Pakistan: (By Hannah Chowdhry and Juliet Chowdhry) An 18-year-old Christian woman was tragically raped by a Muslim man in Sheikhupura after being lured to an isolated brick factory. The perpetrator threatened to kill her brother if she revealed the assault.

Ansar Shah, secured interim bail and his relatives continue to pressure her family to settle.

Our safe home (title image) is a significant improvement from their previous living conditions (above), offering Eman and her mother a fresh start. With training and employment support, the family will be able to afford the rent and regain their independence, working towards a brighter and self-sufficient future.

On 7th November, Eman, returning from her job at a shoe factory, was trapped and raped by a man named Ansar Shah. He tricked her into getting onto his motorcycle by claiming he had kidnapped her younger brother, Rehman Masih (17), and that her compliance was necessary for his safety. She was taken to a secluded brick factory, where Shah revealed he had not kidnapped her brother, before assaulting her and threatening to kill him if she reported the crime.   Read original story (here).

When Eman arrived home around 8:00 pm, her mother, Sana Bibi (37), immediately noticed her torn clothes and the trauma Eman had suffered. Eman bravely shared the details of the assault, and Sana Bibi quickly contacted the police. The Saddar Police Station in Sheikhupura responded promptly, and an FIR (No. 2935/24) was registered under Section 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) for rape against Ansar Shah. As a consequence of being from a wealthy and politically connected family, Shah was granted pre-arrest bail, and his family has attempted to silence Eman and her mother by offering a bribe of Rs. 20,000 (approximately £56.25). When Eman refused, she was slapped by a member of Shah’s family.

376.     Punishment for rape

(1)        Whoever commits rape shall be punished with death or imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than ten rears or more, than twenty-five years and shall also be liable to fine.

(2)        When rape is committed by two or more persons in furtherance of common intention of all, each of such persons shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life.”.

On 12th November, BACA visited Eman and her family to offer support. During the visit, Sana Bibi expressed the family’s financial struggles, as Eman had been forced to leave her job due to the trauma. In response, BACA provided £100 in immediate financial assistance and promised legal support.

On 15th November, Sana Bibi urgently contacted BACA, expressing grave concerns for Eman’s safety at their home in Kot Ranjeet Singh, Sheikhupura, after the rapist, Ansar Shah, was granted bail. Fearing retaliation and further harm, she requested immediate help in relocating her daughter. Recognizing the urgency, BACA took swift action and arranged for Eman to stay with relatives in a nearby village while we launched an appeal to raise funds for a safe house. Although we managed to raise £900 towards the total cost, the family’s need for immediate safety was paramount. On 19th November, despite not having secured the full funding for a permanent safe house, BACA relocated the entire family except one brother to a secure property in Lahore. This safe house, located within a Christian community, provides the family with a reduced risk of persecution and offers them the immediate protection they so desperately needed.

Rehman (15yrs) remains trapped in an indentured labour contract, unable to escape his harsh conditions. His family is desperately seeking to reunite with him, and BACA has launched an appeal to raise funds for his freedom. Your support can help bring Rehman home and restore his dignity and safety.

When we tried to move the family on 18th November, Muhammad Akram Virk a milk factry owner intervened, demanding that Rehman Masih (15yrs) remain behind and continues his indentured labour. Mr Virk has a claim on Rehman’s life as his father, who had abandoned the family two years ago, owes the wealthy farmer Rs. 350,000 (£984). Rehman was left behind as BACA relocated the rest of the family to safety. We are desperate to free Rehman from the shackles of slavery and hope to raise further funds to do so.

BACA has provided the family with a comfortable safe house, complete with groceries, kitchen utensils, and necessary household items. Eman expressed her gratitude, saying, “I am thankful firstly to my Lord Jesus and then BACA for standing and supporting me during this difficult time. I want justice so other girls like me may not fall victim to rape.”

Sana Bibi has thanked BACA for their support and has urgently requested help to free her son, Rehman, from Muhammad Akram Virk’s control. She said, “I am extremely worried about my son. I want him to come to me as soon as possible, as I am worried about his safety. Please help me get my son back.”

To support this family, BACA urgently needs to raise £984 to secure Rehman’s release from Muhammad Akram Virk. In addition, the ongoing monthly support cost for Eman and her family, including groceries, is £250. BACA is also working to raise £1,500 to hire a solicitor to represent Eman and ensure that justice is served in her case. Your donation can make a crucial difference in maintaining the safety and securing justice for this family. Please consider donating (here) to support their immediate and ongoing needs.

Sana Bibi, the hapless mother has thanked BACA for all the support and help and has requested to free his son Rehman from Muhammad Akram Virk and hire a solicitor to attend an upcoming hearing fixed on 22nd November.

Juliet Chowdhry, Trustee of the British Asian Christian Association, said:

“The pain and anguish that Eman’s family are enduring is unimaginable. Not only has their daughter been subjected to the horrific crime of rape, but now they are also forced into the heartbreaking separation from Rehman, their son, who has sacrificed so much of his own life to pay off the debt of an absent father. It is disgraceful that, despite the Bonded Labour (Abolition) Act of 1992, indentured labor is still rampant in Pakistan. Small debts grow exponentially under exploitative interest rates, effectively trapping families in a cycle of slavery that they cannot escape.

This is compounded by the deeply flawed Qisas and Diya Laws, which allow rapists and murderers to evade justice by paying a compensatory bribe. These laws leave families like Eman’s vulnerable to further exploitation. At any moment, they could be targeted by a false blasphemy accusation, which would only add further burden to their already unbearable situation.

This case highlights the stark realities of the Pakistani justice system and serves as a painful reminder of the pariah status that Christians continue to face in the country. Achieving freedom and justice for this family would not just be a victory for them—it would be a victory for equality, human rights, and the dignity of all people.”