A Tragic Incident in Pakistan: Christian Family Faces Intimidation After Assault
A disturbing incident in Pakistan’s Punjab Province has stirred tensions as a Christian family faces pressure to retract their police complaint following the sexual assault of their 6-year-old daughter by a Muslim neighbor. The case has highlighted the challenges faced by religious minorities in the region.
Saleem Masih, an impoverished mason and member of the Salvation Army church, reported that his daughter was assaulted by Muhammad Uzair Riaz Dogar, a man in his early 20s, on December 10. The incident occurred at the suspect’s family home in Jaranwala, Faisalabad District, where the child had been receiving tutoring from Dogar’s sister.
According to Masih, his daughter had been studying at the home for four months. On the day of the incident, the tutor left the children with her brother while she attended to household chores. “The accused allowed all the Muslim students to leave except my daughter, whom he then forcibly took to another room and raped her,” Masih recounted to Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.
When the young girl did not return home as expected, her mother went to check on her, only to find her outside Dogar’s home, crying and in pain, with blood-soaked clothes. “My wife was devastated when my daughter told her that the accused had assaulted her,” Masih said. “Her condition was such that she couldn’t even walk, and my wife had to pick her up and bring her home.”
The family immediately contacted the police, and a medical examination at the hospital confirmed the assault. Dogar was subsequently taken into custody, yet his family has reportedly been threatening the Masih family to reach a settlement and withdraw the complaint.
“They had the audacity to tell us that we are poor Christians, and we should be thankful that their son had only sodomized the child, not raped her,” Masih stated. “They also threatened that if we do not reach a settlement with them, they would make our lives miserable and no one would stand with us.”
Despite the intimidation, Masih is determined to seek justice. “Muslims think that they can commit any crime against us, and no one would dare oppose them,” he said, noting that Dogar had previously assaulted another Christian girl who remained silent due to threats.
The Christian family has received support from Christians’ True Spirit (CTS), which is providing legal assistance and shelter. Katherine Sapna, Executive Director of CTS, confirmed that police have charged Dogar under Section 376-iii of the Pakistan Penal Code, which could result in the death penalty or a life sentence for raping minors.
“Many poor Christian families tend to shy from taking legal action against their powerful oppressors for fear of social stigma and threats to their lives,” Sapna remarked. “We were encouraged by the Masih family’s resolve to take a stand for their child.”
Due to ongoing threats, CTS has temporarily relocated the Masih family for their safety. “It’s very unfortunate that this family has been forced to relocate from their village just days before Christmas,” Sapna noted. “However, we think it is important to keep them safe so that the accused’s family and friends cannot force them in any way to reach a settlement.”
Pakistan, with a population of over 96% Muslims, is ranked eighth on Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List for countries where it is most difficult to practice Christianity.
This article was originally published at Christian Daily International-Morning Star News
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
