Christian Guy Shot, Girl Raped

News of violence against Christians continue appearing in Pakistan, especially in the Punjab province where murder and rape of Christian community members have been reported once again.

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Sepro News reported yesterday (April 28, 2011) that 24-year-old protestant young man Sarafraz Paul was shot by members of a Muslim extremist group in Hamza Town, near Lahore (capital of Punjab province). Motorbike riders opened firing on Sarafraz while he was driving along the road with his family. Seriously wounded Sarafraz was rushed to the hospital where he went under emergency surgical operation, and is said to be out of danger now. Whether he is safe from fanatics is of course not at all assured! Sarafraz’s family already had received threats from Muslim extremists.

In another condemnable incident, taking place in Faisalabad, a 24-year-old Christian girl Sehar Naz was abducted and raped for several days by a man who is said to have posed as a police officer. The victim was then left at Faisalabad Railway Station while the rapist has fled without a trace.

While the above incidents targeted Christians, it is worthwhile reminding that rape is becoming endemic in Punjab and local girls, regardless of their religious creed, are routinely abducted and raped, mostly by local landlords. In a recent TV talk show, famous anchor Mubashar Luqman told about provincial assembly members abducting a girl in Dera Ghazi Khan and raping her while also flashing letters of request by young people who wrote to Luqman to convey their angst over the continued abduction of girls and subsequent rape in Punjab.

But what is police doing while all kinds of crimes are rampant? In the same episode of Luqman’ show, police were shown arresting security guards at a housing society in Islamabad after they dared stop the vehicle of a national assembly member Sarfaraz Afzal from Punjab province to check for identity as per standard procedure. The guards were charged falsely by the police with vandalism. However, the charges proved false and the concerned housing society got their guards freed, presenting documented evidence against the police’s claims.