The brutal abduction, rape and murder of a Christian woman Shazia Imran in Lahore on June 06, 2023 after her refusal to convert to Islam has shocked and deeply saddened the human rights community in the Country.
Shazia Imran, a 40-year-old Christian widow, was killed by four men in murky circumstances because she did not want to convert to Islam and marry a Muslim man, Mani Gujjar. For activist Nadia Stephen, minority women and girls should not be subjected to abduction, rape, and murder simply because they refuse to abandon their religion.
The victim was just eight years old when she was beaten and raped by a neighbour. Human rights activists hope this decision “sends a strong message against child abuse” in Pakistan.
The repeated use of blasphemy laws against people of religious minorities in Pakistan has been a matter of concern, and is drawing continuous criticism from various circles.
In a landmark judgment, the Additional Session Court in Sahiwal has sentenced Muhammad Bota to life imprisonment after he was found guilty of kidnapping and brutally sexually assaulting an eight-year-old Christian girl.