Sialkot, Muslim kidnaps 13 year old Christian girl and forces her to convert to Islam
Sialkot (AsiaNews) – Yet another case of the kidnapping and forced conversion to Islam of a young Christian girl in Pakistan. The kidnapping dates back to November 9; the victim is 13 year old Sana John, who until a few days ago lived with her family to Haji Pura, in the city of Sialkot, Punjab province. Yesterday the family demonstrated in front of the Press Club to protest the authorities inaction, despite numerous complaints filed by the parents of the victim.
Shahid John is the father of six children, three boys and three girls. On November 9, he left home at 7.45 am, for work. A little later, around 8 o'clock, the two daughters (Sana, the eldest and her sister Hina) started walking towards the school. Hina tells AsiaNews: "On the way to school a guy named Rambo, the son of a rich local Muslim, stopped us and took Sana by the hand, dragging her away".
"He turned to me and told me to go to school. Sana tried to rebel, saying she wanted to go to school too. Rambo, dragged her with him, and ordered me to leave. I was afraid, and I ran immediately to the school. I haven’t seen my sister since she never came back”.
Initial reports reveal that Rambo has forcibly converted the girl and threatened her father, Shahid, not to report the case to police or another of his daughters will be kidnapped. In addition, the family of the young Muslim has called on local Islamic leaders who have deployed the local mafia against the Christians.
Despite the threats, the Sana’s parents lodged complaints with the police. However, police have taken no action, not even the district judges have moved to return the girl to her family. "Sana was a lovely girl," says the father, who had dreams of "becoming a doctor. I haven’t slept since her kidnap. I wander from office to office in search of justice, in vain. " Police and judges seem inert. "In Pakistan - he adds - there is no justice for the poor and the underprivileged," especially if "they are Christians." Her mother remembers how Sana was "a brilliant student" ready to help "in the household".
One of the organizers of the protest at the Press Club of Sialkot, in support of the kidnapped girl and her family, was Fr. Zeeshan Alam who explains that "it is not the first time that such a thing has happened". "Thousands of underage girls - he adds- are taken by force and forced to convert to Islam, while authorities turn a blind eye. And, even worse, the political leadership, even Christians in this Parliament, who live in luxury, do nothing to address events of this kind and help families in difficulty".
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