ISLAMABAD, Oct 6: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has expressed shock over, what she called, the rape of a 13-year-old girl in a church.

The girl was allegedly kidnapped by Nazir Ahmed at gunpoint and taken to New Apostolic Church in Yazman, Bahawalpur district, and raped.

On hearing the cries of the girl, people of the area rushed to the church and saw Nazir Ahmed raping the teenage girl. On seeing the people, the accused ran away waving his gun in the air.

According to the priest, the influential people of the area stopped the poor family from taking any action against the accused. The girl was hospitalised and a medico-legal report was awaited. The police were reluctant to register a case until September 3 after pressure by the public and church.

“The regime is turning a blind eye, as the terrorists are threatening Priest Binyamin with dire consequences forcing him to go into hiding with his family. The rapists have no fear and do not hide. It is the victim, who has to hide because Musharraf regime does not give them protection.”

Ms Bhutto said that Gen Musharraf’s mediaeval view about women reflected the extremist tribal ideology which had no place in the modern Pakistan. Under this extremist view, camouflaged by the false claims of ‘enlightened moderation’, the disadvantaged groups, including women, minorities, labour and peasants, are facing increasing hardships and discrimination, she said.

The PPP chairperson recalled that Mukhtaran Mai’s rapists were freed and re-arrested after international pressure. “Mai was banned from travelling abroad by the military junta that allowed rape to flourish under its tenure and considered talking about it a crime and punished those wishing to highlight the problem to eliminate it,” the former premier said.