Conspiracy against Hector Aleem

The article below was posted by Pakistan Observer (A Pakistani Newspaper) when Hector Aleem Chairman Peace Worldwide was in jail. If you read the full article, you can see that its against Hector Aleem. The article says that local Christians of Islamabad/Rawalpindi didn’t support Hector Aleem, the fact is that they came to support him but they were threatened and jailed especially Christian women and children by Pakistani Government which is why Hector Aleem asked them to stop supporting him for their own safety. The other thing you can read in the article is that Pakistanis like those who hide the discrimination against Christians (which is very common and extreme) in front of international community but do not like those who clearly shows the facts to the world. Basharat Masih they are talking about in this article is the one who was involved in trapping Hector Aleem in a false blasphemy case who was later released from prison by the government and then he started working for Shahbaz Bhatti as a security guard and after the death of Shahbaz Bhatti, Basharat continued to work for his brother Paul Bhatti. This shows the conspiracy of Pakistani government against Hector Aleem.

Liza Josephine
Chief Coordinator
Peace Worldwide

This is the article:

MYSTERY BEHIND SHAHBAZ BHATTI MURDER

Afshain Afzal

Sunday, March 06, 2011 – The cold blooded murder of Shahbaz Bhatti is one of the most tragic incidents in the history of Pakistan. Indeed it is an irreparable loss to the whole country. Like majority of Christians he was true Pakistani, a loyal citizen and follower of Hazrat Eassa Alhe Salam (Jesus Christ). The timings of this tragic incident were so selected and coordinated by the enemies of Pakistan to give a maximum fatal below to the unity of Christian community and salvation of Pakistan. Shahbaz Bhatti was born September 9, 1968. His father, Jacob Bhatti belonged to village of Kushpur and was an honest and patriotic person. His father entered in the field of education as a teacher and also remained as Chairman of the board of the Churches of Kushpur. In the Autumn of 2010 he was hospitalized inIslamabad and died on January 10, 201 due to cardiac arrest. Shahbaz Bhatti, after completing his studies, entered in the field of politics by joining Pakistan People’s Party. He was chairman of the APMA (All Pakistan Minorities Alliance), a representative organization of all religious minorities of the country including Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis and others. Presently, he was appointed as Federal Minister for Minorities.Shahbaz Bhatti was true follower of Jesus Christ and always worked for marginalized communities and religious minorities in Pakistan.

The assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti would remain a mystery for quite some time as anybody can be behind his killing. As usual the credit of killing has been put on the credit of Taliban, who took responsibility via a fictitious website but it can be western and eastern intelligence agencies behind to deteriorate law and order situation in Pakistan, it can be Christian rivals who are deadly against his popularity among Christian as well as Muslim or it can also be some Pakistani on the instigation of foreign enemy power. If we recall, it was September, 2010, when certain Christian leaders issued statements that Shahbaz Bhatti, Federal Minister for Minorities is not representatives of 20 million Pakistani Christians because they never elected him by their votes but a tool of ruling Pakistan Peoples Party PPP which selected him as Member National Assembly and then imposed him on religious communities as Federal Minister for Minorities to speak his masters voice instead to present true situation of oppressed and persecuted Christians in Pakistan and abroad. They claimed that “Federal Minister for Minorities was visitingVatican and Italy on directions of President of Pakistan to mislead international community on discrimination of religious minorities in flood relief”

One of the main reasons of the killing of Shahbaz Bhatti was, thus, his meeting with Holy Father Pope Benedict, Archbishop Mamberti, Cardinal Tauran and Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini which was not liked by many Christian opponents. In fact certain Christian national and international organizations wanted Shahbaz Bhatti to carryout propaganda against the Pakistani Muslim community that they are bent upon eleminitating minorities in Pakistan, esecially the Chiristian but this never happened. The fact cannot be denied that certain Christians organizations were deadly against Shahbaz Bhatti and were posioning the Christian community against him. Such people had prepared a long list of allegations on Shahbaz Bhatti, which he committed during his meetings with Holy Pope and Italian Foreign Minister in Vatican and Italy respectively; 1) He told them that the Muslim, who burnt alive seven Christians in Gojra and destroyed dozens of homes were not masked but committed crime in broad day light in presence of security agencies and police, 2) He told them that the Muslim mob which destroyed 75 homes of Christians in village Korian were locals and gathered on call by Imam from village Mosque, 3) He told them that the Muslim who burnt Christian homes in village Bahimnwali were not masked but gathered on call from local Mosque on loudspeaker, 4) He told them that gunning down of two Christians in District Court of Faisalabad took place in presence of hundreds of people 5) He told them that the Muslims who were nominated in First Information Reports (FIR) in relevant Police Stations were not prosecuted or sentenced because they are members of political party in allience with government in federation.

