Pakistani Christian man and his family get thrashing over house dispute
by Sheraz Khurram Khan
July 27, 2007
SARGODHA, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- A Muslim woman and her husband thrashed a Christian man and his family members on Sunday, July 22, in a bid to take possession of the house he is presently living in with his younger brother in Jinazagha Bajwa Colony, Sargodha, Pakistan. Yousaf's father, Fazal Masih, had purchased a 10 marla plot back in 1986 by paying Rs. 20,000 ($331.345 USD) to a Muslim man Riaz Hussain, the ex husband of Shehnaz, who later was married to one Aziz Baloch.
The trouble began for the poor Christian man some three months ago when the court decided the case against him, as the legal papers showing possession of the plot were with his mother, Barkat Bibi, who was away.
After being robbed of half of the plot (5 Marla) he had purchased some 25 years ago, Yousaf started living at his brother's house annexed to his.
Emboldened by their "success" in robbing Yousaf of his house, Shehnaz and her husband, Aziz Baloch, started harassing them to rob them of the place they are living in at present.
The harassment culminated on July 22 when Shehnaz and her husband made forcible entry into the house of Yousaf Masih's brother. The couple also tore clothes of Yousaf's wife, Majeedan Bibi during the scuffle.
The couple clubbed Yousaf and his wife, Majeedan Bibi as well as his 12 year old daughter Rukhsana.
"A wall of my brother's house had caved in after rain. I was pulling out bricks from the water when Shehnaz and her husband came to our house. They hit me in the head with club and also caused injuries to my arm," Yousaf, 45 told ANS.
He said the assailants also caused injuries to his daughter, Rukhsana, who he said was clubbed on the back when she advanced to rescue him.
Blasting the police for their discriminatory and partial role, Yousaf said that the Police have not tried to address their grievances. Instead they are on Shehnaz's side, he alleged.
He went on to say that the police have not launched proper investigation into the case. When we approach them they tell us they would take action but it is yet to be realised, he added.
The poverty-stricken Christian man maintained that he even lodged the complaint with the governor Punjab, Khalid Maqool, who he said had come to Sargodha some time back.
The governor, he said, ordered the police to look into the matter "but the police have not yet taken any action".
He confided in ANS that Shehnaz filed a "fake" case in the Cantt. Police station Sargodha on May 11, 2006 vide Police First Information Report no. 161/2006 accusing him of tearing her clothes in the premises of the civil court. The case was disposed of since she could not prove it to be genuine, he said.
Elaborating on the problems the dispute brought to his family he alleged that Shehnaz and her husband abducted her son twice.
Asked if he had filed report in the Police station, he said he did but the police did not take any action in this regard.
The wrangle over the house possession has made us further impoverished. "I used to grind marble and would bring home Rs 500 daily before the dispute started but now I cannot work as I have to shuttle from home to the court", he said. His wife Majeedan Bibi brings home Rs 80 per day by picking vegetables.
Talking to ANS Rukhsana told that some 20 days back Shehnaz had hurled death threats at her father, Yousaf by brandishing a pistol while she was going to fetch water.
"Shehnaz and her husband did not even spare my 79 year old mother-in-law, Barkat Bibi. They hit her on her right shoulder with clubs on July 22", Majeedan Bibi told ANS.
"You better leave this place or else Shehnaz and her husband would cause you harm", she quoted the residents of the area as telling her.
She said she feared that Shehnaz and her husband could take her husband's life.
"We did not even have money to come for an interview. A Rays of Development Activist (ROD), Ms. Rosey Deewan paid Rickshaw fare", she told ANS.
The Chairman of the Rays of Development Ferhan Mazher, whose group investigated this case, told ANS he was moved to see the poverty-stricken family. He referred them to a doctor for free medical treatment.
The ROD team comprising Zimran Elias, Jawad Mazhar, Chairman Ferhan Mazher, Imran Mazher, Nadeem Samuel, Adnan Saeed and Imran Munir, investigated this case.
© 2007 ASSIST News Service, used with permission.
