Pakistan: Christian Who Rescued Daughter From Forced Marriage Is Shot
By UCA News
A Christian father has been shot in northeast Pakistan’s Punjab province after he received death threats from a man who kidnapped his disabled daughter and forced her to convert to Islam and into marriage.
After being shot by unknown assailants, Gulzar Masih is currently in a critical condition in hospital, says the Christians in Pakistan website.
Masih had received death threats from Ghulam Hussain who abducted his daughter, Asima, who is both deaf and dumb, according to the Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS).
The Christian rights group said that Asaim was forced to convert to Islam and then forced to marry Hussain.
After being saved by her father, the courts said that she could stay with her Christian parents but CLAAS said that local police were not acting on threats made by Hussain.
CLAAS also said that police and Muslim clerics were both pressuring the girl to return to Hussain, insisting she is now a Muslim.
“[Muslim] clerics still believe that since she has been converted to Islam, she cannot live with her Christian family and can even be considered an apostate for reconverting to Christianity,” said CLAAS.
The situation has become very dangerous for the family, the group said.