Another crime alledged by Shahbaz Bhatti’s co-religiosts rivals is that Shahabaz Bhatti negated allegations regardining denial of aid to Christians and Ahamadi community flood victims in Punjab during his meetings in Vatican and Italy. Shahbaz Bhatti is also accused of failing to get culprits of a teenage Christian housemaid Shazia who was killed in Lahore and punished doctor who was alledgly raped Christian student nurse in JPMC,Karachi. Apart from the fact that Shahabaz acted above religious discriminations in the greater intersets of the country, let us find out why Shahbaz Bhatti adopted such course of action.

As an example, there is a famous case registered against Hector Aleem inIslamabad’s Chack Shahzad Police Station, which is still in progress in the court. Beside a number of criminal cases registered against Aleem, he was also involved in the breach of Blasphemy Law. Only God knows what is the whole truth but on ground evidences reflect that a Blasphemous SMS from Bashrat Masih‘s number was sent to trap him. What can be the reason that despite pressure from foreign countries majority of Christians from Rawalpindi/Islamabad disassociated themselves from the issue. Although, Aleem is a very influential person and has contacts abroad as well as with personnel in embassies of US, India, Germany, Canada, France in Pakistan etc but he could not attain local support including that of Shahbaz Bhatti. In the instant case, the foreign powers, who pretend to be friends of minorities, did not support Aleem so it could not attract the headline of media and propaganda theme of various organizations and websites.

One wonders why Christian media, their Websites and organizations did not bother to even mention his name of Hector Aleem in campaign against Blasphemy Law? Many Christians claims that they cannot be a supporter of a cheat and a blasphemer. “Why it is so?” is a million dollars question. Shahbaz Bhatti knew very well about western conspirators who are using certain elements including Christian and so called moderate Muslims as tools to weaken Pakistan. The fact cannot be denied that the characters and loyalties of Christians in Pakistan are beyond any doubt.

There are, of course, some black sheep in the Christian community but they can be counted on fingers and even among them most are the one who are being instigated by foreign agencies. It is on recorded that some of the foreigners in Pakistan had have been engaged in activities in which Christians and other minorities were instigated to work against the state of Pakistan and fight for their separate entity. My personal observation as well as the view of all those to whom I contacted is that Christians in Pakistan are not less loyal and patriotic than any other faith or citizens of Pakistan. It is true that Christian community as a whole require government consideration for the immediate resolution of their grievances but due to foreign interference as their spokesperson they mistrusted by some elements. Shahbaz Bhatti, as a Minister of Minorities Affairs, has sacrificed his life for the cause of minorities and acted as a bridge between minorities and majority. It is high time that our minorities, especially Christians that they should trust their government and state officials. One wonders if instead of looking for foreign interference they should associate themselves with other Pakistan, irrespective of their religious background, their grievances and social discrimination would be removed.

Source: http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=79492

Appeal against Hector Aleem by Deputy Prosecutor General - Punjab

Mr. Hector Aleem Chairman Peace Worldwide was in jail due to a false blasphemy case and while he was suffering in prison some people and Pakistani organizations tried to defame him without any kind of evidence. When Hector Aleem was arrested, at the very beginning of the trial in January 2009, they started a propaganda that the charges of blasphemy are dropped but the truth is nothing like that ever happened. Blasphemy charges were only dropped in the final decision of the case. To support Muslim Fundamentalists and extremists, the Government of Punjab filed an appeal against the decision of Hector Aleem’s acquittal on government expenses, because they were against his work of human rights, religious freedom and rebuilding of Church. We remind you that no organization hired any lawyer for Mr. Hector Aleem. The only lawyer who was defending his case was Mr. Mir Muhammad Ghufran Khurshid Imtiazi Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan. This lawyer was hired by his own family. This appeal is under process in Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench which means the blasphemy charges are still not dropped.

The decision given by the session judge of the trial court and the appeal against this decision are attached for your information.

