A man in Pakistan has been charged with the murder of the father of a 14-year-old Christian girl who was kidnapped, raped and forced into Islamic marriage.
Mehwish Masih, who is herself still missing, had to leave school early because her parents could no longer afford the fees. She went into domestic service and did not return home from her new employer's house.
A few days later the family received a letter stating that she had willingly converted to Islam and was now married. The family was denied access to Mehwish.
Her father Tanveer Masih sold his home and hired a lawyer to try to get his daughter back.
On 31 May he was shot dead after agreeing to meet someone who had told him he could retrieve his daughter if he dropped the legal action.
One man has been charged with murder and is expected to appear soon at Faisalabad High Court. A futher man is still being sought by police.
The family is being helped by the British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA), which has moved them to a safe home and is helping with legal costs, food and education.
"Taking them away from the threats of the relatives of the accused has helped galvanise the family for the necessary court hearings they will have to attend. We will also protect them as much as possible from abuse and threats during those hearings and will be with them at all hearing dates. BPCA have been providing biblically based counselling and general advice," a spokesman said.
Najma Tanveer, widow of Tanveer Masih, said: "We were hopeless and destitute but God has delivered us. I have lost my husband Tanveer but thank God that I know he is safe in His presence. The cruel men that destroyed our lives will have to answer before God one day but even before then, I believe they will be punished here on earth too. I want my daughter Mehwish back so desperately, she should be in my arms that I can protect and comfort her. Please ask Christians to pray for her safety and return."
The BPCA said credit should be given to the government of Pakistan, for tightening up security measures and ensuring proper police investigation into this and other cases.
"It must be said however that no judicial process can bring back the father of this beleaguered family, nor will it ever remove the traumatic memories that will have scarred Mehwish for life. This progress in reactive care for minority citizens is also far from ubiquitous and our success will be linked to the profile we have attained. Nevertheless some progress is better then none."
Kanwal Amar, an officer of the BPCA, said: "Helping victims like Najma Tanveer and her daughters has been a blessing to our group. The loss of a daughter/sister was a bitter pill to swallow coupled with the murder of their family patriarch their situation was one of complete despair.
"Their painful story is one that condemns Pakistani society for the vulnerability of their minorities. Christian girls are targets for sexual predators that too often surface within the Muslim majority, buoyed by a culture of impunity through limp and uncaring statutory authorities and the insouciance of peers and colleagues."
Wilson Chowdhry, chairman of the association, said: "International pressure is starting to bring change and the current government is fashioning processes that in decades to come may result in a fairer Pakistan. The main challenge they will face is how to remove societal hatred for minorities.
"The longer they take to amend existing bias in the national curriculum of Pakistan, the more the hatred towards minorities that is inculcated from school age is allowed to fester and will continue to espouse polarisation. This simply creates a sense of worthlessness of minority communities."
