Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lahore (Fides Service) - The first attempt of mediation by the "All Pakistan Minorities Alliance" (APMA) in the case of Hatim Farah, the kidnapped Catholic girl, married and converted to Islam by the Muslim Iliyas in Zeehan city of Rahim Yar Khan in southern Punjab province (see Fides 25/6/2011 and days earlier) has failed. The APMA, founded by Shabhaz Bhatti, is the most widespread and best organization of civil society in defense of religious minorities in the country. The case of Farah, explain sources of Fides, is emblematic of the approximately 700 cases that occur every year in Pakistan for Christian girls kidnapped and converted to Islam. This is why Paul Bhatti, leader of the APMA and Special Adviser to the Prime Minister for religious minorities has committed himself on this case.
A team of lawyers and managers of the APMA in Punjab have taken an interest in the case in recent days, trying to arrange a meeting between the girl and her family of origin, to ensure Farah’s health, physical and psychological condition and, above all, to get absolute certainty - confirmed without conditions, threats or coercion of any kind - of her desire to go back home and leave the Muslim family where she is now. A member of the APMA told Fides: "We asked, through local authorities, for a private meeting with Farah. The Muslim’s family who has made her his wife says that she is consenting. If they are sure and if this were true, why prevent the family and lawyers from seeing and listening to her version directly? This impediment for us is really suspicious".
Given the resistance encountered, the APMA lawyers have turned to the Court of First Instance in Rahim Yar Khan again, asking the court to preside over a hearing to listen to Farah, her family of origin and the Muslim family involved. The meeting fixed by the judge should have been held on July 4, but the other counter-party was not present, nor was Farah. The girl’s family are disappointed and in pain, and refer to Fides that they fear that Farah has been taken away from the city and hidden in a secret place or even sold abroad. Furthermore, the judge – they tell Fides - has once again invited them to "withdraw their complaint and consider the case closed" sign of the heavy consequences that the judicial system is subjected to in cases that oppose Christian families to powerful Muslim clans.
The APMA tells Fides that it intends to take all possible legal avenues to meet Farah: The meeting is preparatory to a possible appeal to the High Court to be able to rescue and save her. An authoritative source of Fides in the Church of Pakistan says: "The case is very delicate, due to all the implications that it brings. We must continue to act with prudence but with perseverance, asking for justice, like the importunate widow in the Gospel". (PA) (Agenzia Fides 07/07/2011)
