Kiran George, photo: Pakistan Christian Post, via assistnews.net

Christian ’burned alive to prevent her from reporting rape’

Sohail Johnson, the Chief Coordinator of the Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan (SLMP), has told ANS that the Muslim man accused of burning a 20-year-old Christian girl alive a few days ago, set the victim on fire after backing out on his previous promises to marry her, reports Dan Wooding, founder of ASSIST Ministries.

The victim was Kiran George, a house maid, was allegedly living with Mohammad Ahmad Raza, in a rented house, said Sohail Johnson.

She died after days of slow agony when she received burns to 80% of her body. The deceased was a resident of Francis Colony in Sheikhupura, a town which is some 35 kilometers (22 miles) from the eastern city of Lahore.

Raza, Mr. Johnson told our correspondent, had given false hopes to the Christian girl that he would marry her.

He maintained that Miss George started pressing her Muslim lover to marry her after becoming pregnant.

In a shocking statement Miss George gave to the Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan on March 6, 2010 at the Burn Unit No. 1 of the Mayo Hospital, Lahore, she said: “I was working at Ahmad Raza’s house. He came to me and said he wanted to have a word with me in private on rooftop.

“All this time I was hoping that Raza would propose me for marriage. I was wrong because when I reached on roof Raza and his mother Zahida were already there holding a gallon of petrol (gasoline).

“They were very aggressive. Raza set me on fire after throwing the petrol. In a few seconds my whole body was covered in flames.

“I shouted for help, but nobody came to save me. I ran downstairs and poured water on my body. I fell down on the roof and pleaded with the family members to save my life for God’s sake.

“Ahmad Raza’s brother, Ajmal, came and took me to the civil hospital.

“Raza belongs to a rich Muslim family. He bribed the police to stop them from registering police First Information Report against him.

“Police are rather waiting for me to die,” the dying Miss George told the Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan on March 6, 2010, a day after she was taken to hospital with what proved to be fatal burns to her body. She succumbed to her terrible injuries on March 11, 2010.

The tragic death of the young Christian girl prompted local Christians to stage protest demonstration. The police have since arrested Ahmad Raza.

Commenting on the vulnerability of Christian girls from poor family backgrounds Mr. Johnson said it was not the first time that a Christian girl had been burned by her Muslim Master.

He cited illiteracy and unemployment of Christian men as reasons forcing them to send their daughters and wives to work as domestic servants in houses of affluent Muslims.

He said: “Muslim men trap susceptible Christian girls in their fake love and use them for satisfying their sexual lust. If a girl becomes pregnant she meets Miss George-like fate.”

Mr. Johnson called for measures to stop Muslim men from killing Christian domestic workers. He told our correspondent that his ministry had set up a Sewing School for illiterate and poor Christian girls so that they could earn a “dignified living” after learning to sew at the centre.

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TAGS: Pakistan Kiran George Pakistani Christians burned alive persecution anti-Christian violence

[03/15/2010]

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