Pakistan Police Fail To Recover Two Teenage Christian Girls Kidnapped In Karachi

24-03-2022

Kirsten O’Connell

Pakistan and Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

In Pakistan, police have failed to find two Christian girls, Mariam David and Merab Mohsin, who were kidnapped on March 7 from the Christian colony of Ghaziabad Aorangi Town, Karachi. The fathers of Merab and Mariam, are concerned for the safety of their daughters. Merab was kidnapped on her way home from school while Mariam was kidnapped from the street. The Pakistan Bazar Aorangi Town Karachi police station has registered a case against Muhammad Noman under Section 365 B and have arrested three accomplices, but the police have still failed to recover Merab and Mariam (PCN, 2022). 

Tabassum Yousaf a Christian lawyer, stated that because the girls are Christian and their families are poor, the police will not show any interest in finding the girls. She further stated “Kidnapping, forced conversion and rape cases continue to grow in the country and the reason is that the police and all other institutions become biased, especially when it comes to matters of Christian and other minority girls. “Those who are responsible for stopping these incidents and punishing the criminals are silent and not paying any attention, and are not willing to address the concerns of Christians and other religious minorities. Police often side with the criminals, while courts bring shariah law into consideration and decide these cases in favour of the kidnappers (PCN, 2022).” 

She further stated that the Pakistan Christian Association Karachi is providing free legal aid in both cases. “I have visited both families personally and we are going to submit a petition in the court for the recovery of both girls. We have recently marked another international day for women, but minority girls are not safe in the country,” said the lawyer. Moreover, Saleem A. Rajput, the founder and chairman of the Pakistan Christian Association also complained about the police inaction. He stated “We are very concerned about the growing cases of kidnapping and forced conversion of Christian girls. I request the Christian community and all those who believe in human rights to come and join us in our struggle to stop the forced conversion and kidnapping of Christian and other minority girls in Pakistan. “All the concerned institutions must play their role and the government must make changes to the legislation to stop this from happening (PCN, 2022)."

Sources and further reading: Police fail to recover two teenage Christian girls kidnapped in Karachi. (2022, March 21). Pak Christian News. Retrieved March 24, 2022, from https://www.pakchristiannews.com/details/446