Mother of three kidnapped at gunpoint has been forced into a false Islamic marriage under threat to harm her family
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ISLAMABAD
A resident of Iqbal town in Islamabad, Naveed Iqbal (37)is raising an outcry after his wife Saima Iqbal (35) of 13 years was abducted at gun point by a member of an organised crime network, held against her will, and forcefully put the mother of three children into a Muslim Nikka with the kidnapper – Pathan Khalid Satti – under great threat to both herself and her family.
The incident happened on 25 February and the aggrieved husband attempted to file the FIR as soon as he found out what happened.
When the heartbroken man complained to police they collaborated with the kidnapper by delaying to file an FIR and did not do so until almost a week later after Naveed finally threatened to self harm in protest.
Naveed Iqbal said:
“I have been living here for the last 18-20 years. We belong to the Christian community. My youngest son is 4 years old and his name is Mikael, Danish is 8 and Qamar 13 years.
“I was living here very happily for the past 18 years until on the night of 25 February 2019 when the mother of my children was kidnapped at the gun point by Pathan Khalid Satti who is part of criminal gang.
“As soon I came to know what happened to my wife, on the 26th February I reported the incident but the police refused to file my complaint and delayed the registration.”
Photo: Saima & Naveed Iqbal
After his continual efforts went unheeded he became desperate and went along with the children to the police station where they stool and declared that if the police would not register the FIR they would set themselves on fire in protest.
On 1st March they finally registered the FIR and on the 5th March police recovered Saima Iqbal from the custody of the Pathan Khalid Satti.
Naveed continued:
“Police took no measures to take Saima Iqbal for a medical examination, instead the police listened the opponent parties version that the woman has accepted Islam and is in Muslim Nikkah with Khalid Satti and presented me all the documents of her accepting Islam and Muslim Nikkah [Muslim wedding].
“These all documents are fake and I have challenged them in the court. The case is still in the court and nothing has been done so far by the authorities. The mother of the children Saima Iqbal has been sent to the Dar ul Iman which is a shelter home for women by government.
“Instead of getting support from police and court we are having continuous threats from Khalid Satti that they will kills us if we don’t withdraw the case.”
Salma, who is the mother of these three children and is terrified harm will come to them, is also being threatened within the Dar Ul Iman that they will kill her as well as her children.
Naveed further explained:
“When I met her [Saima his wife] in the Dar ul Iman I saw visible marks of torture on her face and body.
“Nobody is listening to us and every time we are only hear these lines from the people in authority that she has accepted Islam and now is she is in Muslim Nikkah. Is this the way the minorities suffer in Pakistan?”
“I went to the Sharia court as well where they told me that this can’t happen. Islam does not give the permission to treat someone like this but the courts and police are not ready to listen.
“This is my request please help me. I am now in hiding along with our children moving form place to place due to threats. They have forcibly taken falsified statements from Saima Iqbal, and she remains in great fear for us.”
Marks on her arms are remnants of lacerations caused by violent force
Swelling on Saima’s face and jaw demonstrate the atrocities that have happened to her despite her abuser’s claims
Please sign our petition calling for justice for abducted, raped force Islamic marriage victims (click here)
Wilson Chowdhry said:
“A husband is without his wife, three young children without their mother, and Saima Iqbal, who was taken violently is not being advocated for by society. The signs of torture are apparent, and the lack of medical care is appalling.
“The travesty of being snatched from your loving family and taken into a slavery contact under threat of violence in a country that claims that they protect religious minorities is bitterly galling.
“According to a Muslim NGO, Movement Toward Solidarity and Peace, 700 Christian girls and women are kidnapped, raped and forced into Islam marriage every year.
“This conservative statistic can never describe the pain and anguish the Saima has gone through and will go through if this sham religious ceremony enacted upon a married woman is allowed to stand. ”
BPCA is needs to raise £600 to set up a safe house and the initial £400 for Saima’s lawyer and will require £300 a month to maintain the safe house. Please indicate BRING SAIMA HOME . To donate now (Click here). Please indicate BRING SAIMA HOME .
