Sindh, Christian kidnapped by Muslims freed

Her name is Aneeta and she is 24 years old. She was found after eight hours and this was made possible thanks to the intervention of the local parish priest. However, the girl's family was transferred to another village to avoid further retaliation.

Hyderabad (AsiaNews) - Her name is Aneeta and she is 24 years old, yet another Christian girl kidnapped in broad daylight from a village in the province of Sindh and recovered after eight hours thanks to the intervention of the local parish priest and some activists. However, the family is currently in hiding to avoid retaliation and threats.

The issue concerns a feud between families: in November 2022, Khadim Masih, nephew of Irshad Masih (Aneeta's father) had moved to his uncle's house for work and started having an affair with a Muslim girl, Imdad Nabi, belonging to the Jakharani tribe, which is very influential in Sindh. In mid-February, Khadim Masih and Imdad Nabi had fled together to the Punjab, but the father of the Muslim girl, Nabidad, immediately thought it was a kidnapping, so he reported Irshad Masih, who tried to contact his nephew, but without success. 

A few weeks later, Nabidad attacked Irshad Masih's house together with a group of about 20 Muslims. After torturing the women of the family, they kidnapped Aneeta and threatened that they would also take away other Christian girls. 

At that point, Irshad Masih, together with other Christian faithful of the village went to Fr. Ashfaq, the local parish priest, asking for help. The priest, thanks to the support of Arif Masih (former Member of Parliament of the Sindh Provincial Assembly) and a group of social activists, succeeded in recovering Aneeta after an eight-hour search. However, Nabidad continued to threaten the Christian family, accusing them of insulting him and kidnapping their daughter. 

At the request of the parish priest, the office of the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (WCJP) of the Hyderabad diocese took up the case and provided legal assistance to Irshad's family. With the help of Msgr. Samson Shukardin, bishop of the Hyderabad diocese, Irshad's family was transferred to another village where they live in hiding to avoid any further incident or retaliation. 

The move was made possible thanks to police intervention because the Muslims in the village did not want to allow Irshad's family to flee and take their personal belongings with them, so it was the local Church that provided them with cots and cooking utensils.

In the meantime, Imdad has been found and returned to his father in recent days.

"First of all we condemn the act of Khadim Masih and Imdad, both of whom created confusion between Muslims and Christians. All the Christian families in the village had to suffer for them," commented activist and politician Arif Masih, when asked by AsiaNews.

"On the other hand, however, the attack on Irshad Masih's house and the torture of Christian women by Muslims is an illegal and inhuman act. They used their power and influence because they are Muslims. They attacked the Christian family because they knew they were an easy target, being a minority, and kidnapped one of their daughters, who was completely innocent. Now the Christian family cannot enter the village because they are still threatened by Muslims,' Arif Masih continued.

"Religious Christians and Muslims should play their positive role to create an environment of harmony between these two communities. In Sindh province, there are many cases of kidnapping and forced conversion of minor minority girls, because the perpetrators know that they are poor and cannot raise their voice against them. The state should take serious measures to protect and save minority girls'.