Tags

Pakistan

• Christian Girls Abducted

  

  At least four Pakistani Christian girls have been kidnapped in the first two weeks of 2022, continuing a trend that has become increasingly prevalent across the country. In many cases, the abducted girls are forcibly converted to Islam, married to their kidnappers, and then held in captivity – an outcome justified by fraudulent marriage and conversion certificates. To read about previous instances, go to our country report.

• Death Penalty for Longtime Prisoner; Bail for Another

  

  On January 3rd, a judge at the Rawalpindi District Court in Pakistan ruled to change a Christian pastor's sentence of life imprisonment to the death penalty. Zafar Bhatti has been imprisoned on charges of blasphemy since July 2012. After five years, he was ultimately convicted and sentenced to life in prison. The charges arise from an alleged text message, yet Zafar denies that the phone in question was even registered to his name. For more information on the ordeal facing this Pakistani pastor, view these reports.

• Teenager Safely Returns Home

  

  In October 2020, Arzoo Raja was abducted from her family home in Pakistan, forced to convert to Islam, and then married against her will to the perpetrator of the crime – all this occurring when she was only at the age of 13. Her concerned Christian parents took legal action against her abductor and, ultimately, the courts nullified the young teen's marriage because of her age. However, due to the coercion and pressure she continued to receive from her kidnapper and others, Arzoo initially did not want to return home. So, instead, she was placed in a shelter. While any access to the attacker was forbidden, visits with her family and others were permitted only when requested by Arzoo. Previously posted information on this case is available here.

• Christian Prisoner Acquitted

  

  Blasphemy accusations have been used as weapons against Christians in Pakistan for many years. The world's attention was most recently drawn to this situation through the case of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who was accused in 2009 and sentenced to death. After finally being acquitted and released ten years later, Asia was forced to secretly flee the country.

• Christian Nurses Released on Bail

  

  In a decision referred to as "unprecedented," a Pakistani court granted bail for two Christian nurses who were accused of "defiling the Quran." The women received bail on September 23rd, but the decision was kept secret to avoid backlash from militant Islamists.

• Sentence Appeal Meets Ongoing Delays

  

  Pakistani pastor, Zafar Bhatti, has been in prison since July 2012 after being charged with allegedly sending blasphemous text messages. Five years later, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for blasphemy – a charge based on allegations he continues to deny. In June of this year, an appeals court upheld the pastor's sentence, despite conflicting evidence. For more information on the circumstances surrounding his case, go to this page.

• Cross Removed During Church Opening

  

  The Church of the Nazarene is the only place of worship in Tibba Sultanpur, a large town located in Pakistan's Punjab province. Initially, the members of this church had been meeting in homes, but when the congregation increased in size to about 80 members, there was the need to accommodate the growth by constructing a building for corporate worship. According to Pastor Yaqoob, neighbours had been informed of the building plans in advance. Since there was no opposition to the church's plans of construction, they proceeded to erect the brick building in July.

• Christian Medical Worker Forced to Decline Promotion

  

  In recent months, a number of healthcare workers in Pakistan have faced opposition because of their Christian faith. In April, two nurses were charged with blasphemy after following instructions from their supervisor (see this report). In another instance, a nurse was accused of blasphemy by her co-workers for no apparent reason and subjected to abuse (read more). The latest reported case involves a Christian man who had been threatened and assaulted after receiving a promotion to a leadership position at his place of employment.

• Acquitted Couple Finally Released!

  

  In Pakistan, many Christians have been falsely accused of blasphemy, resulting in years of imprisonment. If released, their lives are frequently in greater danger outside of prison due to the threat of mob violence --- posing them to conditions that are far more serious than those they faced while in prison. To learn more about what life is like for Christians in Pakistan, and to read about the situations they have encountered, go to our country report.

• Young Teens Forcibly Converted by Employers

  

  Two 13-year-old girls from Christian families have been forcibly married to their employers and converted to Islam in separate incidents. These recent cases further demonstrate the ongoing abuse of young Christian girls in the country. It is estimated that about 1,000 believers were married against their wills to militant Muslims between November 2019 and October 2020. For information on Christian persecution in Pakistan, and to read reports about other instances of forced conversion, go to our country report.

  Nayab Gill
  On May 31st, Shahid Gill received the devastating news that the custody of his 13-year-old daughter had been given to a 30-year-old man who forcibly converted her to Islam and then married her.