Police charge Muslim murderer of Christian father of daughter enforcedly converted to Islam

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Lahore: September 5, 2016. (PCP) The frightened family of a 14 year old Christian girl who was kidnapped, raped and forced into Islamic marriage by a Muslim employer, have won some justice after the murderers were successfully charged for killing of father fighting for her freedom. On the 12th of March 2016 14 year old Mehwish Masih traveled to the house of Zahid Iqbal (30 years) to undertake domestic services required for a birthday party. However Mehwish never returned home and the employer at the time knew nothing of her whereabouts. A few days later the family received a letter that she had willingly converted to Islam and was now married to the employer and denied the family access to Mehwish, who was conveniently away from the employers home whenever the parents visited. Without seeking help from charities Mehwish's father Tanveer Masih sold his home and hired a solicitor who was strongly fighting their case. However the father was shot dead on 31st May after agreeing to a rendezvous agreed with the cousin of Zahid Iqbal, at which he was told he could retrieve his daughter in exchange for dropping the legal case. Read full story (click here) After an initial lacklustre approach by local Police at Sadar Station to the reported murder, BPCA officers pressed for more intensity in the investigation. Eventually evidence implicated Zahid Iqbal, his brother Tahir Iqbal and his father Muhammed Iqbal in the murder and both Muhammed and Zahid Iqbal were arrested on 16th August 2016, however Tahir Iqbal is a fugitive and a police search operation is ongoing. Moreover, during a stern police interview Zahid Iqbal also confessed to the murder of Tanveer Masih and has been charged for murder. The BPCA is confident that this confession will lead to full prosecution for murder within the next few months at Faisalabad High Court. In the meanwhile Sadar Police have stated they are confident a murder conviction will ensue. The murder trial for Tanveer Masih will take place in tandem with the rape and forced marriage case of Mehwish, who is yet to be located. A police search operation is underway for the Mehwish and BPCA calls for people to pray for her safe return to her family. Since discovering the plight of the family of Tanveer Masih the BPCA has been assisting them. We have moved them to a safe home and have contributed to the legal costs to obtain the landmark decision. Unfortunately as the Moreover we provided a safe house for the family and have been sustaining them with food and educational costs. Taking them away from the threats of the relatives of the accused has helped galvanise the family for the necessary court hearings they will have to attend. We will also protect them as much as possible from abuse and threats during those hearings and will be with them at all hearing dates. BPCA have been providing biblically based counselling and general advice. Najma Tanveer, widow of Tanveer Masih, said: "We were hopeless and destitute but God has delivered us. I have lost my husband Tanveer but thank God that I know he is safe in His presence. The cruel men that destroyed our lives will have to answer before God one day but even before then, I believe they will be punished here on earth too. I want my daughter Mehwish back so desperately, she should be in my arms that I can protect and comfort her. Please ask Christians to pray for her safety and return." This is now a second positive decision in crimes against Christians that BPCA have reported back on this year. Something previously unheard off and credit should be given to the Government of Pakistan, for tightening up security measures and ensuring proper police investigation on the cases we have been working on. It must be said however that no judicial process can bring back the father of this beleaguered family, nor will it ever remove the traumatic memories that will have scarred Mehwish for life. This progress in reactive care for minority citizens is also far from ubiquitous and our success will be linked to the profile we have attained. Nevertheless some progress is better then none. Kanwal Amar, an officer of the British Pakistani Christian Association, said: "Helping victims like Najma Tanveer and her daughters has been a blessing to our group. The loss of a daughter/sister was a bitter pill to swallow coupled with the murder of their family patriarch their situation was one of complete despair. Their painful story is one that condemns Pakistani society for the vulnerability of their minorities. Christian girls are targets for sexual predators that too often surface within the Muslim majority, buoyed by a culture of impunity through limp and uncaring statutory authorities and the insouciance of peers and colleagues. We have been able to provide solace and comfort and helped them to grieve their loss, more importantly it would seem that some justice is to be brought to this families situation. God will help them rebuild their lives and just playing a part was a great reward." Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the BPCA, said: "International pressure is starting to bring change and the current Government is fashioning processes that in decades to come may result in a fairer Pakistan. The main challenge they will face is how to remove societal hatred for minorities. The longer they take to amend existing bias in the national curriculum of Pakistan, the more the hatred towards minorities that is inculcated from school age is allowed to fester and will continue to espouse polarization. This simply creates a sense of worthlessness of minority communities."

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"Trial of Pakistani Christian Nation" By Nazir S Bhatti

On demand of our readers, I have decided to release E-Book version of "Trial of Pakistani Christian Nation" on website of PCP which can also be viewed on website of Pakistan Christian Congress www.pakistanchristiancongress.org . You can read chapter wise by clicking tab on left handside of PDF format of E-Book.

nazirbhattipcc@aol.com , pakistanchristianpost@yahoo.com