On October 19, Rasheed Masih, the father, took a bold step towards justice. He submitted a writ petition to the High Court of Lahore under Article 199 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, urging the submission of a challan for the apprehended accused individuals in this case, as per Case FIR No. 372/2022, under Section 365-B PPC, Cantt police station Okara.
It is disheartening to note that, despite clear evidence, these accused persons remain unapprehended by the police. Their evasion of justice is largely attributed to their influential status within the community and their threats to the petitioner and his family, including the severe threat of falsely implicating them in a blasphemy case, an accusation that could have dire consequences.
The accused individuals have consistently managed to evade the full force of the law, despite their explicit involvement in a heinous offense as indicated in the complaint. Their freedom poses not only a challenge to the rule of law but also a significant danger to the lives and well-being of many who could suffer similar injustices.
Rana Abdul Hameed, lawyer of Mishal, voiced the great failure of the police investigation in this case. The prevailing trend in society is that whenever a minor girl of the minority religion is abducted and raped by Muslim individuals, they take the law into their own hands, disregarding clear legal provisions against such actions. The right to practice one’s religion, adopt any business, and reside anywhere in the country are basic, fundamental, and constitutional rights. However, the petitioner and his family feel unsafe, as all household articles and valuables have been looted and snatched by the accused, leaving them in constant fear.
Joseph Jansen, Chairman of Voice for Justice, decried this heinous act of violence against a Christian girl, forcibly abducted, sexually abused, converted to Islam, and married off to her abductor, with the involvement of state and non-state actors, including courts, police, and Islamic clerics. Jansen emphasized that Pakistan is constitutionally bound to protect the rights and security of its religious minority communities.
Masheel, who was only 15 years old when her marriage was deemed valid by a judge in Okara, even though the legal age of marriage is 18 years, remains in grave danger. He regretted.
Jansen urged the authorities to take strict legal action against those responsible.
Masheel is traumatized, unable to speak, and unable to return home due to her abductors’ claims of marriage. Her abductors wield significant influence in the area, leaving her family feeling helpless.
Rachel Mary, a women’s rights activist, expressed concern that the police consistently favor Islamic groups, treating minority communities as inferior. Muslim extremists often shelter wrongdoers under the guise of converting others to Islam, exacerbating the situation.
The ordeal of the Masih family underscores the urgent need for reform and the protection of religious minorities in Pakistan. Such atrocities continue to afflict the lives of innocent citizens.
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