A Pakistani Muslim relative who raped a 14-year-old Christian girl is threatening her family to force her to stop the charges, sources said.
Jave Masi of Chak No. R-97/6 village in Sahiwar district of Punjab, said Sajid Ali, son of his employer Mukhtar Ali, went to his house on June 14th, that Masi and his wife were working in the field and raped her daughter while she was alone at home.
“The accused raped her at gunpoint and before he left, he threatened to kill me if she told anyone about the incident,” Masi told Christian Daily International Morning Star News. “Fearing my life, my innocent daughter remained silent about the wild barrage she had suffered at the hands of Sajid Ali.”
Masi said he and his wife learned about the attack two weeks later. They are after they worry that the daughter, whose name is withheld as a victim of rape, is not acting like her usual self. He said the ninth grade students, who were usually active, avoided their parents and siblings.
“When her mother ultimately convinced her to share something troublesome, she began to cry and told her that Sajid Ali had raped her and threatened to leave her mouth closed,” said Masi, a member of the local compatriot church.
Although devastated, poor families decided to remain silent about the attacks for the safety of their children, he said.
“To be honest, our minds were paralyzed with shock and fear, and we thought it would be the best for our family if we were quiet,” Masi said. “Sadjid Ali’s family has had a great impact on the region due to political ties and wealth, but we have not had the opportunity to get justice because of poverty and Christian faith.”
However, the family’s silence encouraged the assailant and targeted her again on July 12th, Masi said.
“We were working in the fields when someone told us they saw Sajid enter our home,” he said. “We quickly rushed home, screaming in pain (withholding name). I saw him open the door to the room and raping my daughter. If he tried to stop him from running away, he threatened to kill us, but he called the police immediately.”
He said shortly after police took Ali into custody and registered a case against him, his family began to pressure Masi to settle down from the court.
“When police conducted her health check and confirmed that she had been raped, Ali’s family gave me 1 million Pakistani rupee (USD 3,500) and rescinded the lawsuit,” he said. “When I refused their offer, they began threatening me with disastrous consequences if I didn’t accept their requests.”
A true-minded team of Christian legal organizations reached out to him and offered unconditional support, he said.
“The accused is currently in jail for judicial remands, but his family has reinforced their threats. I am very concerned about my daughter’s safety,” Masi said.
Masi asked for prayer as he began his struggle for justice.
Ali is reserved under section 376(III) of the Pakistan Penal Code in relation to minor rape and is punished with either death or life sentence, Section 511 stated Catherine Sapna of the True Spirit of Christianity. Section 511 covers situations where someone intends to commit a crime and takes action towards it, but is unable to complete the act due to circumstances beyond control.
CTS also requested that section 452 of the PPC be added. This has to do with House Treppus after preparations to cause wounds, assault or illegal restraint, she said.
“The families of the accused may have a considerable influence in the area and may try to hurt the girls and their families to prevent them from pursuing the case in court,” Sapna said. “We are aware of the threats and will take all the necessary steps to protect them.”
The executive director of CTS said he regretted the rise in cases of sexual violence against Christian girls, particularly cases of sexual violence from poor families, in recent years, in Punjab.
“This is mainly because the perpetrator thinks that anything can escape because the victim is too weak to oppose them,” she said.
Many Christian families are forced to suffer in silence due to barriers to access to justice, she added.
With a Muslim population of over 96%, Pakistan ranked 8th on the 2025 World Watchlist, where it is the hardest place to become a Christian.
