Five Pakistani Muslim Men Abduct A Christian Woman

Washington, D.C: January 20, 2010. International Christian Concern (ICC) learned that five Muslim men abducted a 21-year-old Christian girl in Sargodha, Pakistan.

It was reported to ICC that Muhammad Afzal, Maqsood Ahmed, Muhammad Ashraf and two other unidentified Muslim men abducted Asifa Bibi from her home at gunpoint. The Muslim men then dragged her into an unregistered black car and drove to an undisclosed location. Asifa’s father, Nasir Masih, told ICC that Muhammad Ashraf, one of the suspects, had previously asked Asifa to convert to Islam and marry him. In Pakistan, it is common for Muslim men to approach Christian girls and ask them to convert to Islam and marry them. If the girls refuse such advances, the men abduct, rape and forcefully convert them to Islam. Asifa’s family has reported the abduction to the police at Saddr police station. The police chief at the station told ICC that his office is investigating the case and hopes to arrest the suspects and secure the young woman’s release as soon as possible. ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa and South Asia, Jonathan Racho, said, “We deplore the abduction of Asifa by the five Muslim men. We commend Pakistani police for promising to secure the release of Asifa and bring her abductors to justice