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By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST
News Service
FAISALABAD, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- A 23 year-old Pakistani
Christian has died of injuries as a result of five days
of severe torture by Islamic militants for refusing to
convert to Islam, the UK-based Christian Solidarity
Worldwide (CSW) reports.
Javed Anjum, a Christian from Toba Tek Singh
District, was tortured for five days and nights by
Islamic extremists from a 'madrassa' or Islamic school
in the district.
CSW reported the torture included electric shocks and
burns from warm iron rods. He suffered 26 injuries. He
was hospitalized for 11 days, and died at the Allied
Hospital in Faisalabad at 2.12am on 2 May. Doctors said
his kidneys had failed and he had undergone dialysis
four times. His right arm was fractured, and electric
shocks to his ears had affected his hearing. According
to the doctors' report, "his bladder stopped working.
Instead of urine, he was passing blood or pus."
Javed Anjum, from Quetta, was traveling to Pir Mahal,
in Toba Tek Singh district, to attend a wedding, but
went missing on April 16, 2004 before reaching Pir
Mahal. His father, Parvez Masih, reported this to the
local police and placed an advertisement on the local
cable channels.
On April 22, 2004 Maulvis (mullahs) from the
madrassa, the Jamia Hassan Bin Ali-ul-Murtaza, in Chak
(village) 323 JB Tarandi, Toba Tek Singh district,
handed Javed to the police, claiming that he was a thief
who was trying to steal their water pump. The police
refused to take him because he was badly injured and was
not in his senses. Instead they called Javed's father
and told him that Javed should be admitted to hospital
immediately.
In his statement to the police before he died, Javed
said: "I was searching for water near the Islamic
madrassa when the Maulvis (mullahs) took me inside and
told me that I was a thief and was trying to steal the
water pump. I rejected the charge and told the Islamic
leaders that I am a Christian youth and a student. I had
come here to attend a marriage. As soon as the Islamic
extremists came to know that I am Christian they asked
me to convert to Islam. I refused and they started
torturing me. They would continue the torture from night
till morning. They tortured me badly and during the
torture they continuously asked me to accept Islam."
CSW is deeply concerned about this case, and urges
the Pakistani authorities to ensure that the
perpetrators are brought to justice. The police have
registered a case against one of the suspects, Moulana
Ghulam Rasool, and several of his companions under
337/F6 of the Pakistan penal code.
Stuart Windsor, National Director of CSW-UK, said:
"This is a tragedy, and is an example of the threat that
Christians continue to face in Pakistan. We urge our
supporters to pray for Javed's family, and to appeal to
the Pakistani authorities to investigate this case and
bring the culprits to justice. We also urge the
international community to raise this case with the
Pakistani government."
CSW is a human rights charity working on behalf of
those persecuted for their Christian beliefs. We also
promote religious liberty for all.
For more information, please contact Richard
Chilvers, communications manager, CSW on 020 8329 0045
or email richard.chilvers@csw.org.uk or visit
www.csw.org.uk.
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