This is the Decision:

 

Decision copy of Hector Aleem

Decision copy of Hector Aleem

Decision copy of Hector Aleem

This is the Appeal: 

Appeal against Hector Aleem

Appeal against Hector Aleem

Appeal against Hector Aleem

Hector Aleem and his family were persecuted in the worst possible way

This is the letter which was issued by the Government of Pakistan. The wife of Mr. Hector Aleem (Human Rights Activist) submitted an application to Human Rights Ministry of Pakistan. After which they issued this letter just for a formality. In this letter, the Federal Minister of Human Rights ordered the Inspector General of Police to solve the matter within three days but Hector Aleem and his family were tortured for four years. In fact, when the police saw this letter, they tortured Hector Aleem and his family even more. This is the worst way a Human Rights Activist and his family are treated. Christians in Pakistan are number one in regards of persecution. 

Mr. Hector Aleem decided to publish documents of Pakistani Government

These days everyone is talking about the women and children in the protests of Imran Khan and Tahir ul Qadri. The protesters are violent and are even entering the Pakistani parliament forcefully but still no one is allowing Nawaz Sharif government to do an operation against these protesters because everyone is saying that there are women and children in these protests. In 2008, when a Christian Church was destroyed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) of Islamabad, worshipers were also tortured and were jailed, these included women and children. Are these women and children from Church different then the women and children from the protest? 

Some evidence are being posted here for everyone to read, the the real issue was of the Church which was destroyed by the CDA during which worshipers were tortured, Cross and Holy Bible were also disrespected. The government document posted here is of the meeting which was held regarding the destruction of Church but some people who are the supporters of Taliban and are the touts of government are trying to tarnish the reputation of Mr. Hector Aleem by accusing him of land grabbing, fraud etc. These handful people are doing this to protect the Pakistani government and to distract people from the issue of the Church. The reality is that Mr. Hector Aleem Chairman Peace Worldwide raised voice for the Church and for the worshipers due to which he had to face many false cases including the false blasphemy case. Despite being innocent, he had to spend 4 painful years in jail, his family was displaced, his home and offices were destroyed. This is the result of peaceful struggle, In Pakistan whoever raises a voice for Christians have to suffer like Hector Aleem.

Previous activities of Hector Aleem

Mr. Hector Aleem, Chairman Peace Worldwide worked hard to create a culture of peace in Pakistan. That is why he expanded the work of Peace Worldwide and opened offices in different areas of Pakistan. He worked hard for the rights and education of Pakistani Christians due to which he had to face assassination attempts and was jailed due to a false blasphemy case. While he was in prison, many who were the supporters of Taliban and Islamic Extremists tried to defame Hector Aleem. 

Hector Aleem urges Pakistan to become a Secular State

Many Pakistanis are unaware of the role Christians have played in the nation’s history. Christians have had a considerable impact, especially in education and health. Many of Pakistan’s most prominent leaders — including the current prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, the assassinated prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, and former President Pervez Musharraf — went to Christian schools. Christians also educated Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who founded Pakistan in 1947.

The targeting of Christians comes amid a widespread breakdown of public order. The ordinary Christian — hearing stories of gangs breaking into homes and kidnapping Christian girls and women — thinks only of survival. Pakistani Muslims are frequently the culprits in attacks on Christians. Christians have been especially vulnerable in cases concerning the blasphemy laws, which easily convert into a tool of oppression against them

This is a planned genocide of Pakistani Christians by Muslims who are backed by the Government of Pakistan. Government promises to reconstruct the homes of Christians destroyed by mobs and distribute aid are rarely carried out. This only exists on media, in newspapers or official papers of the government of Pakistan. Those Pakistanis who do speak up for Christians have themselves become targets of violence. In 2011, a governor of Punjab Province who criticized the blasphemy laws was killed by his own bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadri who was then hailed as a hero. I have witnessed this during my imprisonment in Adiala prison; everyone from most junior to most senior jail officials appreciated him and addressed him as a great hero of Islam.

The situation of Christians can only be improved when Muslims of Pakistan consider all Christians of Pakistan as their countrymen and when the government of Pakistan will abolish all discriminatory and blasphemy laws against Christians and the international world should urge Pakistan to declare itself as a secular state so that everyone will be able to practice its religion freely. The name Islamic Republic of Pakistan is not acceptable and we will continue opposing it unless it becomes a secular state officially.

