Sunday, 28 October 2012
Saturday, 27 October 2012
Akram Gill seeks PML-Q ticket from NA-129
Akram Gill seeks PML-Q ticket from NA-129
LAHORE - Pakistan Muslim League senior central leader and Deputy Prime Minister Ch Parvez Elahi held a meeting with Minister of State for National Harmony Akram Masih Gill who called on him at his residence here today.
Akram Masih Gill demanded of Ch Parvez Elahi that he should be nominated to contest general election from NA-129 Younhanabad, Lahore, a constituency having significant population of the Christian community.
On this occasion, Ch Parvez Elahi said that PML had always worked for protecting the rights of the minorities and will continue to do so in future as well. He, however, did not confirm ticket to Mr Gill, but assured him that his demand would be considered in the party.
Pervaiz further said it was during his tenure that a ministry for minorities was established in Punjab for the first time in the history of Pakistan.
He said funds were also provided to the Christians community for their places of worship and their properties were returned.
Ch Parvez Elahi maintained that Pakistan Muslim League was the only political party which takes care of all minorities
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Imran Khan says Pakistan’s blasphemy law is necessary
Pakistan’s blasphemy law
Imran Khan says Pakistan’s blasphemy law is necessary. He says it is a British law and thinks that in its absence, people would be lynched and there would be anarchy. The stern law, therefore, also helps those accused of blasphemy.
Is he right? Let us consider the law.
Only seven cases of blasphemy were registered in undivided India and Pakistan from 1927 to 1986, according to a group of Pakistani Christians. The National Commission for Justice and Peace says that in the last 25 years, 1,058 cases of blasphemy were registered. Of the accused, 456 were Ahmadis, 449 were Muslims, 132 were Christians and 21 were Hindus.
Non-Muslims, who are four per cent of Pakistan’s population, are 57 per cent of those charged with blasphemy. The other aspect is that, by far, the majority of cases are filed in Punjab.
India and Pakistan share their penal code, which was given to us by Macaulay in the 1860s. Pakistan’s primary law on blasphemy is the same as India’s law, which I wrote about yesterday.
Pakistan’s section 295-A reads: “Whoever, with deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class of the citizens of Pakistan, by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representations insults the religion or the religious beliefs of that class, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, or with fine, or with both.”
Both in India and Pakistan, this law is secular and applies to all faiths. The only significant difference in Pakistan’s law is the punishment, which in India is only three years. In 1982, President Ziaul Haq introduced an ordinance that added a section to this law. Section 295-B reads: “Whoever wilfully defiles, damages or desecrates a copy of the Holy Qur’an or of an extract therefrom or uses it in any derogatory manner or for any unlawful purpose shall be punishable with imprisonment for life.”
It is difficult to see what new element this added which was not covered by 295-A, except that it is specifically a law that protects Muslim sensibility, and the punishment is increased.
Under prime minister Muhammad Khan Junejo, another addition to the blasphemy law was legislated in 1986. Section 295-C reads: “Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representation or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine.”
This also was already covered by the original secular law. And again, here the punishment was increased, this time delivering death.
Till this change came, the number of blasphemy cases, to remind the reader, was only seven in 60 years. Therefore, Imran Khan is wrong to say the anti-blasphemy law is helpful in keeping peace. The truth is the opposite: Pakistanis have registered so many cases since 1986 because the Islam-specific laws 295-B and 295-C are being deployed.
It is often said that property disputes or personal enmity are the reasons for many of these cases, because people can be charged on the basis of hearsay. If this were the case, the law would be misused in India also, which it is not. My view is that it is strong religious sentiment that is the reason why so many Pakistanis are accused of being blasphemers.
President Pervez Musharraf said he would look into softening the law, but couldn’t. Sherry Rehman tried to introduce a change to the law and failed. Why?
I would say that it is not possible for the state to bring change over an unwilling population.
Punjab’s Muslims have defied the state on religion before. Emperor Bahadur Shah I (Aurangzeb’s son) was unable to get the Lahore Jama Masjid to recite the khutba because the word ‘wasi’ was added by him to the name of the fourth caliph. The khutba proclaimed him as head of state and was therefore important as a sign of his sovereignty. The emperor had an angry showdown with four sullen clerics in his tent, demanding they comply. In Bahadur Shah’s view, the additional word was not against any specific Sunni practice. The clerics did not back down and, supported by the Afghans in Punjab, threatened civil war. A crowd of 100,000 civilians gathered to fight the state. In all the rest of India, the khutba continued to be read in the prescribed form except in Lahore. The emperor had to back down and finally the khutba was read on October 2, 1711, without the word ‘wasi’.
