Two Christian Women Assaulted in Pakistan
Abdul Rauf, a Muslim landowner in Sargodha District, Punjab Province, on Jan. 27 attacked Rukhsana Bibi of Chak 11 village, Janoobi Colony, and her sister-in-law, Asifa Bibi when the women went to his field to relieve themselves, said Rukhsana’s husband, Nasir Masih.
Abdul Rauf, a Muslim landowner in Sargodha District, Punjab Province, on Jan. 27 attacked Rukhsana Bibi of Chak 11 village, Janoobi Colony, and her sister-in-law, Asifa Bibi when the women went to his field to relieve themselves, said Rukhsana’s husband, Nasir Masih.
When Rukhsana Bibi resisted Rauf’s attempt to rape her, he struck her repeatedly with the handle of his axe, Masih said.
Though injured, the women’s efforts to defend themselves forced Rauf to flee, Masih said. Rukhsana Bibi, 36, is a mother to four young children, and the 34-year-old Asifa Bibi has three children.
Silanwali Police were reluctant to register a First Information Report (FIR) against the suspect, stalling for three days, Masih said. After a local Christian politician intervened, officers registered an FIR on Tuesday (Jan. 30) but under lesser charges of attempted rape and assault for which bail was available, he said.
Tahir Naveed Chaudhry, a local Christian political leader and attorney, said the FIR clearly states that the suspect was armed with an axe and made a rape attempt.
After Sargodha Superintendent of Police (SP) Investigation Farhan Aslam met with Chaudhry and a team from Lahore-based rights group Christians True Spirit (CTS), Aslam on Wednesday (Jan. 31) directed Silanwali police to include the more severe charges for attempted rape and assault in the FIR, Chaudhry said.
CTS Director Katherine Sapna said they also urged the superintendent of police to direct officers to arrest Rauf.
She said that CTS had also resolved to build toilets at four Christian residences in the village to help reduce the risk of more such attacks.
“Two or three Christian families are living in each of the ten houses of Christians in the village, yet not one house has a latrine,” Sapna said. “Given the problem facing these people, particularly this rape attempt, we have decided to immediately build latrines in at least four houses so that the Christian women and girls would not have to go outside in the fields.”
Christians and people of other minority religions have long been attacked with impunity in the 96-percent Muslim country. Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List of the most challenging places to be a Christian, as it was the previous year.