Decision of false cases against Hector Aleem

False cases were lodged against Mr. Hector Aleem Chairman Peace Worldwide when he raised his voice against the destruction of Church. Decision copies of these false cases are attached here so everyone can read, these decisions are proof of Hector's innocence. The main reason behind these false cases was to stop the noble cause of Hector Aleem. Whenever the judge ordered Hector to be released, he was not released by the authorities, there were always lame excuses to keep him in prison. He was also acquitted honorably from the false blasphemy case under section 295-C, the judge ordered strict action against Prosecution, Complainant and police officers. You can read the decision of false blasphemy case HERE.

Hector Aleem submitted an application to Senior Superintendent of Police

Mr. Hector Aleem Chairman Peace Worldwide submitted an application to senior superintendent of police against the people who destroyed and burnt the Church. Among the people who destroyed and burnt the Church were CDA officials who were under the command of Captain Faiz. After destroying and burning the Church, they arrested and tortured innocent Christian worshipers, disrespected Holy Bible, Holy Cross and Hymn books. It is to be noted that if a person accuses a Christian of burning a Koran (that may not have to be true) whole Christian villages and enclaves are burnt and destroyed by Pakistani Muslims but when they destroyed and burnt the Church, disrespected Holy Bibles and Holy Cross then no one even filed a case against the culprits. The application given below is a proof of their hypocrisy.
Hector Aleem took an action and personally submitted an application to the senior superintendent of police on 26th August, 2008. But the Senior Superintendent of Police did not take any action against the culprits instead many false cases were filed against Hector Aleem. Government started a propaganda that it was merely a land dispute. To save these officers, Hector Aleem's family, home and offices were destroyed. A false blasphemy case was also filed against him and he had to spend 4 years in prison during which he had to face worst type of torture.
The translation of the application is whats described above. The pictures of the Church after its burning and destruction including the pictures of innocent Christian worshipers who were tortured are also attached. Pakistan is the worst country for religious minorities.

Hector Aleem demands discriminatory laws to be repelled

Mr. Hector Aleem Chairman Peace Worldwide has been struggling against discriminatory laws in Pakistan since 1996 due to which he has been facing torture, assassinations and false cases by extremists and Government of Pakistan.
Please see the attached newspaper cutting and photographs

Hector Aleem was punished for saving the Church

A Church was destroyed and Christian worshipers were brutally tortured by the Capital Development Authority with the help of Federal Police in the area of Chak Shahzad Islamabad. Christians approached Hector Aleem (Human Rights Activist) for help. Aleem then started a peaceful struggle for the Church and to save the lives of innocent Christian worshipers who were arrested without any charge. CDA and Federal Government did not like this, the letters they wrote were just a formality. Action was not taken against the culprits who were involved in demolishing the Church. The officials who destroyed the Church were very influential and were supported by Sunni Tehreek which is a terrorist organization. To save those officials, Government of Pakistan filed a false blasphemy case against Mr. Hector Aleem. Other false cases were also filed against him so that he cannot raise his voice for Christians again. He spent 4 years in prison during which he was tortured in worst way possible. Prison officials told him to convert to Islam but he never left His Lord Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord. Hallelujah   

The letters below are the evidence of our struggle for the Church and for the poor innocent Christians who were oppressed by the tyrants of Pakistani Government.

PAKISTANI CHRISTIAN MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN BLASPHEMY CASE

An Additional District and Sessions Court sentenced a Christian man to death for blasphemy on Thursday, his lawyer said, over an incident that triggered a riot in Lahore. Sawan Masih was convicted of insulting Islam’s Prophet during the course of a conversation with a Muslim friend in the Joseph Colony neighbourhood of the city in March 2013. More than 3,000 Muslims rampaged through Joseph Colony, torching some 100 Christian homes, after the allegations against Masih emerged. Naeem Shakir, one of Masih’s lawyers, said: “The judge has announced the death sentence for Sawan Masih. We will appeal the sentence in the Lahore High Court.” Verdict and sentence were announced inside the jail where Masih was held, Shakir said.
Pakistan has extremely strict laws against defaming Islam, including the death penalty for insulting Islam’s Prophet, and rights campaigners say they are often used to settle personal disputes. Masih has maintained his innocence and argued the real reason for the blasphemy allegation was a property dispute between him and his friend. Earlier this month an angry mob set fire to a Hindu temple in Larkana over the alleged desecration of a Quran.

