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Confronting Religious Persecution at the IRF Summit

Feb. 10Stories That Demand Action:

Last week I spoke on a panel at the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit in Washington, D.C.—a global gathering that brings together advocates, policymakers, and legal experts from around the world who are on the front lines of defending religious freedom. The Summit provides a rare forum to share firsthand experiences, expose ongoing...More

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Persecuted Pakistani Christians

Today I want to bring you an important update on another critical case involving a vulnerable seven-year-old Christian girl, to whom we will refer as “V” to protect her identity. V was sexually abused by a Muslim man, and during my recent visit to Pakistan, I had the privilege of meeting little V and her father, Abid Masih, face-to-face.

Take action with us and sign our petition: Defend Dying Christians in Pakistan.

Our team carefully prepared V and Abid for their upcoming court testimonies – a crucial step, as our clients often face intense pressure and hostility when standing up for justice.

As we shared previously, V’s mom had sent her to buy detergent from a store down the street from their house. V returned noticeably shaken and scared, and she bravely told her mom that the shop owner, “Uncle Riaz,” touched her inappropriately. V was able to escape and run home after another customer entered the shop.

Abid acted swiftly – contacting the police and filing a formal complaint, which led to the arrest of 49-year-old Muhammad Riaz.

After the case began, our team had to relocate V’s family to a different neighborhood for their safety, as Riaz’s relatives have been harassing them relentlessly in an effort to force withdrawal of the complaint. This kind of intimidation is all too common in these cases, yet our Christian families show remarkable courage.

In May 2025, Riaz filed for bail. Our team presented strong arguments opposing it, and the trial court wisely denied bail. However, Riaz appealed to the High Court, which unfortunately granted him bail – no doubt a heartbreaking setback.

Despite this, the trial has now commenced. At the hearing, the judge determined that, while V was not old enough to understand the importance of an oath, she was competent to understand questions and testify. The judge asked her questions, and V perfectly told her story with clarity.

At one point, when asked if she knew the name of the “uncle who did bad things to her,” she hesitated and did not respond. I recognized that this moment could be exploited by the defense. So I quietly urged our lawyer to request that the judge allow V to identify the accused in the courtroom. The judge agreed and directed the court reporter to bring the defendant inside.

The judge then asked V to look around the crowded room and point out if “the bad uncle” was present. Without hesitation, she scanned the faces and pointed directly at Riaz. That single, powerful moment – holding the offender accountable – carried immense weight in that courtroom.

Following V’s testimony, her father took the stand and testified. At the conclusion, the defense requested – and the judge granted – the opportunity to cross-examine both V and her father at the next hearing, a standard procedure in Pakistan.

The cross-examination has been scheduled for next month, and we are already working with V and her father to prepare them for any tough questions they might face.

Despite the challenges ahead, knowing how well V testified and her courageous identification of Riaz in open court gives us real hope that Riaz will not escape justice.

We will continue to keep you updated as this case unfolds. Please keep V, Abid, and our entire team in your prayers – these are pivotal moments, and the road to justice is often long.

Cases like V’s and the clients I updated you on recently remind me of the profound blessing it is that God has called the ACLJ, together with our faithful supporters, to stand alongside our persecuted brothers and sisters in Pakistan. Your partnership makes this frontline work possible, and seeing the resilience and faith of families like V’s renews our determination every time.

Take action with us and sign our petition: Defend Dying Christians in Pakistan.

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Signatures

Shaheryar Gill  //

Feb 10, 2026

Last week I spoke on a panel at the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit in Washington, D.C.—a global gathering that brings together advocates, policymakers, and legal experts from around the world who...

Shaheryar Gill  //

Jan 27, 2026

We recently informed you about V, a seven-year-old girl, who was sexually abused by a Muslim neighbor in Pakistan. We have been working on a similar, and even more horrific, case in which two Christian women...

Shaheryar Gill  //

Nov 10, 2025

Here at home, we would not imagine that someone would spend an entire decade in prison merely for exercising his right to freedom of speech or religion. Further, imagine if the same person didn’t even exercise...