fear of being killed.
In the meanwhile after a few minutes Komal who was still bound to the charpai started screaming and a passing neighbour named Ali Raza alerted
by the noise, came to the room she was trussed up in, to hear what was causing the clamour. When he discovered Komal he immediately set her free.
Komal explained what happened and the two of them went in search of Saira in hope of rescuing her. As they began their search for Saira they were
met by her father Afzal Masih who arrived at the farm to collect the girls from their workplace as it was time for their shift to end.
Suddenly they heard Saira screaming from one of the fields and Afzal called out aloud, “Saira where are you, can you hear us.” Afzal’s shout disturbed
Aamir during his sexual assault and he stopped his despicable activity and fled. As she watched her assailant disappear form sight Saira
become emboldened and started screaming, and stood up totally oblivious to the fact she was naked, simply wanting to be found.
Saira was soon discovered by her father and Komal naked and totally distraught and Komal helped her get dressed quickly after which she clung to
her father. Ali pursued the fleeing Aamir and caught him as an argument ensued between the two men, local villagers arrived at the scene disturbed
by the noise. As they realised the sordid crime that Aamir had conducted on an innocent young girl, they turned violent and began to beat
Aamir.
Local villagers were going to lynch Aamir until Afzal stopped them and told them that the police should deal with the criminal. Aamir was forced
to got to the house of Chowdry Riasat where the two girls explained what happened to them. Mr Riasat then called the local police who arrived in
minutes at the behest of a senior local figure. The rapist Aamir was taken into police custody and remanded at Saddar wazirabad Police Station.
Remarkably due to the report being made a senior Muslim socialite Saira was taken for a medical examination by the local police at District Headquarters
Hospital Wazirabad and doctors confirmed that she had been the victim of a serious sexual assault.
Saira has been traumatised by the ordeal no longer works at the farm she is suffering from flashbacks and has not even left the safety of her home.
Mother of Saira, Shamim Bibi spoke to the BPCA and said:
“I can’t bear this disgusting attack on my daughter. This evil man Aamir has destroyed her life she is left broken and in despair and it will take a long time for her to recover.
“The audacity of this man to rape my daughter while she was at work even though he was identifiable is disturbing. Both Komal and Saira believe if he was not caught in the act he would have raped them both, killed them and buried them in the fields.
“The man is sheer evil and we wonder whether he did the same to any other girls. I hope he is punished with the full severity of the law and never released to hurt any other victims again.”
Wilson Chowdhry. Chaiman of the British Pakistani Christian Association, said:
“Saira has been put through an ordeal that no 13 year old should go through, her cousin ony escaped because the rapist was caught whilst
enacting his assault. This attack could have been even worse and Aamir may even have intended to kill the two girls.
“It seems that justice will be served in this crime but only because of the strong evidence and the involvement of a kindly Muslim employer of
good social standing. Sadly this favourable set of circumstances is rare and many Christin victims are failed by Pakistan’s corrupt and apathetic
legal system.
“BPCA will continue to counsel Saira and her family and offer whatever other help we can, we are praying for the perpetrator of this crime to be
prosecuted correctly which will deter other would-be-rapists from trying to enact similar attacks.”
BPCA officer Grace Masih vistied the family and prayed with them on 23rd January 23rd, the family have said that they have legal cover and that their case is proceeding well. The family consists of 7 children of whom Saira was the second youngest. Shamim has asked BPCA to cover the costs of school fees for their youngest son Gulfam (10 yrs) at £20 per month and for a tailoring course for Saira at £40 per month, so they can put their two youngest children in a position where they might escape the abject poverty they have suffered with. We would like to provide this gift of learning and seek a donor who is wiling to cover these costs, Gulfam would need a committment for at least 7 years, whereas Saira’s training will require a 2 year commitment. If you would like to help please donate by clicking (here)
The family thanked their employer Chowdhry Riasat whose support resulted in prompt police action against the perpetrator and who helped the family
pay for the medical treatment received by Saira.