As per mentioned by Newsweek, A recent report from a U.S. government advisory panel said Pakistan used blasphemy laws more than any other country in the world, listing 14 people on death row and 19 others serving life sentences for insulting Islam. In January an elderly Briton was sentenced to death for blasphemy, though his lawyers said the court had failed to consider “overwhelming” evidence of his mental illness.
This law in Pakistan is used against minorities especially Christians because they raise voice for their rights. I was also a victim of this law and I had to spend four years in prison due to this notorious law. As far as the appeal is concerned, it will take several years in processing, maybe ten or 15 years. During that time, he might be killed in the jail and even if he is released after that his most important time of the life would be lost. During protests, Pakistani Muslims burned and destroyed many Churches, Holy Bibles, Hymn Books, Holy Cross and other Holy Symbols and Materials but none of the protester was arrested according to the country’s blasphemy law i.e 295-B and C. This shows that this blasphemy law is used only against Christians and other Non-Muslims.

Spent 4 years in Pakistani prison due to a false blasphemy case

This is my picture which shows the time I spent in prison for 4 years due to a false blasphemy case under section 295-C. The real face of Pakistan is very horrible, it is the worst country on this planet which does not care about Human Rights, Religious freedom etc. Pakistani jail authorities tortured me in the worst possible way during these 4 years. Their tortures and persecution could not separate me from the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ. No one knows this infamous blasphemy law of Pakistan more than me. We will continue to raise voice for Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Justice and Liberty.

Do Pakistan deserves to be respected?

Pakistan on its print and electronic media claims that they respect all religions. Pakistanis spit, urinate and step on the Holy Cross. Now its up to you to decide, do Pakistan deserves to be respected? Why is that Pakistani Muslims detest Christians and Christianity on the one hand and expect compassion from Christians on the other? Hatred breeds Hatred, violence is answered by violence or have the Muslims of Pakistan forgotten this?

Blasphemy Accused Christian Couple in Pakistan Detained With Their Four Children

According to details, Shafqat Masih 43 years old, and his wife Shaguftah, 40 years old, have also been accused of texting blasphemous messages to Muslim clerics.
 

Plaintiff Muhammad Hussain says,” I was offering “Taraweeh” prayers offered in Ramadan after the breaking of the fast on 18th of July, 2013 in Talabwali mosque at around 10pm when my cell phone vibrated.” He states that,” after finishing prayer, I checked my cell phone and found blasphemous text messages insulting both Prophet Muhammad and the Qur’an.”

While talking about this case, Gojra City Police Station House Officer Muhammad Nisar told that,” Hussain’s call data revealed the messages were sent from Shaguftah’s cell phone number.”

Nonetheless, the Gojra City Police have booked the couple, together with their four children, pressurizing them to name someone who could have sent the messages.

The Police official Nisar further told that,” a large number of Islamic clerics had been enraged when they heard of these text messages, and that they remained in the police station until the First Investigative Report (FIR) was lodged.” Subsequently, the police detained the accused couple on 20th of July, 2013 and transferred them to Toba Tek Singh District jail the following day.

“Shafqat has admitted to the police he sent the blasphemous messages and gave this statement to the judicial magistrate,” Muhammad Nisar said. On the other hand, Riaz Anjum, the Defence Counsel of the couple asserts that,” the police have extracted a confession from Shafqat, which is illegal.”

Riaz Anjum further criticizes the police saying in order to establish a strong case against the couple they have recorded Shafqat Masih’s judicial confession. “Investigation should have been done by the senior superintendent before lodging the case, but here the police have extracted a confession from Shafqat which is illegal,” he said. Additionally, the police have also charged the couple under 25-D of The Telegraph Act of 1985 which proposes a maximum of three years of imprisonment for deliberately “causing annoyance” in addition to 295-B and C.

Fearful Pakistani Christians make home in forest

Having fled their homes in the latest spasm of Pakistani religious strife, a few hundred Christians have camped in a forest in the Pakistani capital, cut down trees and are using the branches to build a church. Their ordeal began when a Christian girl in their poor Islamabad neighborhood was accused by a neighbor of burning pages of the Quran — a blasphemy by Pakistani law that can mean life in prison.

A week after the girl's arrest, much remains in question: her age — 11 to 16 in conflicting reports; mental condition —  Down syndrome has been mentioned; and what exactly she was burning — there's little evidence that Quran pages were involved.

But as word spread, hundreds of people gathered outside her house demanding action, and on Aug. 20 police arrested the girl pending an investigation. (The Associated Press is withholding her name because it does not generally identify underage suspects.)

Most Christians in the neighborhood fled — some 600 families according to one interfaith group. Some said their landlords evicted them. A few have returned.

One of those who moved into the forest on Sunday was Sumera Zahid, who was busy feeding her three children and her parents.

