Arzoo – Another Chapter in the Saga
Karachi Pakistan:
Arzoo’s hearing was fixed for 9am, Monday September 13, 2021, and Canadian Aid to Persecuted Christians (CAPC)representatives were closely in touch with her father Raja Lal and mother Rita. The family was disguised and present in the court parking lot, waiting in a car from 8.30 am on. They followed up a few times via telephone. According to Raja and Rita, they were directed by their lawyer to stay in the car till Arzoo arrived and they were asked to come to the courtroom. There was a lot of fear due to the presence of the crowd of the accused side’s supporters, as family, lawyers and mullahs were all present at the premises. This whole day was spent waiting under stress, with fear and uncertainty. The situation went on till around 4;30 p.m. The daughter was not presented in the court by the shelter house. The lawyer surmised that perhaps the judiciary was testing the waters. Perhaps if Arzoo had appeared in court and been handed over to the parents, there could have been a riot or violence. The court has not yet fixed any new date.
Raja & family will try to visit Arzoo in the shelter house if given permission, to find out the reason behind her not appearing in the court. Raja was later informed that her father and brother were not allowed to visit Arzoo; only her two sisters and mother, who visited her at the shelter a day later. Arzoo then told them that she was not informed that she was to be at court. The shelter apparently told the court that she had a fever; Arzoo says she was perfectly healthy. This is the kind of game played by the Shelter House to try to keep these girls from being released back to their families. In the meantime, they are brainwashed and told that if they return home, their father, or their brother will kill them. They are told that if they return to the Christian faith, they will go to hell. They are also told that their families will be killed if they do not choose to stay with the “husband” in the forced marriage.
I have been in constant contact with the family to give counsel through the mother (Rita) and sisters (Sonia & Mersih) to assure Arzoo that she would be warmly welcomed and accepted by the family on her return home.
Arzoo Story Media News
https://www.dawn.com/news/1598113
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