Naveed Iqbal (37 yrs), Saima (35 yrs) and Danish (8 yrs)
A family’s tumultuous period of running from home to home as they sought protection from the violent rapist of a Christian wife and mother of three children has come to an end, after British Pakistani Christian Association stepped in and put them in a safe house. Rapist Khalid Satti who kidnapped Saima Iqbal (35 yrs) 0n 25th February 2019, from her home, before her two of her three children has been scouring the community with violent friends of his trying to find the family so he can thwart justice.
Please sign our petition calling for justice for abducted, raped force Islamic marriage victims (click here)
Saima Iqbal Maseeh, resident of Iqbal town, Islamabad was kidnapped from her home by her Muslim neighbour, and police took around 10 days to recover her from her abductor.
“It was like any other evening of February 25, which later turned into the worst of my life’s nightmares,” said Saima,. Who then went into hiding to escape the clutches of her abductor’s criminal fraternity.
“My husband contracted Pneumonia and was hospitalised for a few days so I went to the local market to buy groceries. Khalid Mehmood Satti who was also a resident of the same community started following me.
“Initially he showed sympathies as I was having to bear the burden of my family, while my husband was poorly.
”Naveed’s admission in hospital was extended and though I declined them, Khalid’s offers of help became more frequent I started ignoring him after I sensed ulterior motives.
“After I ignored him, one day Mr Satti passed an abusive remark when I went to nearby grocery store, so I retaliated with one of my own.”
In the meanwhile, her husband returned home and the family got back to their normal routine. Then on February 25th 2019, at 9pm Naveed left home for an evening shift at the call centre where he works. After a while there was a knock at the door and Saima thought her middle son Danish had returned from the local grocery shop. When she opened the door, she was pushed back and 4 men entered the home and started beating her. They punched and kicked her hit her with the butt of a pistol while shouting abuse at her.
“I instantly recognized Khalid Satti who was with 3 cohorts, he grabbed me by my hair and pulled me outside my house.” said Saima
The abductors threatened her at gunpoint demanding that she walk with them silently or suffer her children being shot.
Saima said that she was pushed into a vehicle and taken to an undisclosed location, where she was intoxicated and raped by Khalid Satti for the whole night. When Saima’s husband was informed of the kidnap of his wife by a neighbour he ran home and comforted his children. He with friends went searching for his wife and then notified the police of the kidnap – they refused.
“The local police didn’t register a case for 3 days till I threatened setting myself on fire along with my children inside police station,” said Naveed.
However before the registration of a police case, Saima had been converted and married to Khalid Satti. Saima has informed BPCA that on the advise of his brother, Riasat Satti on February 26 Khalid Satti took her to Rawalpindi courts and converted her to Muslim faith.
The family will now stay at our safe house until the court proceedings against Mr Satti have ended, enabling them to fight the court case without any duress and work towards a permanent relocation.
Naveed Iqbal with Sehrish Bhatti an officer of the BPCA
Naveed Iqbal who is the husband of Samina, spoke with BPCA’s Sehrish Bhatti, he said:
“I would like to extend great thanks to the donors who have made our safe house and legal battle possible.
“God is a great provider and he has stirred your hearts which has given us some peace from the anxiety and stress we suffer through no fault of our own – for now we are free from the constant threats from the criminal gang who sought us out.
“Our hope reamains in God.”
He provided an update on the investigation which we found disappointing, he said:
“I call the Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) every day, but thus far I have received no update.
“Their woeful performance places my family in more danger as impunity serves only to empower thugs – we are praying for justice and hope a successful court case will remove some of the many evil men that have joined the local criminal fraternity.
“We are living the life of a criminal by having to hide ourselves away, while the culprit Khalid Satti is free to wander without any fear – this is a travesty of justice”
The extremely slow investigation by SIT has meant court dates are being postponed and the family are concerned that the local constabulary is either fearful or being bribed by the powerful criminal fraternity that were involved in Saima’s abduction. Naveed has called upon Christian brothers and sisters across the globe to pray for the safety of his family. There is an outstanding case against Naveed which is demanding the return of Saima to her abductor on the basis of her Islamic marriage and this is creating undue stress for the family.
Saima’s case will be a costly legal battle as Pakistan’s laws are steeped against Christians. If you want to help us bring safety to her and many other victims please donate now (Click here)
Please sign our petition calling for justice for abducted, raped force Islamic marriage victims (click here)
Qamar (12 yrs) and Michael (4 yrs)