"We used to come here to collect wood for fuel so we find it a suitable place for shelter," she said. "Here it is not anybody's home, nobody's land. Let us live here in safety."

On Monday their pastor, Arif Masih, spoke to them by the frame of branches they were lashing together for their church.

"We are thankful to the Lord for this land although here is no water and food, but rest assured the Lord will create water fountains and provide all fruits here for you if you remain patient and suffer these hardships, thanking the Lord," he said.

Blasphemy is an extremely sensitive issue in this 95-percent Muslim nation of 190 million people, and cases often grab huge attention here and abroad.

Crowds have been known to beat or kill suspected blasphemers. Last year two prominent politicians who criticized the blasphemy law were murdered, one by his own bodyguard who then attracted adoring mobs. In July, thousands of people dragged a Pakistani man accused of desecrating the Quran from a police station, beat him to death and set his body alight.

So volatile is the issue that public figures appear loath to speak out on the latest episode. The government has made little substantive comment, and no police protection was evident at the forest encampment.

On Monday the All Pakistan Ulema Council, an umbrella organization of Muslim clerics, held a news conference together with the Pakistan Interfaith League, the group that reports 600 families have fled and is campaigning to return them to their homes.

The two groups called for an investigation into whether the girl was wrongly accused and what role religious extremism played. League chairman Sajid Ishaq demanded government compensation for the displaced Christians, as well as protection.

Critics say the blasphemy laws are often used in vendettas and score-settling. Sensitivities are also heightened by Western reactions to such incidents, such as the U.S. State Department statement calling the latest case "deeply disturbing."

At the news conference, the head of the clerics' council, Maulana Tahir-ul-Ashrafi, told the outside world not to interfere, saying Pakistan would provide justice for the girl and her community.

Meanwhile, Nooran Bashir, who had fled a few hours after the girl's arrest, was back in her home Monday.

"I don't know whether she burned pages of some holy book or not, but we all had to abruptly leave our homes to save our lives," she said. She said one of her sons came back with her, but her other children were too frightened and she sent them to relatives.

She said Muslims asked the Christians not to worship in their church, and if they did, to refrain from singing.

But others were not ready to return. About 200 Christians, mostly men, protested in front of the city administration offices Monday, demanding permission to stay in the clearing. About another 100 people, mostly women and children, were back at the clearing.

"We don't have a big list of demands," said one Christian resident, Salim Masih. "We have cleared this place with our hands, and we have laid the first foundation of a small church here. Although this is a mere skeleton made of tree branches, this is the holy home of God. This should be respected."

Iman Sheikh: Pakistan’s anti-Christian witch hunt

Rifta Masih is an 11-year-old Christian girl who lives near Islamabad, Pakistan. She reportedly suffers from Down’s Syndrome. Like many of the other Christians in her area — who comprise about 10% of the local population — the members of her family work menial jobs, and live in tiny properties rented from Muslim landlords.

On Thursday evening, Rifta was seen leaving the one-room dwelling she lives in with her sister and parents, carrying an earthenware dish filled with ash. Or, it may have been some refuse in a small shopping bag. Although Hammad Malik, a 23-year-old witness, is unclear on exactly what the girl was transporting, he is quite certain that the burnt remains had Arabic writing on them.

Rifta, he alleges, was burning pages from a Koran inside her house, and then trying to find a place to dispose of the remains. Although he did not see her do this, that did not stop him from assembling an angry group of men and reporting the incident to the local police, with the demand that the girl be apprehended in accordance with the country’s Blasphemy Law. The authorities at first did not act, but then moved swiftly to get the girl into custody when a mob of over 500 people gathered at the Masih home’s doorstep. Fearing for her safety, the authorities put her into a cell for a two-week detention.

Welcome to Pakistan: A nightmare society beyond pity or parody, where handicapped 11-year-old girls must be locked up to ensure their own safety.

According to the Blasphemy Law, anyone found guilty of insulting the Prophet Muhammad or the Koran can be sentenced to death. With blind religious extremism on the upswing, there is no shortage of Hammad Malik types — self-appointed religious vigilantes on the lookout for any transgression, real or imagined.

The law has been enforced in regard to even the most dubious reports of “blasphemy,” and has led to the murder of two prominent politicians. In January 2011, Punjab Governor Salman Taseer was shot by his own bodyguard after he expressed sympathy for Asia Noreen, a Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy. Scarcely two months later, Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan’s first Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs and the only Christian in Pakistan’s Cabinet, was leaving his mother’s home in Islamabad when his car was sprayed with bullets. (The Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for the killing.)

