Sadistic rape and killing of Shazia Bashir a 12 year old Christian girl in Pakistan

www.britishpakistanichristians.org

Disgraceful! Look at the wounds on Shazia's neck and face.

Her body lying peacefully in death - subjected to torture in her last moments.


Just a child - her body had not even developed full adult characteristics!


At 14 this child living a life of poverty, needed to work to support a family.

Wounds cover her face, head and neck!

Tortured and beaten before being raped - I pray for justice for the child and her family.

The accused Lawyer smirks in a photograph.

Last night we heard of the tragedy that has befallen the nation of Pakistan. It has been alleged that Shazia Masih a 14 year old Christian Girl in Lahore, Pakistan - as killed in an act of vile debauchery. A prominent wealthy lawyer Mohammed Naeem has been accused of the rape and torture of the innocent girl who was working as a cleaner in his home. The young girl had not even reached physical maturity and in her underdeveloped stage could be misconstrued as being much younger.

Retired General Samson Sharaf has informed me of some progress this morning:

"The Federal Minister for Minorities - Shabaz Bhatti is with the family. Our President, Prime Minister and Chief Minister have issued orders for the apprehensions of the culprits. Human Rights organizations have already coalesced. Things are moving. As regards the compensation to Pervez Masih Shaheed (regarding a Christian martyr that saved Muslims Girls at a School by sacrificing his life for theirs during an explosion), The federal Government is in pipeline and will be paid to a whole group of affectees together. As you would realize, government issues assistance in packets. Blame also goes to those numerous Cristian NGOs who make money on bonded, force and child labour issues and yet do not convince/educate people enough."

The lecherous and pernicious aggression that has been meted out on Shazia has left the Christian community of Pakistan in turmoil. People from minority faith groups predominantly live in impoverished areas and are subjected to perpetual abuse and threats from local Muslim communities. Moreover, a lack of education or employment opportunity has left the beleaguered communities languishing in debt and destitution.

The British Pakistani Christian Association has only recently organised multi-faith delegations to Green MEP Jean Lambert (South Asian delegate for the EU) and to the High Commissioner of Pakistan, campaigning for Justice, Peace, equal rights and parity of opportunity in Pakistan.

Both the High Commissioner and the BPCA delegation believe that a root cause of the situation in Pakistan is the lack of education and significantly biased legislation, coupled with corrupt statutory organisations. Yet no solid groundwork is being undertaken and no plan of action devised to tackle these significant problems.

The fact that this child was working at 12 years of age and is not attending a school, is a failure of Pakistani society and it's government. Free education should be provided to the poorest of families in Pakistan or the impoverished will bypass the educational system. Child protection laws with respect to education and work should be introduced. Child labour times should be restricted to those outside of school hours (for those aged 14 and above) and only with appropriate health, safety and security risk assessment. Moreover, families should be encouraged to send their children to school by laws imposing attendance and removal of Islamic Studies from the mandatory curriculum, in favour of a more general religious education that would foster better relationship between students of diverse faiths - by sharing customs and principles that are often similar in philosophy. Besides, this would also remove the common perception that Islamic studies will be used as a tool for proselytising, that deters parents of minority groups from sending children to school.

Police authorities were reticent to enact the FIR for the incident despite the fact that such process is a mandatory privilege to all citizens. Police corruption and statutory authority corruption allows first and second class citizenship to continue. Wealthy individuals find themselves immune to punishment as they can afford a "get out of Jail free card" Somehow we must tackle this awful malaise and the BPCA believes that a better tax scheme in which all of Pakistani Society is included and revenue is collected efficiently, will gift the government of Pakistan with the capital to pay better wages to their Police and statutory agency employees - reducing the need for them to survive through bribes.

Many people have commented that this despicable act is not an act of religious intolerance but the sordid and contemptuous acts of an evil man. This may be true but it was a Christian sister that was targeted. Only recently we heard of 15,000 toilet cleaners that have lost their employment ina a government employee cull. Over 12,000 were Christians and my point would be why is it always our community that has the worse jobs? It is this fact that subjects us to the cultural revilement and abuse from some of the Muslim population.

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Shazia is a Christian Martyr, she was faultless in her actions, served her deceiptful employers well and with due respect. Shazia has been subjected to the worst possible atrocity a girl of her age could suffer. Her family must be in the deepest of shock and outraged at what has happened. Our community and other communities have galvanised themselves against the immoral acts of this sexual predator.

I will be praying for justice as an outcome of any investigation and succour to the family and friends of Shazia.. I will pray for protection, well being and continued strength for the family of Shazia.

I also ask that others unite in prayer and that if you can visit and assist the family of shazia that you do so, let them see feel and hear that they have support.