Source: www.worthynews.com
Date: December 20, 2024
(Worthy News) – A Christian family in Pakistan’s Sindh Province is rejoicing over the return of their 15-year-old daughter after she escaped from the Islamist who abducted her and forced her to marry him earlier this year, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
Muskan Salman was abducted from her home in Badin District, Sindh Province, on March 11, MSN reports. Her captor was discovered to be Islamist Arsalan Ali who lied to court officials not only about her age (saying she was 19) but also by telling them the girl had agreed to convert to Islam and marry him of her own free will.
However, Muskan was taken against her will and forced into the marriage, MSN reports. Her family filed an official complaint with the police but, while the investigation was ongoing, Muskan escaped from Ali and returned to her home on December 15. The family has gone into hiding because Ali and his accomplices have determined to find her and take her back, MSN reports.
In a website report about the various types of persecution faced by Christians in Pakistan, the Open Door international Christian advocacy organization notes: “The number of Christian girls (and those from other minority religions) abducted, abused and forcefully converted to Islam (frequently backed by lower courts) is growing.”
A Muslim-majority country that has seen young girls being kidnapped and forced into Islamic marriages, Pakistan ranks 7 on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.