There is no chance that the state will be able to undo the two changes to Pakistan’s blasphemy law.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 27th, 2012.
Monday, 22 October 2012
90% Pakistani Christian favour Refugee Status from UN after rising violence. By Nazir S Bhatti
90% Pakistani Christian favour Refugee Status from UN after rising violence. By Nazir S Bhatti
I recieved an e-Mail from one of my friend on Facebok to whom I have never met nor knew in person. He wrote it in Roman-Urdu lanuage which I am copying as it is: "Dear Brother, Aj kal ki jo situation ha pakistan mein Christians ki wo sab achhi tarah jantay hein. I humbly requested you to please try to take step on this way> I know its not easy , But nothing is impossible: * You all Christian NGO's and Religious Leaders , Ap sab mil ke Christian countries ko request karein k wo ham sab ko pakistan se nikal le jaein. for e.g Italy, Denmark, Austrailia, New ZeaLand, Canada and so many other coutries can accommodate us. as you people are trying to get a separate province in punjab, I think instead of this moving from there is an easy and permanant solution. so please think on this. May Christ bless to all of Us"
If, I will translate this e-mail, it simply says that all Christian leaders and Civil Society shall raise issue of situation of Pakistani Christian on International Forums and urge Western Countries to give refuge to Christians that they may have peacful life.
I have posted this e-mail because it is one of hundrdres which I recieve every week from my Christian readers of Pakistan Christian Post who want to flee for freedom from slavery in Islamic Republic of Pakistan which are from activists of different groups but it is from a common Christian who can not even write in English but using social media to express his burden in life.
Pakistan Christian Congress PCC in a petition urged Mr. Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of United Nation to award Refugee Status to Pakistani Christians after rising violence against Christians after UN Security Council Resolution to action in Afghanistan after 9/11 attack in USA, from terrorists based in Afghanistan.
PCC in its petition to UN for refugee status outlined that 20 million Pakistani Christians are facing constitutional genocide in Islamic Republic of Pakistan after implementation of Sharia law and other Islamic law which protect Islamic elements on enforced conversion of Christian women, killing of Christian on pretext to blasphemy law, attacks on worship places of Christians and to ransack Christian properties.
PCC also raised issue of Christian representation in democratic institutions which is blocked by government by imposing Joint Electorate in which Muslim political parties are empowered to Select Christians in Parliament instead of Election, to end voice of Christians in Assemblies of Pakistan.
Pakistan Christian Congress PCC viewed that Refugee Status for Christian is solution to issues of Pakistani Christian that they may migrate to democratic counties in Europe and North America after atrocities against them in Pakistan but a section of Pakistani Church based orgnizations opposed PCC petition in United Nation.
A Cathoic Priest who heads National Commission for Justice and Peace in Pakistan, issued a press release to International Christian media alleging Pakistan Christian Congress PCC and its Chief Dr. Nazir S Bhatti to conspiring against solidarity of Pakistan with filing petition in UN for Refugee Status for Pakistani Christians. The NCJP stated that Pakistani Christians not support PCC call for Separate Christian Province on division of Punjab nor petition of Refugee Status in UNO.
The Pakistani Adminstration have turned North Western Areas in a new province named Gilgit-Baltistan province and is heading to devide Punjab in Hazara province and Seraki provinces, then why not Separate Christian province?
When PCC demands Separate Christian province, it does not mean that a Separate homeland for Christians and division of Pakistan but a province where Muslims shall have right to stay as they are with their proerties and Christians to stay with their properties in other provinces of Pakistan.
The 20 million Pakistani Christians are living below poverty line comparing to Muslim dominated society facing hates on their religion after implementation of Islamic Sharia law in Pakistan and legislation turning them to be third class citizen in a land which was goverened by their ansecstors for centuries.
The Muslim agreesors migrated to Indian sub-continent from Middle East and Central Asia in 7th centurary while Christians belonged to this land as son of soil.
It is ironic that now Muslim immigrants are master in Pakistan and Christian sons of soil are living like slaves in their own land.
The Christian leaders in sub-continet of India favoured formation of Pakistan in Round Table Conferences in 1930-32 in London during British Raj and voted for Punjab to fall in lot of Pakistan with presentation before Boundary Commission but Muslims have scratched Christian role in Pakistan Movement.
There have been frequent incident of violnce against Christians in Pakistan where Muslim culprits are protected and never brought to justice.
Islamists in Pakistan can gunn down Christian in broad day light in court compunds, they abduct Christian women and convert them with force to Islam to marry them, they gang rape Christian women but not arrested, they torture and kill Christian house-maids who refuse to convert to Islam, they destroy hundreds of homes but never convicted, they burn alive Christians but Islamic courts set them free, they are free to spread hate against christians but no legislation to creat harmonious society and use of religion Islam to oppress millions of Christian citizens.
