The Christian community in Pakistan is campaigning for justice for a seven-year-old Christian girl who was gang-raped by four Muslim men on April 23.
Her father was abducted to stop the family from pressing charges.
Saira Iqbal was attacked in the Punjab province. She was taken to hospital and received treatment in the intensive care unit but is now said to be in a stable condition. A gang of Muslims kidnapped her father, Iqbal Masih, to try to force him to reach an agreement with his daughter’s rapists. He was freed by police after two days in captivity.
Reluctant police
The police have seemed reluctant to take action against the perpetrators, but following repeated appeals and pressure from the Christian community and human rights organisations, an investigation has begun.
Churches have held torchlight processions and prayers on Saira’s behalf.
Christian girls and young women are extremely vulnerable to sexual violence in Pakistan. A recent report found that around 700 are kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam and marry Muslim men every year. They may be subjected to sexual assault, rape, domestic abuse, forced prostitution and human trafficking.
