They say lightening never strikes twice, though for Pakistani Christians this old adage means nothing. One irrefutable truth is that there is no place
of safety for Pakistani Christians – their unremitting persecution can and will strike at any time and repeatedly.
Recently two sisters under the care of the BPCA were accused of stealing at the home of a Muslim landlord, for whom they were hired as cleaners.
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Since early 2015 Sherish and Farzana and their family have been living at a BPCA safe house after the two sisters were subjected to a 12 hour gang-rape ordeal and threatened with further violence. The two sisters were abducted at gun point whilst using a field as a toilet during the evening of December 3rd
2014. At the time they were only 14 years and 16 years old. During the attack they were shouted at, beaten, and urinated on whilst undergoing a brutal
rape by three men. Whilst with their rapists they were told that Christian girls deserve such treatment.
BPCA built them a bathroom within their home so they could escape further taunts and threats from the local community. However, when local Muslim’s could not threaten the family at the usual
meeting places, those wanting them to drop their charges against the Muslim men, targeted them through a gun attack at their home.
BPCA moved the family from their original home to a safe house. We began Urdu, Maths and English classes for the two sisters who were both illiterate,
and stitching classes that the girls might find themselves better paid employment. Moreover the father and elder brother of the sisters were helped
into well paid employment to provide the family with some long term stability. We also paid for their legal cover and associated travel and subsidence
costs. Sadly the sisters lost their court case after a witness changed his statement under duress and the benefit of a bribe.
The one year lease on our safe home is now due to expire. It has never been a BPCA intention to breed a dependency culture and the family were
advised that they would have to provide for themselves after the 1 year protected shelter. BPCA agreed to help the family sell their existing home
and obtain an affordable mortgage for a new home of their own in the outskirts of Faisalabad city. The family though fearful of being able to maintain
a mortgage or rent at the higher levels in a city were doing all they could to secure their new future. The two sisters chose to work as cleaners
so they could help their family save for the new move to their own home. This work was of their own volition and not something that the BPCA
were aware of, but illustrates their desire for independence and strong passion to contribute.
The accusation of theft laid against the sisters involved some very large figures that originally included 35,000 Pak-rupees, theft of gold jewellery,
and two mobile phones. However after the initial allegation the figure of money stolen rose to 1 lakh (100,000) Pak-rupees when reported to local
police.
The sisters contacted us in a panic and our officer Kanwal Amar a former tehsil councillor started dialogue with the Muslim landlord, who added
a few more stolen items to her allegation which we found bizarre. Moreover the landlord also queried the ownership of two smart phones possessed by
the girls till they showed the receipts.
BPCA believes the landlord was simply taking advantage of the vulnerability of the young Christian girls and was aware of their home (paid for with
your donations), that was not the usual Christian hovel that Muslims have come to expect.
Kanwal Amar tried to advise them to drop the charges after allowing them access to the safe house to inspect the property and look for stolen items.
Though nothing stolen was was found in their home or on their person the landlord still involved local police in the matter. Police officers
from Batala Colony Police Station under the supervision of Station House Officer Khawaja Imran Manan, arrested their youngest brother who is only 12
years of age and detained him for a few days. However, on the insistence that we would challenge the arrest they eventually released the child, and
eventually dismissed the case due to a complete lack of evidence and concerns about the varying accounts given by the accusing landlord. The reasonable
actions of the police were a consequence of support from a British charity and knowledge that we were communicating with the Pakistani High Commission.
Sherish and Farzana are recovering well.
Farzana, said:
“We were totally innocent but the family were wondering how poor Christian cleaners had a nice home and good phones. They did not know we were supported by the BPCA and their kind donors. We feel like victims all over again, we did not mean to get in trouble when we took on private work – we just wanted to help our elderly father. BPCA have scol ded us for not informing them about the work – we are so grateful they helped us again in our time of need.”
Kanwal Amar, said:
“This was a very dangerous moment for the family. They were extremely lucky we are experienced in such matters. Asa former Tehsil Councillor I have dealt with similar problems. The girls had to suffer the ignominy of 2 private interviews at Batala Colony Police station and interviews with the Landlord and his friends. Finally in the end justice was served and the girls and their family are safe again.”
In Britain, the US, and Europe it is believed that a Christian persecuted in Pakistan need only move to another city to be free of that persecution,
a factor that undermines Pakistani Christian asylum seeker applications. Yet here we have clear evidence that Christians in Pakistan have no safe place
to live in Pakistan.
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BPCA would like to provide some further support to the family of Sherish and Farzana. We have found them a home to move into that will cost only 80
per month in rent. They will move to that home next week and will be able to cover this rent for themselves. However the girls are still
completing their stitching course after which we would like to buy them some sewing machines at the cost of £200 each, so they can start their own
tailoring business. The sale of their house should raise £3000 and we would like to raise a further £3000 that would enable them to pay for two
thirds of the price of a house. The remaining figure of £3000 they could pay through a mortgage that we would help them to obtain. If you would like to donate towards this work please (click here)
The family prayed and gave thanks to God for removing the false allegation.