Christianity News Daily

Assault on Christian Mother in Pakistan Goes Unprosecuted

Rakhil Nadeem Masih was eight months pregnant when a co-worker at a brick kiln near Clarakabad village in Kasur District, Punjab Province, attacked her in her living quarters at the kiln on Nov. 6, said her husband, Nadeem Masih.

Rakhil Nadeem Masih was eight months pregnant when a co-worker at a brick kiln near Clarakabad village in Kasur District, Punjab Province, attacked her in her living quarters at the kiln on Nov. 6, said her husband, Nadeem Masih.

He found her bleeding as the co-worker kicked and beat her, but after Masih took her to a government hospital, a doctor who stated that the violence led to her baby’s death refused to sign the medical report due to the influence of the Muslim kiln owner, Masih said. The kiln owner also influenced police, he said.

“The poor couple’s unborn child was murdered,” Qayyum said. “The medical report certifies that the woman was brutally tortured, which caused the baby’s death, yet the police are still refusing to register an FIR [First Information Report].”

Qayyum said he has filed a complaint with the office of the Punjab Inspector General of Police, “but there has been no progress on it.”

Masih said that his 25-year-old wife had stepped out of their living quarters at the kiln on Nov. 6 to dispose of some garbage when she noticed the co-worker, identified only as Chand, taking photos of her with his phone. Rakhil Nadeem rebuked Chand and returned to her quarters, but he followed her inside and attacked her, Masih said.

Chand beat her and attempted to rape her, the impoverished laborer said, adding that his three children witnessed the violence.

Masih said he tried to seize Chand, but he broke free and ran outside.

“My immediate concern was for Rakhil, who was in a terrible condition,” he said. “I took her to a nearby government hospital with help from some co-workers, where we were told that the baby had died due to the torturous attack.”

Doctors performed an emergency Cesarean section (C-section) on Rakhil Nadeem to remove the baby’s body, Masih said in tears, adding that it was then that he realized they would have been blessed with a second son.

His wife remained in the hospital for more than a week for treatment of internal injuries.

“The thought of filing a police complaint immediately did not cross my mind at that time because all my attention was focused on Rakhil’s condition,” he said. “I had already lost my unborn son, and I couldn’t even think of seeing my three children losing their mother.”

After Rakhil Nadeem returned home, Masih and his father went to the police station to file a complaint against Chand.

“The police asked us to bring the medico-legal certificate from the hospital, which was required to file a First Information Report,” Masih said. “However, when we submitted the certificate, the police refused to register a case, saying that the concerned doctor had not signed the certificate.”

When he returned to the hospital, the doctor declined to sign the document, he said.

He added that Chand was notorious for harassing Christian female workers at the kiln and that complaints against him went unheard because of his association with the Muslim owner.

Chand continues to work at the kiln, and he and his family members have threatened Masih, warning him to stop pursuing legal action, Masih said.

Sohail Habil, executive director of HARDS Pakistan, a Christian rights group, said they had decided to file a legal case against police for inaction against the suspect.

Related Articles

Back to top button