Christian girl Saima Rasheed 17, was abducted, forcibly converted to Islam and married to Muslim man, Muhammad Murad.

Saima’s father, Rasheed Pervez, registered a case against the Muhammad Murad and his father, Feryad Ali, but instead of arresting them the police were lenient and they got bail, before arrest( from the court.

About 18 months ago Rasheed had a dispute with his Muslim neighbours, Feryad Ali and Muhammad Murad, and they subsequently threatened him with dire consequences.

They started pestering Saima in the street and eventually Rasheed was forced to move to another town – Shadab Colony, Multan Road Lahore – about 25 miles away from home.

Rasheed complaines against the kidnapper and case was registered on 28th January  in Chung Police Station, Lahore but according to Rasheed instead of pursuing the law/case police has been making excuse and using delaying tactics and never arrested  the kidnapper. This is very common practice in Pakistan but instead if any Christian boy had even legally married to a Muslim girl police had arrested not just the Christian boy but whole family could have been detained. During mean time the kidnapper got the bail before arrest from the court.

It is also said that whilst on bail, Muhammad Murad  provided the conversion and marriage certificates investigating police officer Khalid Virk. Subsequently, on Feb 18, the police officer presented his report to court and submitted the conversion and marriage certificates of Saima along with the dismissal of the case FIR.

Rasheed and his family were not satisfied and he requested to see his daughter, but the police officer, on behalf of Saima, told him that she did not want to see her Christian parents as she was happy in her Islamic marriage.

Kidnapping, forced conversion and forced marriage to Muslims is a growing problem. According to reports 700 to 1000 Christian and Hindu girls are abducted, raped and forcibly converted to Islam annually. Minority leaders have raised this matter with the government, but unfortunately it has turned a blind eye to this and several other issues being faced by the Christians and other religious minorities.