After a 12 year old child was found dead in a canal with strange froth in her mouth and trousers ripped in what looked like a rape, you would think local
Police authorities would initiate a murder inquiry.
Well in Pakistan that is far from the norm especially if you are a Christian.
Tania Mariyam was just such a victim when on 23rd January 2013, she was found dead in the Upper Chenab Canal. Read her full story (here)
When Tania left home that morning her family never expected her to never return. They have been running a campaign with help of the BPCA to gain
justice for their daughter. Through a hard advocacy and awareness campaign we forced local police to open a murder investigation (click here)
Sadly attempts to exhume the body of Tania had been thwarted through court negligence (click here).
Though an autopsy was finally approved by legal order on 16th March, the family of Tania hold little hope that what remains of her body will
reveal what toxins caused the frothing around her mouth. It is believed that the irregular frothing of the mouth is a sign of the use of rape
drugs.
As the family await the post-mortem report they have asked BPCA to initiate a united Pakistani Christian protest, and we hope Christians from across
the nation will join us in support of justice for Tania. Moreover this girls was a daughter of Pakistan so any people from other faiths shocked by
the police insouciance and ongoing court delays are welcome to join in solidarity.
Our main aim with this protest is to call for a judicial review of alleged willful police negligence and to demand the CCTV footage from the school
of Tania Mariyam, which has never been released to her family. They believe that the murderer is visible within the footage.
Please sign our petition for justice for Mariyam (click here)
Nadeem Gill Father of Tania Mariyam, said:
“The police and courts of Pakistan have failed my beautiful daughter. Their delay may have destroyed any chance of proving she was poisoned.
“Despite several attempts to obtain the last video footage of Mariyam alive from the Convent of Jesus and Mary School,I still have not seen it. The footage shows Tania getting into a vehicle with a stranger and they are thwarting our family form identifying the murderer.
“I pray many of you will join us as my heart is full of sorrow and I cannot rest until the man who murdered my daughter is brought to justice. Please help me capture her killer if not he may kill and rape many other girls and other fathers will be in the same position as me.”
To help struggling churches and Christian groups BPCA is willing to pay for coaches for the first few who respond to our request for solidarity.
Date: Saturday 1st April 2017
A march to Tania’s school will take place.
Already groups for Sialkot, Faisalabad and Islamabad have booked coaches and there is space for more of you to join us.
Wilson Chowdhry, Chairmn of the BPCA, said:
“Christians have to show more unity if we are to defeat the ongoing attempts to supress our community. When an injustice occurs we cave in and just accept persecution and discrimination as if it is something we deserve – but that is not true.
“By coming together behind the cause of Tania Mariyam we speak out for an innocent Christian girl, killed before she could reach her prime. A girl who was murdered for her beauty and vulnerability as a Christian.
“Police initially refused to initiate murder proceedings for her case because in their minds a Christian girl is a worthless piece of meat. If nothing else we must change this view by challenging for a review of their attempts to undermine her case because of these predispositions.
“Tania is the same age as my eldest daughter and as a father I have great Empathy with Nadeem Gill, a father who feels alone and isolated. I implore you all to help this struggling father to achieve justice for his daughter.”