The aforementioned Noreen, better known in the media as “Asia Bibi,” was a farmhand who fetched water for her coworkers. When some Muslims refused to drink the water on account of it being contaminated by an “unclean” Christian, heated work-site arguments allegedly ensued. Later, a cleric received complaints that Noreen made derogatory comments about the Prophet Muhammad. A mob arrived at her house, attacking her and her family before she was rescued by the police. This was in June 2009. She is still in jail.

The Blasphemy Law can be manipulated by cynical plaintiffs, as a tool to take personal retribution. In the case of Asia Bibi, there had been a pre-existing feud between Noreen and a Muslim neighbour over property damage. In Rifta’s case, relations between the Muslim and Christian communities had been tense for months after complaints were made about the noise coming from churches in the area during religious services.

In Pakistan, Christians traditionally have worked as cleaners and sweepers; many Muslims still consider them “unclean.” About 900 Christians living on the outskirts of Islamabad have been ordered to leave the neighbourhood and the homes they have inhabited for two decades. On Sunday, houses on the backstreets of Mehrabadi, an area 20 minutes drive from Islamabad’s western embassies and government ministries, were locked up and abandoned, their frightened occupants having relocated to already overcrowded Christian slums in and around the capital.

Pakistan is a country with many problems — from corruption to terrorism to regional secession movements. But none captures the primitive, bigoted spirit of the nation’s religious extremists more perfectly than the witch hunt for “blasphemers” that has been used to persecute the country’s tiny, beleaguered Christian community. If an 11-year-old handicapped girl is considered fair game for the fanatics, what chance does anyone else have?

Campaign to Ban Holy Bible in Pakistan 2

Islamabad:  A hardline Pakistani political party today demanded a ban on the Bible and set a 30-day deadline for the Supreme Court to take action in this regard.

Maulana Abdur Raoof Farooqi, a leader of a faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam led by Samiul Haq, claimed the Bible "contains blasphemous passages that are a cause of humiliation for Muslims".

He said his party wants the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of this issue, said a report on the website of The Express Tribune.

If the Chief Justice does not accept their request within a month, Farooqi said he would present the issue to an independent tribunal that may comprise judges from the Federal Shariah Court.

Farooqui said he wants the matter to be resolved judicially so that Christians have the right to defend their position. He said that if this petition to the apex court was unsuccessful, "pages from the Bible will be burned all over the world."

Pakistan People's Party legislator Pervez Rafique, a member of the central organising committee of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, said the apex court should not take any action of the JUI-S' request to ban the Bible.

"We totally condemn this demand from their party. It is against religious freedom and violates the right to practice our religion as granted by the UN Charter," said Rafique.

"How can they ban the Bible that is followed throughout the world?" he added. 

Peace Worldwide on the other hand is waiting for the chief Justice to reject the petition to ban the Holy Bible from Pakistan. This is a clear violation of religious freedom and we are also waiting for the leaders of Pakistan to stop this discriminating Campaign. Calling Holy Bible blasphemous is also a blasphemy against The Word of God known as Holy Bible. We are all just waiting for the Supreme Court to take severe action on JUI.

