{"id":1718,"date":"2024-03-10T23:08:58","date_gmt":"2024-03-10T18:08:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.edgefoundationpk.com\/?p=1718"},"modified":"2025-05-08T02:29:38","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T21:29:38","slug":"justice-prevails-14-year-old-christian-girl-rescued-and-reunited-with-her-family-in-sialkot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edgefoundationpk.com\/?p=1718","title":{"rendered":"Justice Prevails: 14-Year-Old Christian Girl Rescued and Reunited with Her Family"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Justice Prevails: 14-Year-Old Christian Girl Rescued and Reunited with Her Family in Sialkot<\/h2>\n

March 10, 2024 | By\u00a0 Admin<\/p>\n

Sialkot, March 6, 2025 \u2013 After nearly two months of legal battles and uncertainty, 14-year-old Christian girl Saneha Sharif has been rescued and reunited with her parents. Her case, which has drawn national and international attention, highlights the ongoing threats faced by religious minorities in Pakistan and the legal complexities surrounding child protection.<\/p>\n

Saneha was kidnapped on January 9, 2025, in the Korpur area of Sialkot, Punjab, by a group of individuals, including Samina (wife of Muhammad Usman), Muhammad Dildar Hassnain, and Muhammad Shabbir. According to her father, Sharif Masih, an eyewitness saw the abductors forcing Saneha into a vehicle before fleeing the scene.<\/p>\n

Following the registration of a First Information Report (FIR), police arrested Muhammad Shabbir, who was placed under six-day physical remand for interrogation. However, despite the arrests, there was no immediate breakthrough in locating the missing teenager, raising serious concerns about her safety.<\/p>\n

Following the registration of a First Information Report (FIR), police arrested Muhammad Shabbir, who was placed under six-day physical remand for interrogation. However, despite the arrests, there was no immediate breakthrough in locating the missing teenager, raising serious concerns about her safety.<\/p>\n

Weeks of legal proceedings and advocacy led to a breakthrough when police recovered Saneha on February 19, 2025, in a late-night operation. She was immediately placed under protective custody and presented before a magistrate\u2019s court the following morning. However, due to the psychological trauma and intimidation she had endured, she was unable to articulate her experience clearly. Instead of being released to her parents, she was sent to Darul Aman, a government shelter home, pending further legal proceedings.<\/p>\n

Over the next few weeks, multiple court hearings took place, but each time, Saneha remained unable to express her ordeal fully. On March 3, 2025, she was presented before the Lahore High Court, where she was again sent back to Darul Aman despite efforts to secure her release.<\/p>\n

On March 6, 2025, at 1 PM, she was once again presented before the Judicial Magistrate Court in Sialkot. This time, she was given an opportunity to speak freely before the court, and she clearly expressed her desire to return home. Recognizing her rights, the court granted permission for her release.<\/p>\n

Following the completion of all legal formalities, Saneha was officially discharged from the shelter home and reunited with her parents after nearly two months of painful separation. Her parents, Sharif Masih and his wife, were overcome with emotion as they embraced their daughter once again.<\/p>\n

Nasir Saeed, director of CLAAS-UK, condemned the abduction and delay in securing justice, calling it a failure of the system that continues to put minority girls at risk. \u201cForced conversions and abductions of underage Christian and Hindu girls have become a pattern in Pakistan, and despite court orders, justice is often delayed. Saneha\u2019s case is a rare victory, but many others remain unheard. Stronger laws and stricter enforcement are urgently needed to prevent these crimes from recurring. The state must ensure that religious minority girls are protected and that those responsible for such heinous acts are held accountable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saneha\u2019s case has once again exposed the vulnerability of religious minorities, particularly young girls, to kidnapping, forced conversion, and child marriage. While her return is a relief for her family, human rights groups stress that continued vigilance is required to ensure the safety of other vulnerable girls and to push for a stronger legal framework to address these injustices.\t\t<\/p>\n

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