“Arzoo d/o Raja Lal”
Abduction, Rape, Forced Conversion & Forced Marriage Case
Karachi Pakistan: Arzoo’s hearing was fixed for 9am, Monday September 13, 2021, Canadian Aid to Persecuted Christians (CAPC)representatives were closely in touch with her father Raja Lal and mother Rita. The family was disguised and present in the court parking lot, in a car from 8.30 am on. They followed up a few times telephonically. According to Raja and Rita, they were directed by their lawyer to stay in the car till Arzoo arrived and until they were asked to come to the courtroom. There was a lot of fear since the crowd of the accused side people (family, lawyers & mullahs) were present at the premises. This whole day
waiting, stress, fear and uncertainty. The situation went on till around 4;30 p.m. The daughter was not presented in the court by
the shelter house. The lawyer surmised that perhaps the judiciary was testing the waters. Maybe if Arzoo had appeared in court
and been handed over to the parents, there could have been a big riot or shooting. The court has not yet fixed any new date.
Raja & family will try to visit Arzoo in the shelter house if given permission, to find out the reason behind not appearing in the court. Raja, later informed that father and brother was allowed to visit Arzoo, only her two sisters and mother visited her at the shelter the day after this. Arzoo told them that she was not informed that she was to be at court. The shelter apparently told the court that she had a fever; Arzoo says she was perfectly healthy. This is the kind of game played by the Shelter House to try to keep these girls from being released back to their families. In the meantime, they are brainwashed and told that if they return home, their father, or their brother will kill them. They are told that if they return to the Christian faith, they will go to hell. They are also told that their families will be killed if they do not choose to stay with the “husband” in the forced marriage.
I had been in constant intouch with the family and do counselling through the mother (Rita) and sisters (Sonia & Mersih) to inform Arzoo in a shelter house that she would be warmly welcomed, embarrassed and very well accepted in the family on her return back home.
Nadeem Bhatti
President
Canadian Aid to Persecuted Christians
Website: www.capc.life
Arzoo Story Media News
https://www.dawn.com/news/1598113