NEWS:

ATTACKS ON CHRISTIAN GIRLS ESCALATES IN PAKISTAN

       According to the World Evangelical Alliance, over 200 million Christians in at least 60 countries are denied fundamental human rights solely because of their faith. A group that works with persecuted Christians claims that there is a significant rise in the number of Christian girls being raped.

     International reports say that in the middle of last month, two girls were raped as they attempted to use the latrine. The girls' family alleged that three males repeatedly assaulted them overnight. Sardaq Mushtaq Gill, the family's attorney, told the press that in Pakistan, rape is used as an instrument of arbitrary power over christian girls, who come from poor and marginalized families. Its is a form of violence that wants to reiterate the submission to Muslims.

     In another region in the area, a similar report was given of a 14-year old girl that was abducted and forcibly converted to Islam. The girl was later married to her captor. Local Christians and Muslims in the Thatha Gondai area have been involved in negotiations to return the girl to her family.

      Gill said that the rest of the society is not outraged because the victims mostly belong to religious minorities, who are the most vulnerable in the area.