A Pakistani preacher and his family are in hiding after a horrific scenario in which a Muslim man reportedly raped and harassed the pastor’s teenage daughter.
Pastor Aslam Masih’s 14-year-old was also reportedly near-kidnapped, with the assailant attempting to get her to convert to Islam, Christian Daily International-Morning Star News reported.
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The incident unfolded Oct. 31, when the teen was on her way home from school and was blocked by the accused, and then forced her to go on his motorcycle with him.
Masih’s daughter eventually broke free and fled home.
“Upon inquiring why she had returned home, she told us that [the accused] had been harassing her for a long time to convert to Islam and marry her,” Masih told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “When I confronted [him], he threatened me, saying I should do whatever I could to protect my daughter. I did not know then that he had already assaulted her once.”
The teen was reportedly raped in September, which the family later discovered when she revealed the traumatic event to her parents.
“She couldn’t bear the agony and trauma any longer and broke down into tears,” Masih said. “She told us that [he] and his friends bundled her into a car when she was returning home from school and took her to a house where [he] raped her.”
Worried over the family’s safety, Masih took his daughter and loved ones to a relative’s home. The assailant has since reportedly damaged their house in their absence.
Masih filed a police report Nov. 2, though authorities have purportedly not taken action against the accused, who the preacher said has also been threatening the family in an attempt to intimidate them into dropping the case against him.
But the family is continuing to pursue justice as the case forges on.
As CBN News has reported, Christians face intense persecution in Pakistan. In September, two Christian brothers were accused of blasphemy for purportedly desecrating the Quran.
Tabish Shahid and Kalu Shahid, both 18, could face life sentences if found guilty after a Muslim accused the teenagers of tearing up pages of the Islamic holy book during a village fair. The two were arrested Aug. 27 and charged with blasphemy, Christian Daily International-Morning Star News reported.
The accuser claims Tabish and Kalu — who are reportedly illiterate and from a poor family — flippantly ripped up the pages. The Muslim man filed a complaint with police over the matter and ignited a sure-to-be dire battle for the teens.
But others tell a different and purportedly more complete story. Tabish and Kalu, being illiterate, reportedly had no idea what was on the pages they were ripping up. Find out more here.
As previously reported, these incidents are tragically becoming more routine in Pakistan. David Curry, CEO of Global Christian Relief, told CBN News Pakistan’s blasphemy laws — regulations restricting slights against religion — can lead to such mob violence and evils perpetuated against Christians.
“They have very strong blasphemy laws, which I describe as vigilante laws that give any extremist the ability to make an accusation against a Christian that they have offended — in some way — Muhammed,” Curry said. “And then rile up a mob to attack them, and [in] many cases kill them.”
He said some rely on these blasphemy laws to imprison and dole out the death sentence to Christians, often relying on fraudulent claims to make their case.
“In all these years I’ve been doing this, I don’t remember a case that seemed at all legitimate,” Curry said. “It’s just very common that there are false charges brought.”
Pakistan ranks on Open Doors’ World Watch List as the seventh most dangerous place for Christians.
Curry said it’s important for Christians around the globe to bring together their “collective voice to put pressure on Pakistan.” He noted the nation wants to be part of the business community, encouraging people to shine light on these injustices so people within Pakistan stand up and change these behaviors.