Pakistan: Yet another Christian accused of blasphemy

A Christian woman, Agnes Nuggo, was accused of blasphemy and arrested in the Diocese of Faisalabad, in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The Catholic Church, which is handling the case, expressed "extreme concern"  over the affair.
The Commission for Justice and Peace in the diocese reported that Agnes (50) is married to Bashir Masih, has children and lives in the Christian quarter of Waris Pura. She was accused of blasphemy after a dispute over a piece of land that had already created controversy with his relatives. Some Muslim neighbours accused her of having made insulting statements against the Prophet Mohammed and against Islam. On 16 February, the local police registered a FIR (First Information Report) pursuant to art. 295/a of the Criminal Code and arrested her. Agnes professes her innocence and says the accusations are completely fabricated.
Fr. Nisar Barkat, Director of the Justice and Peace Commission in Faisalabad, reported "Bishop Joseph Coutts has become aware of the case and asked me to follow it closely." Fr. Nisar was in court and obtained a copy of the complaint against Agnes, who will have her first court hearing in two weeks. The church will find her a lawyer and will take care of her family.
According to some sisters who know Agnes personally "the case is quite complicated: the woman was lured into a trap. Some people wanted to take revenge on her, because in the past Agnes had agreed to testify in court for money."”
Fr. Pascal Paulus, a Dominican priest in the Waris Pura area, said that "the situation is critical for us Christians. We need to be very careful. The Islamic radicals want to exploit these cases to attack the Christian minorities. We are exposed to spurious attacks, which have already been happening."
Asia Bibi, another Christian woman accused of blasphemy, has been imprisoned for several months and has been condemend to death under Islamic law, Haroon Barket Masih of the Masihi Foundation said of Nuggo, "She is a new Asia Bibi. Agnes' case is one of many cases of persecution that continue to occur. Most of the episodes don't leave a trace and do not reach the clamour of the spotlight. Only when the victims' families trust in the Churches, foundations and NGOs, then the injustices come to light. Families often keep silent for fear of retaliation. And institutions are absent: in this situation, what can Christians do?"
Rosemary Noel, head of the Pakistan Catholic Women's Organisation said, "Being a Christian woman in Pakistan is a dual challenge. Even the status of women is itself exposed to discrimination, violence and abuse. Women struggle to gain access to education and the world of work. Those Christians are doubly discriminated against. They are considered as objects by Muslims and suffer all sorts of abuse and injustice to general indifference."
According to data provided by the Justice and Peace Commission of the Pakistani Bishops, including Agnes, there have been 16 Christian women accused and imprisoned between 1987 and 2010 (in addition to a Muslim woman and a Hindu), but many other cases escape inclusion, because they did not end with a formal complaint.

Asia Bibi says she was raped by accusers

Pakistani woman Asia Bibi, who has been sentenced to death for blasphemy, says she was raped at the hands of her accusers.

This is what she told the Governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, who visited Asia in prison two days ago, Fides reports.

Following their conversation, the governor said that the woman “signed an appeal of clemency to President Ali Zardari” and said that she affirms her story, which she will “personally report to the President.”

Bibi says she is innocent, but groups of Islamic fundamentalists have already threatened to kill her if she goes free, Fides says.

Meanwhile, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has said he intends to issue a pardon for Bibi, Radio Vatican adds.

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, has also appealed for her release.

Speaking to Vatican Radio Archbishop Lawrence John Saldanha of Lahore says Bibi’s case highlights “how dangerous (Pakistan’s blasphemy) laws are and how from something so small, such as an argument between a group of women, something so serious can take place”.

The Archbishop adds that the infamous blasphemy laws target all civil society as a whole; “since they were first introduced over 1000 cases have been reported"

However he adds, “there can be no comparison in how they affect the minorities. For example when a Christian is accused of blasphemy then his or her family and the entire Christian community often pay the consequences”, which can come in the form of discrimination, persecution and even violence.

Instead “when a Muslim is accused of blasphemy then he or she as an individual pays and no one else”.

Source: http://www.cathnewsasia.com/2010/11/25/asia-bibi-says-she-was-raped-by-accusers/

Islamic cleric in Pakistan offers $5,800 reward to anyone who kills Christian woman accused of blasphemy

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - A hardline, pro-Taliban Pakistani Muslim cleric Friday offered a reward for anyone who kills a Christian woman sentenced to death by a court on charges of insulting Islam.

The sentence against Asia Bibi has renewed debate about Pakistan's blasphemy law which critics say is used to persecute religious minorities, fan religious extremism and settle personal scores. Non-Muslim minorities account roughly 4 percent of Pakistan's about 170 million population.

Maulana Yousef Qureshi, the imam of a major mosque in the northwestern city of Peshawar, offered a $5,800 (3,700 pounds) reward and warned the government against any move to abolish or change the blasphemy law.

"We will strongly resist any attempt to repeal laws which provide protection to the sanctity of Holy Prophet Mohammad," Qureshi told a rally of hardline Islamists.

"Anyone who kills Asia will be given 500,000 rupees in reward from Masjid Mohabat Khan," he said referring to his mosque.

While Qureshi is not believed to have a wide following, comments by clerics can provoke a violent response and complicate government efforts to combat religious extremism and militancy.

Qureshi, cleric who has been leading congregation at the 17th century Mohabat Khan mosque for decades, later told Reuters he was determined to see her killed.

"We expect her to be hanged and if she is not hanged then we will ask mujahideen and Taliban to kill her."...

Everyone Please pray for Asia Bibi, also do not forget Hector Aleem Chairman of Peace Worldwide who is in jail due to same charges. Hector Aleem is not convicted, please pray for his release.