PAKISTAN: A Father's Plea for his Missing Daughter after another Christian child mysteriously disappears in Pakistan

A 13-year-old Christian girl has gone missing in Basra Colony, Muridke. The child had gone out in the morning to buy milk from a local shop but failed to return home. Concerned for their daughter's safety, her distraught parents promptly sought assistance from the police, yet their efforts yielded no leads on her whereabouts.

In their time of distress, the family received a visit from British Asian Christian Association (BACA), who found them traumatized and in a state of despair. Our officers have pledged to provide support and assist them in locating their missing daughter. We hope to coordinate a missing persons poster/leaflet campaign with a reward for any information that leads to the recovery of the missing child,

On the morning of February 22nd, tragedy struck the Yunis family as their 13-year-old daughter, Mariyam Yunis, vanished without a trace. It all began when Mariyam's mother, Sumaira Yunis, enlisted her help in preparing breakfast for the household. At approximately 6:45 am, Sumaira sent Mariyam to a nearby shop to purchase essential groceries.

Mariyam dutifully carried out her mother's request, returning home with tea, and sugar, but notably missing fresh milk. She explained to her mother that the shopkeeper had advised her to return later for the fresh supply. After assisting her mother in the kitchen and tending to the household chores, around 7:10 am, Mariyam set out once more to procure the fresh milk.

However, anguish soon gripped the Yunis household when Mariyam failed to return home. Sumaira, growing increasingly concerned, dispatched Mariyam's younger brother, Sahil Yunis, aged 8, to the shop to search for his sister. Sadly, Sahil returned with the devastating news that Mariyam was nowhere to be found at the designated shop.

The devastating news struck the Yunis family like a sudden blow, prompting Mariyam's parents to frantically scour the market in search of their beloved daughter, who had inexplicably disappeared. Yunish Masih, his voice heavy with despair, recounted the harrowing ordeal:

"I hurried to the shop, hoping to find my daughter, but the shopkeeper informed me that she hadn't been there for fresh milk."

"I searched tirelessly, shop after shop, combing through the bustling streets, yet Mariyam remained elusive. Fear and anguish engulfed my heart."

In the wake of Mariyam's mysterious disappearance, the Yunis family is left grappling with uncertainty and fear, desperately hoping for her safe return.

Driven by desperation, the distraught father dialed 15, the Police Emergency Helpline. Responding promptly, a police officer arrived at the scene and diligently investigated the shops for any traces of Mariyam. Despite their efforts, no evidence surfaced to shed light on her whereabouts. Subsequently, a First Information Report (FIR) was filed under section 365 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) at the City Muridke Police Station, marking the official commencement of the investigation. However, as of now, the police have yet to make any breakthroughs in the search for Mariyam.

Yunis Masih, the sole breadwinner of his family, supports them by driving a rickshaw. In their rented home in Basra Colony, they reside with his wife and four children: Mariyam (13 yrs), Satayish (5 yrs), Angel (3 yrs), and his son Sahil Younis.

Facing the anguish of his daughter's disappearance, Yunis Masih welcomed the support of the BACA team when they visited on February 27th. With tear-filled eyes, he implored BACA to aid in the search for Mariyam, expressing his helplessness as a father:

"I am tirelessly scouring the streets from dawn till dusk on my rickshaw in search of Mariyam.

"There are no leads to her whereabouts, but we live in a very busy neighbourhood and someone must know something.

"My family and I are caught up in such deep despair, our grief knows no end, we believe our daughter is still alive but every day she is missing our fear grows.

"I don't know what local police are doing but they have not even put up missing posters, how can they find Mariyam without reaching out to the community?

"I pray daily that God will return our beautiful daughter home."

BACA's field officer, Edward Masih, promptly contacted the investigation officer, Tariq Javed, to inquire about the progress of the case. Unfortunately, despite obtaining CCTV recordings, no significant leads emerged. However, Tariq Javed assured BACA that Mariyam's photo had been distributed to other police stations to aid in the search. He pledged that the perpetrator, once apprehended, would face the full force of the law.

Mariyam is one of two Christian children who have inexplicably vanished in the past three months. Tragically, Aqsa Riaz, the other missing child, was later discovered deceased after disappearing on Christmas Eve. For more information on Aqsa Riaz's case, please click (here).

The British Asian Christian Association (BACA) aims to initiate a poster campaign to aid in the search for the missing child and to incentivize potential witnesses to step forward with information regarding her safe return. This campaign entails printing and distributing flyers and posters bearing Mariyam's image, with an estimated cost of ?200. Additionally, BACA intends to offer a reward of ?500 for any information that leads to the location of the missing child. If you are inclined to assist in this endeavor, your contribution would be greatly appreciated. You can donate by clicking (here).

Juliet Chowdhry, Trustee for British Asian Christian Association, said:

"Mariyam has now been missing for 4 days, and her parents are enduring unimaginable anguish.

"It's a heartbreaking reality that Christian girls in Pakistan are often targeted by sexual predators or traffickers, leaving them vulnerable to unspeakable fates such as murder, forced marriage, or exploitation in the sex trade.

"The family's desperation grows with each passing moment, clinging to hope for any information that might reveal Mariyam's whereabouts. Yet, as time elapses, the window of opportunity narrows.

"In this time of despair, we urge people to join us in fervent prayer for Mariyam's safety and swift return to her loving home. Let us stand united in solidarity with her family, offering support and hope during this harrowing ordeal."