We affirm that some Churches in Pakistan have properties worth Billions of dollars in shape of Christian Missionary Schools, Colleges and Hospitals which are being run as bussiness concerns and benifiting Muslims only and establishment of Pakistan uses its clergy to speak against issues of common Christian on international forums but we assure them that demand of Separate Christian province or Refugee Status for Pakistani Christian will not harm their multi-million bussiness.
If, I will translate this e-mail, it simply says that all Christian leaders and Civil Society shall raise issue of situation of Pakistani Christian on International Forums and urge Western Countries to give refuge to Christians that they may have peacful life.
I have posted this e-mail because it is one of hundrdres which I recieve every week from my Christian readers of Pakistan Christian Post who want to flee for freedom from slavery in Islamic Republic of Pakistan which are from activists of different groups but it is from a common Christian who can not even write in English but using social media to express his burden in life.
Pakistan Christian Congress PCC in a petition urged Mr. Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of United Nation to award Refugee Status to Pakistani Christians after rising violence against Christians after UN Security Council Resolution to action in Afghanistan after 9/11 attack in USA, from terrorists based in Afghanistan.
PCC in its petition to UN for refugee status outlined that 20 million Pakistani Christians are facing constitutional genocide in Islamic Republic of Pakistan after implementation of Sharia law and other Islamic law which protect Islamic elements on enforced conversion of Christian women, killing of Christian on pretext to blasphemy law, attacks on worship places of Christians and to ransack Christian properties.
PCC also raised issue of Christian representation in democratic institutions which is blocked by government by imposing Joint Electorate in which Muslim political parties are empowered to Select Christians in Parliament instead of Election, to end voice of Christians in Assemblies of Pakistan.
Pakistan Christian Congress PCC viewed that Refugee Status for Christian is solution to issues of Pakistani Christian that they may migrate to democratic counties in Europe and North America after atrocities against them in Pakistan but a section of Pakistani Church based orgnizations opposed PCC petition in United Nation.
A Cathoic Priest who heads National Commission for Justice and Peace in Pakistan, issued a press release to International Christian media alleging Pakistan Christian Congress PCC and its Chief Dr. Nazir S Bhatti to conspiring against solidarity of Pakistan with filing petition in UN for Refugee Status for Pakistani Christians. The NCJP stated that Pakistani Christians not support PCC call for Separate Christian Province on division of Punjab nor petition of Refugee Status in UNO.
The Pakistani Adminstration have turned North Western Areas in a new province named Gilgit-Baltistan province and is heading to devide Punjab in Hazara province and Seraki provinces, then why not Separate Christian province?
When PCC demands Separate Christian province, it does not mean that a Separate homeland for Christians and division of Pakistan but a province where Muslims shall have right to stay as they are with their proerties and Christians to stay with their properties in other provinces of Pakistan.
The 20 million Pakistani Christians are living below poverty line comparing to Muslim dominated society facing hates on their religion after implementation of Islamic Sharia law in Pakistan and legislation turning them to be third class citizen in a land which was goverened by their ansecstors for centuries.
The Muslim agreesors migrated to Indian sub-continent from Middle East and Central Asia in 7th centurary while Christians belonged to this land as son of soil.
It is ironic that now Muslim immigrants are master in Pakistan and Christian sons of soil are living like slaves in their own land.
The Christian leaders in sub-continet of India favoured formation of Pakistan in Round Table Conferences in 1930-32 in London during British Raj and voted for Punjab to fall in lot of Pakistan with presentation before Boundary Commission but Muslims have scratched Christian role in Pakistan Movement.
There have been frequent incident of violnce against Christians in Pakistan where Muslim culprits are protected and never brought to justice.
Islamists in Pakistan can gunn down Christian in broad day light in court compunds, they abduct Christian women and convert them with force to Islam to marry them, they gang rape Christian women but not arrested, they torture and kill Christian house-maids who refuse to convert to Islam, they destroy hundreds of homes but never convicted, they burn alive Christians but Islamic courts set them free, they are free to spread hate against christians but no legislation to creat harmonious society and use of religion Islam to oppress millions of Christian citizens.
We affirm that some Churches in Pakistan have properties worth Billions of dollars in shape of Christian Missionary Schools, Colleges and Hospitals which are being run as bussiness concerns and benifiting Muslims only and establishment of Pakistan uses its clergy to speak against issues of common Christian on international forums but we assure them that demand of Separate Christian province or Refugee Status for Pakistani Christian will not harm their multi-million bussiness.
by Pakistan Christian Post
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)