A gang of Muslim sexual predators in Mandiyala Wariach, Gujranwala forcefully entered a Christian marriage reception.
Whilst in the Church courtyard the men harassed young boys and girls who were attending the reception, which eventually provoked a scuffle when Christians forcibly removed them.
Later in the evening the paedophile-gang returned with a larger cohort of friends and attacked the church building with guns and rocks.
The gang shot a cross on the main gate and destroyed security cameras, then they ran away abusing the Christian community, while shouting threats to anyone ‘who dared call the police’.
The frightened Christian community fear an even bigger attack while also being worried about the safety of the children.
Bungling local police have launched unsuccessful raids – Christians fear police are protecting influential culprits even though they are known sexual predators.
On 13th May, during a marriage reception at Awami Church, Mandiala Waraich, a gang of 7 Muslim men led by Muhammad Awais Gujar and Muhammad Mansha forcefully entered the church courtyard.
The Muslim men harassed young women and minor boys forcing Naeem Masih and his relatives who were hosting the ceremony to ask the paedophiles to leave. The intruders refused to leave however and began physically assaulting women and boys; one of them chased a 14 year old boy, Hanook Masih, and bit his bottom. Hanook then slapped the Muslim sexual predator and began to get beaten by several of the Muslim men. At this point it became to much to bear and the Christian men in attendance forcibly removed the Muslim sexual predators from the Church. Some of the men even chose to miss the service to guard the entrance preventing the re-entry of the sexual perverts.
There was a physical altercation between the Christian men and the gang in the process of removing them from the church. Fortunately, no causality or other loss occurred, as they were leaving the pervert-gang shouted vulgar sexual comments, called the Christians choora (derogatory term meaning low classs) and threatened to return with guns.
Mr Naeem Masih, spoke with BACA, he said:
“The culprits Muhammad Awais and Mansha are spoiled children of very influential parents.
They have already molested children in the area.
“Recently on 12th May they compromised with the parents of one of their victims, by offering a huge sum of money for molesting their child”
“They do not have any fear of arrest or punishment.
“Sometime ago they shot the son of a Government Officer at Gujranwala Electric Supply company and they have still not been arrested.”
“The men ruined my daughters wedding and intimidated our guests in such a perverted way – they should be arrested!”
In the evening when the marriage ceremony was over, Naeem Masih went to Rahwali Police Station and and applied for a First Incident Report (FIR) to be filed against the culprits. His complaint was regarding the harassment and sexual assault of minors attending the marriage of his daughter. The police registered an application but not the FIR.
When the culprits found about the application for the registration of an FIR they started threatening the local Christian community to withdraw their application.
Rashid Masih the younger brother of Naeem Masih, spoke with British Asian Christian Association, he said:
On the morning of 14th May, Muhammad Awais arrived at the main corner of our street and began shouting out death threats for any Christian that dared file an application against the paedophile-gang. He abused Christians again using the word choora to insult them with many vulgar expletives.
In the evening, elders of the Muslim culprits approached the Christian community and tried to convince them to ask local police to drop their investigation. The Christian community refused and explained that the culprits have previously molested boys and girls in the Christian community and needed to be stopped.
The next day (14th May), the fathers of Muhammad Awais, Muhammad Mani, Babar Zia, Haider Shahbaz, Shahbaz Ghulam and others again approached Naeem Masih and Christian community elders to convince them to stop pursuing the application with the police. However the community once again refused to withdraw their application.
Rashid Masih, added:
“It was the second day since we had filed an application against the culprit but police had still not taken any action.
“They had informed the Muslim community who kept challenging us to withdraw – we believe the police were bribed not to register an FIR.”
On 15th May Rashid Masih and Naeem Masih along with other members of the Christian community returned to Rahwali police station to inform the Station House Officer (SHO) about the threats and abuse they were receiving from local Muslim families. They pleaded with police to register an FIR and to ensure the safety of the Christian community.
Finally an FIR No. 852/23 was registered against the culprits. When the Muslim families became aware of the full police investigation they became enraged. During the early morning of 17th May around 2:30 am, the culprit Muhammad Awais with other armed supporters came to the main town square and started firing guns in the air while shouting abuse at local Christians. Hearing the noise, members of the Christian community including: Shani Masih, Mansha Masih, Lala Yousaf and others arrived at the square and asked Muhammad Awais to stop their actions. The Muslim mob opened fire at the Christians who fortunately succeeded in hiding themselves behind the walls of local buildings.
VIDEO: Muslim trespassers running through church in the evening causing damage.
The culprits then aimed their shots at a cross on the main gate of Awami Church and vandalized their security cameras. While this happened Christians hid in their homes terrified that they would be shot and killed if they ventured out. Eventually the mob disappeared, hurling abuse and shouting threats of death and the rape of Christian boys and girls if they continued to pursue the police for an investigation.
VIDEO: Muslim vandals destroy Church CCTV system.
Naeem Masih, spoke about the attack, he said:
“We were extremely terrified when the Muslim men fired at our men and the church.
“They intended to kill us!”
Christian leaders then revisited Rahwali Police Station on 17th May, they manged to speak to the Regional Police Officer and filed an application for action against the culprits for the firing of guns. The RPO ensured the SHO registered another FIR No. 862/23 against the culprits under the charges of 295 B, 440, 149,109 of the Pakistan Penal Code. However, to date local police have not succeeded in arresting any of the culprits.
On 18th May a protest was held by Christians outside the police station, decrying the failure of police to arrest any culprits.
British Asian Christian Association, has offered the Christians affected access to a legal advocate to help them challenge for justice. We may also have to offer safe houses to Mr Naeem Masih and his family if threats increase while they pursue justice. This work will be expensive and if you are minded to help please contribute to our Advocacy for Pakistani Christians fund (here).
Juliet Chowdhry, Trustee for British Asian Christian Association, said:
“This is a particularly alarming incident.
“A Muslim gang of sexual perverts with many of them exhibiting bisexual paedophilic behaviour have harassed and sexually assaulted children and women at a public event.
“I am quite certain that their behaviour would not occur in a mosque or Muslim marriage ceremony.
“Worryingly, Christians are increasingly being targeted by sex attacks because of their vulnerability.
“It beggars belief that the local Muslim community are seeking a compromise deal when the perpetrators are know sex offenders – though not prosecuted because of a previous Qisas and Diyat let off.
“This community needs protection and justice and we’ll help where we can, but more must be done by Pak-authorities to prosecute sex-offenders so that such brazen attacks are ended.”
Learn more about Qisas and Diyat laws (here)
