Originally published in Morning Star News
A 25-year-old Christian woman in Pakistan remains in critical condition after two Muslims raped her on Saturday (April 11), sources said.
The survivor, of Chak No. 175-RB Shahkot in Nankana Sahib District, Punjab Province, was assaulted while working as a daily-wage laborer in a citrus orchard, she said.
Her name withheld to protect her privacy, the woman said from her hospital bed that on April 11 she had gone to pick lemons along with other village women for a local contractor, Faizan Mehboob Rehmani, also known as Kaka. During a break, Rehmani and an unidentified accomplice forced her into a room in the orchard and sexually assaulted her, she said.
“Kaka may have thought I was an easy target because I am a Christian,” she said. “They have destroyed my life. I want the police and courts to ensure they are punished.”
Her uncle, Tariq Masih, said the family is also facing threats.
“The accused and his relatives have started pressuring us to reach a settlement,” he told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “They are threatening us with violence and telling us that we are weak and helpless who cannot afford to pursue this case.”
Though poor, he said he is determined to seek justice for his niece.
“I have faith in our Lord that He will not leave us alone in this difficult time,” Masih said.
The woman’s father, Masih’s brother Manzoor Masih, died two years ago, and his elderly wife, who cannot speak or hear, was left with six children who are now living with Tariq Masih’s family.
“We are very poor, and most of us work as daily-wage laborers in fields to survive,” Masih said.
After being repeatedly raped, the victim was later found unconscious in a street near her home, her clothes soaked in blood, he said.
“We were shocked when we received information that she had been found lying unconscious,” Masih said. “We immediately called rescue services, and she was taken to a government hospital near our village, where she remained unconscious for a day.”
When she regained consciousness, she told family members that the two men had assaulted her at gunpoint, he said.
“She told my son and daughter-in-law that Rehmani and another man, whom she could identify, had raped her,” Masih said. “The assault was so brutal that she received 22 stitches in her genital area.”
Masih said he promptly reported the crime to police and registered a First Information Report (FIR). He expressed concern, however, over the pace of the investigation.
“Delayed police action allowed the main accused to obtain pre-arrest bail until April 24,” he said.
The woman’s condition worsened due to excessive bleeding, prompting her transfer to Lahore, the provincial capital, on Wednesday (April 15) for specialised treatment, he said.
In a weak voice, the survivor managed to described the ordeal from her hospital bed.
“I went to drink water from a tap outside a room in the orchard when Kaka and another man came and pushed me inside at gunpoint,” she told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “They forced some drink into my mouth, tied my hands and feet with my scarf, and stuffed cloth into my mouth so I could not scream.
“I tried to resist, but Kaka pointed a pistol at my head and threatened to kill me,” she continued. “He then removed my shalwar [trouser] and raped me while the other man held me down. After that, his accomplice also raped me, but by then I had lost consciousness. I don’t know how many times they assaulted me.”
The survivor said she later regained partial consciousness and managed to leave the room.
“I was in severe pain and shock, but somehow I put my clothes back on and walked toward the road,” she said. “I took a rickshaw toward my home, but when I got close, I got down and collapsed after a few steps. I don’t remember anything after that.”
Paralegal group Christians’ True Spirit (CTS) has taken up the case and is supporting the family.
“Doctors have told us that the survivor is suffering from a severe infection due to the repeated assault,” said Asher Sarfaraz, chief executive of CTS. “We have handled many such cases, but the brutality in this incident has shocked us. We will ensure that those responsible are brought to justice and receive maximum punishment.”
Rights advocates say such cases highlight the vulnerability of religious minorities in rural Pakistan, particularly impoverished Christians working in informal sectors under influential employers.
Pakistan continues to rank among the most difficult countries for Christians. According to the Open Doors 2026 World Watch List, the country ranked eighth globally, with systemic discrimination, gender-based violence, forced conversions, and weak law enforcement cited as persistent concerns.
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