Wedding Bells for Little Huma: Forced Conversion and Marriage in Pakistan

This blog was submitted by ICC representative Sylvia Thompson.

Sajidah Masih had worked alongside Muhammad Imran for years.  The two farmhands were no strangers to the red-rimmed glare of the Pakistani sun and the back breaking pull of the plow.  Although Muhammad was a Muslim and Sajida was a Christian, the proud mother still felt comfortable asking her coworker to help prepare and organize her son’s wedding.

When the day of matrimony arrived, Sajida was a ball of nerves.  Her only prayer was for everything to go as planned–for her son to have the wedding he had always dreamed of. After vows were exchanged and rice was thrown, Sajida ordered her twelve-year-old daughter, Huma, to run outside and see if the wedding car had arrived.  Huma nodded her head and skipped out of the church. 

However, instead of finding a decorated wedding c ar, Huma saw Muhammad Imran staring at her from the back of a small motorbike.  Immediately, the young girl’s arms broke out into a frenzy of goose bumps–something didn’t feel right.  The Muslim man ordered Huma to get onto the back of his bike.  Huma refused until Muhammad Imran wielded his gun–silently letting the Christian girl know that she didn’t have a choice.  With shaking limbs and tear-filled eyes, Huma climbed onto the back of the motorbike and sped off.

When Sajida Masih found out what had happened, she immediately ran to the local police department–begging the apathetic officers to find her daughter.  The callous policemen smirked at Sajidah and threw her case into the bottom of the basket– they were in no rush to help the Christian woman.  Twelve-year-old Huma was eventually found, yet never returned.  Muhammad Imran had forced the Christian girl to convert to Islam and marry him.   Sajida Masih did everything she could to get her daughter back, but according to Islamic law Huma was now a married, Muslim woman.   Please pray for little Huma and her family.

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Pakistani Sisters Lured into Horrific Trap

Two Trusting Sisters are Too Trusting

This blog has been submitted by ICC representative Sylvia Thompson.

 

Pastor Sharif Alam looked sadly at his two daughters and sighed.  “I don’t know,” he said shaking his head. 

 

Parvisha set the tea kettle down and gently clutched her father’s wrinkled hands.  “Our family is struggling, Papa,” she whispered. “Let us help you.”

 

Pastor Alam closed his weary eyes and thought for a moment. Although he hated the idea of sending his precious daughters to work, he couldn’t neglect the fact that his family was close to starving.  “I relent,” he said softly. “Just be careful,” said Pastor Alam nervously.  Then he turned to Parvisha and asked, “Can we trust Muhammad Irfan?  Is the job he speaks of a legitimate endeavor?”

 

“Muhammad has been our neighbor for years, Papa,” replied Parvisha.  “I am sure we can trust him.” 

 

Parvisha and Sanam waited restlessly on the front stoop–anxiously anticipating the arrival of Muhammad Irfan.  When a car finally pulled up, Sanam grabbed her sister’s arm and whispered, “Why is there another man in the car with Mr. Irfan?”

 

“Do not worry,” Parvisha whispered back.  “I am sure there is a reasonable explanation.”

 

“Hello,” said Muhammad Irfan as he opened the door for Sanam and Parvisha.

 

“Good morning,” Parvisha said gently as she stepped into the car.  Then she turned to Muhammad Irfan and said, “Thank you very much for this wonderful opportunity. My sister and I will work very hard for you.”

 

“Yes, you will,” snarled Muhammad Irfan as he put the car into drive.

 

Parvisha looked over at her sister and gulped–something didn’t feel right.  When the car pulled up into the parking lot of a seedy hotel the elder sister knew that they were in trouble.  “Remain calm,” Parvisha whispered to Sanam as Muhammad Irfan shoved her and her sister through the doorway of a dingy hotel room. 

 

“I thought we were going to work in your beauty salon,” said Sanam as tears rolled down her face. 

 

“Be quiet,” growled Muhammad Irfan’s cohort as he pulled out a large, black, gun. 

 

With the barrel of a gun aimed at their foreheads, Parvisha and Sanam tried not to scream as the two Muslim men raped them repeatedly.  The next morning the two men thrust Parvisha and Sanam back into the car and drove them to an Islamic school.  Once there, they dragged the beleaguered sisters inside and forced them to convert to Islam.

 

“Are they going to kill us,” whispered Sanam?  “Maybe death would be better than this.”

 

“Have faith my sister,” Parvisha whispered back.  “The Lord Jesus will save us.”

 

A few days later, Sanam found a cell phone and quickly called the police.  Within minutes, officers arrived and rescued the two terror-stricken sisters.  

 

On January 2, 2009 Parvisha and Sanam were asked to give a statement of their harrowing ordeal to the local Magistrate.  With a quiet confidence both girls stood up and said, “We were abducted, raped, and forced to convert to Islam.  But let it be known that we are Christians.  We live as Christians and we will die as Christians.  This will never change.”