Source:  www.assistnews.net

Date:  2008-03-28

By Sheraz Khurram Khan
Special Correspondent for ASSIST News Service in Pakistan

Christian girl, Farzana, accused of theft

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- A Pakistani Christian girl has been falsely implicated in a theft case for allegedly robbing the family she had been serving as a servant for over three months.

ANS has learned that she was accused of stealing jewelry and other valuable goods worth Pakistani Rupees 250,000 (US$4166.66).

Farzana, 16, worked as a domestic servant in the house of a Muslim man  named Muhammad Abid, a resident of the officers' colony Cantt in Saddar, which is located in the eastern city of Lahore, for payment of just Rs. 500 (US$ 8.333) per month.

The trouble began for the impoverished Christian girl when her master, Muhammad Abid, went to see his relatives in the small city of Garanwala to meet his relatives and was joined by his wife.

Abid told Farzana that he would inform her when he got back to his home. When Abid was on this visit, a neighbor informed him that the doors of his house were wide open, prompting him to cut short his visit and get back to home.

Upon his return home, Abid lodged a theft case in the local Shumali Chanoi police station against some unidentified people. The complainant claimed in the Police First Information Report (FIR) that he had been robbed of jewel ry and other valuables worth Pakistani rupees 250,000.

Abid called Farzana to resume her work on March 27, 2008 and she was arrested by the police while she was on her way to her master's house at 10 am. The police also raided her house the same day and arrested her father and three brothers.

Sohail Johnson talks to Police officials

Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan (SLMP) has investigated the case and told ANS that the local people demonstrated against what it called "Police negative attitude" on Friday, March 28.

"The police released Farzana's father and her brothers in the wake of the protest demonstration lodged by the local people," Mr. Sohail Johnson, the Chief Coordinator of the Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan told ANS.

Johnson alleged that Farzana's master also threatened her of "dire consequences" if she did not confess to her "guilt".

Johnson further told ANS that some 500 people including men and women attempted to protest in front of the Superintendent of Police office.

"Police blocked the road with their trucks to stop people from demonstrating in front of the office of Superintendent of Police," Johnson told ANS who was also from among the protesters.

Police baton charges people to stop them from protesting

He added that the police draw their batons and charged the protesters  and arrested which injured some of the women involved and some eight people, including two activists of the Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan named Khalil Benjimen and Samuel Ahsan.

Johnson said he met with the deputy female Superintendent of Police, Ms. A. Khan, who assured him that the theft case against Farzana would be dismissed if she was found innocent.

Johnson told ANS that Ms. Khan did not say anything when he asked her to disclose the evidence she had against Farzana.

Johnson added that Farzana told them that the police had abused and tortured her and forced her to confess to having committed the alleged burglary.

"..I denied it and said I am not a thief and I did not steal even a single penny from Abid's house," Johnson quoted her as saying.

Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan has condemned implication of Farzana in the fake theft case and urged the police to produce Farzana in the court on Saturday March 29. Johns on told ANS his ministry would try that Farzana be granted bail.