PAKISTAN: Tragic Kidnapping and Death of Christian Mentally Ill Girl Sparks Outrage

A 25-year-old Christian woman named Salma Munir, who was mentally ill, was kidnapped, repeatedly raped, and ultimately died in June. The horrifying details emerged when the accused, Omar alias Khatri, son of Sarwar Khokher, threatened Salma’s younger sister, Nisha Munir.

Nisha, terrified by Omar’s threats of making her disappear like her sister, confided in her family. Munir Masih, the father, then lodged a First Information Report (FIR) at the Farooq Abad police station. The FIR includes charges against Omar under sections 371-A, 317-B, 322, 506, and 509 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

In the FIR, Masih recounted the harrowing events: “Omar kidnapped my daughter Salma a few days earlier. He sold her to other people and forced her into the sex trade. She was sold multiple times until we found her in Hafizabad in critical condition. We pleaded with the people there to let us take her home for treatment. Despite our efforts, she succumbed to her injuries on 25 June.”

The family, impoverished and powerless, initially felt helpless to pursue justice against the influential kidnapper. However, the renewed threats against Nisha prompted them to report the matter to the police urgently. Masih has requested police protection for his family members, fearing further retaliation.

The Munir family, consisting of Munir Masih, his wife Zahida, and their eight children (six daughters and two sons), are all labourers. Their livelihood involves cleaning farmhouses and feeding animals. The family lives in their own home but faces job insecurity and harsh working conditions. Masih, elderly and weak, is unable to work, placing the burden of earning on his children, including Nisha, who works as a domestic worker in multiple households.