ISLAMABAD, Oct 8: The All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) on Friday condemned the rape of a 13-year-old Christian girl and termed it a shameful and brutal act.

Speaking at a press conference here along with the victim, her family and lawyers here, the APMA chairman, Shahbaz Bhatti, said that despite threats by the culprit, the victim’s family managed to get a case registered with Yazman police station, Bahawalpur district, on August 13 under Section 11/10/79, Zina Ordinance.

He said the victim’s family and people of the area had also submitted an application through their lawyer to the police for inclusion of a section of panel code in the FIR against the culprit for violating the sanctity of church and hurting the religious sentiments of the Christians, however, the police ignored the application and did not modify the FIR.

“Now the culprit and his relatives are threatening the victim’s family and the witness to withdraw the case or face dire consequences.

In this atmosphere of fear, harassment and threats, pastor Binyamin has already left the area to save his life and the victim’s family is seeking protection and justice,” he added.

The APMA chairman lamented that neither any government authority condemned the incident nor paid heed to the plight of victim’s family though the incident was published in the newspapers.

He said the official negligence and irresponsibility had encouraged the perpetrators to continue to commit such heinous crimes.

Condemning the tragic incident, he asked the government to protect the family of the victim. He also demanded that the rape case should be tried in an anti-terrorist court.