The young Christian was walking with her older sister Muqadas on the morning of 20 May when the sisters were approached by four men, including their neighbour, Muhammad Yasir.
The men forced Saba into a rickshaw.
When the family reported the incident to the police, they were told that Saba had converted to Islam and married Yasir as his fourth wife. Despite the family’s pleas, the police did not interfere.
However, after extensive pressure from the community, action was finally taken. Saba was recovered from Yasir’s home and returned to her parents on 29 May. Yasir remains free.
Despite being returned home, Saba is still suffering from the emotional trauma of the abduction and forceful marriage.
According to reports from human rights activists, at least 1,000 women from religious minority groups are forcibly converted and married each year in Pakistan. It is believed that the number could be higher, since many cases go unreported.
Sources: Voice of the Martyrs Canada, Kross Konnection, CLAAS, AsiaNews
Please Pray
- Praise God that Saba has been found and safely returned to her family’s home.
- Pray for peace, comfort, and healing as she faces a difficult recovery from this traumatic event.
- Pray that the men responsible for this forced marriage will be held to account and that systemic change in Pakistan will bring about equality, protection, and justice for the vulnerable.
Compassionate and gracious Heavenly Father we praise you that Saba has been found and safely returned to her family’s home.
We thank you for this young Christian and her faith but are deeply concerned about her state of mind. We therefore pray for peace, comfort, and healing as she faces a difficult recovery from this traumatic event. Help Saba to be transformed by the renewal of her mind so that she will know what your will is, that which is good and perfect and true.
Good Lord Jesus, we p ray that the men responsible for this forced marriage will be held to account and that systemic change in Pakistan will bring about equality, protection, and justice for the vulnerable. We pray also for the many 1000+ girls and young women who find themselves in the same predicament as Saba; we pray for their distressed families. Come to their aid and please have mercy. Lord have mercy.