Pakistan: Gang-Rape, Murder of a Pakistani Christian Girl

Mr. Raja Pervez Ashraf



Prime Minister of Pakistan

Prime Minister House

Islamabad

PAKISTAN

Fax: + 92 51 9221596

E-mail: secretary [at] cabinet.gov.pk, pspm [at] pmsectt.gov.pk



Re: Pakistan: Gang-Rape, Murder of a Pakistani Christian Girl



Dear Mr. Raja Pervez Ashraf,



I am William Nicholas Gomes, Human Rights Ambassador for Salem-News.com.



I have been informed by BosNewsLife Asia Service with reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos and Pakistan Christian Post that Muqadas Kainat , a 12 years old Christian girl was attacked in Sahiwal city, in the country's east-central Punjab province, on August 14 when people celebrated Pakistan's annual Independence Day, confirmed the Pakistan Christian Congress (PCC) party Monday, August 27.



The incident happened when the girl "went in the fields to pee", the PCC said in its online publication Pakistan Christian Post. "She was gang raped and murdered by give Muslims and never returned home."



Nazir S. Bhatti, the president of PCC, told BosNewsLife he is upset that nearly two weeks after the reported rape nobody has been taken into police custody.



'HOLY UNIVERSE'



Muqadas Kainat, which means 'Holy Universe' in English, was reportedly raped while her father Rafique Masih was visiting his wife who was hospitalized for appendix problems.



The murdered girl was the oldest of seven children of the kiln worker and his wife, PCC said.



A Muslim clerk informed Masih that his daughter's human remains were likely laying in nearby fields, prompting a search involving her father and villagers.

Police recovered Muqadas' human remains on August 15, PCC said, adding that a "postmortem...proved that she was gang raped and later strangled to death by five men."


Local police registered a complaint, known as a 'First Information Report', against the suspected rapists and killers, but there were no reports of detentions Monday, August 27.


REMOTE DISTRICT


"Shaiwal is a remote district of Punjab province of Pakistan and the gang rape and murder of Muqadas Kainat failed to attract media attention or the rush of Non Governmental Organization workers," PCC said.


There are complaints among Pakistan's Christian community that authorities are often unwilling to investigate cases of rape or other violence against Christians, often for fear of influential Muslims or militants.




A Christian youth leader in area, whose name was not identified for security reasons, is helping the girl's impoverished family "to ensure justice", PCC said.


Several Christian girls are known to have been raped and forced to marry and embrace Islam in Pakistan, according to rights groups.



Please note that I have written separate letter to UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief and Independent Expert on minority issues calling for their intervention into this matter.



I therefore urge you to investigate the incident and prosecute the perpetrators and insure the safety and security of the victim’s family.



Sincerely

William Nicholas Gomes

Human Rights Ambassador for Salem-News.com

http://www.williamgomes.org