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May 23, 2007   Christians in Pakistan face severe threats from "Taliban"

Christians in North-West Frontier Province in Pakistan are facing fresh threats, including a message signed by the “Taliban’s Detonative Department”, after rejecting demands to convert to Islam.

The message was chalked on a wall opposite a church in Charsadda. It was signed by the “Taliban’s Detonative Department” and reiterated an ultimatum previously circulated to the Christian community in a letter. The letter warned the Christians to convert to Islam by 17 May 2007 or face “dire consequences and bomb explosions”. The Christian community in Charsadda, numbering approximately 500 people, have rejected the ultimatum.

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide’s (CSW) sources, similar threats have been made to a Bible School in Peshawar, the capital of North-West Frontier Province.

On 18 May, a day after the deadline for conversion to Islam expired, more than 100 Christians in Charsadda signed a letter to President Pervez Musharraf and the Chief Minister of North-West Frontier Province, urging the authorities to provide proper security for the area in light of death threats made by extremists. The letter stated that some Christians have already fled the area due to lack of security.

According to the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), “Islamic radicals are trying to impose Taliban-style social edicts in northwestern Pakistan”. They added that the extremists “are growing bolder, bombing audio and video shops, threatening barbers for trimming beards and warning hotels to remove televisions from guest rooms.” Last month, Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, “narrowly escaped” a suicide attack that killed 28 people in Charsadda, APMA reports.

Minorities in Charsadda are seeking ways to resolve the tension peacefully. APMA has established a Charsadda Peace Committee involving local Muslim and Christian leaders, to promote “inter-faith harmony, unity and tolerance”. APMA has also appealed to Islamic scholars and Muslim leaders to condemn the threats to Christians.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide’s National Director, Stuart Windsor, said: “We are deeply concerned about the situation in North-West Frontier Province, and we continue to monitor developments very closely. We urge the Pakistani authorities to do all they can to protect the Christians in Charsadda and throughout the country, and to prevent an outbreak of violence.”

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April 27, 2007  Christians targeted in Pakistan, twelve year-old gang-raped on Easter

A 12 year-old Christian girl was kidnapped and gang-raped by four Muslim men in Lahore, Pakistan on Easter Day. Less than a week later, a Christian man in Jamshoro district was threatened by a mob following allegations of Blasphemy.

According to a report from the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), Shaheena Masih was kidnapped at around 10am on 8 April as she went to a shop to buy her father some juice. The rest of her family were at church, but Shaheena and her elderly father had stayed at home because he was unwell.

On her way to the shops, four men grabbed Shaheena and placed a handkerchief over her mouth. She fell unconscious, but when she woke up she found herself in a factory. The four men raped her, and then locked her in a room. One of the rapists allegedly told his accomplices: “Don’t hesitate to rape a Christian girl. Even if she dies, no one will get us. Her poor parents cannot pursue us.”

According to APMA, while in the locked room Shaheena found a mobile phone lying on the floor, and called her brother. However, while she was talking to him, her kidnappers entered the room, seized the telephone and beat her very badly. She was then taken to a brothel.

Shaheena was rescued by Nishtar colony police officers after her family had traced the mobile phone call and located the address of the owner. He confessed to the kidnap, and assisted the police in returning Shaheena to her family. APMA claims she returned to her home two days after she was kidnapped, “bleeding profusely and in a pathetic condition”. Shaheena was taken to Lahore General Hospital for a medical examination, but the police refused to give her family the medical report.

The four men were arrested and the police registered a case against them under Article 496-A/376 of the Pakistan Penal Code. However, three were subsequently released and police are reportedly under pressure from the kidnappers not to pursue the case.

In a separate incident, Sattar Masih, aged 28, was charged under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws on 13 April 2007. A piece of paper with his photograph and insulting words against the Prophet Mohammad in Urdu was allegedly found in the donation boxes outside the mosque in Kotri, Jamshoro district, following prayers.

A Muslim mob marched to Masih’s home and threatened to kill him, but local police intervened and took him to the police station. Mr Masih has allegedly been tortured into offering a confession, and a case of blasphemy under Sections 295A and 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code have been filed against him. He told APMA: “How can I write this blasphemous note with my picture and name on it, when I know that the punishment for the blasphemer is death?”

Stuart Windsor, National Director of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), said: “We are deeply shocked and saddened by the rape of this 12 year old girl. We offer our deepest sympathies to Shaheena and her family, and we urge the Pakistani authorities to ensure that justice is done and the perpetrators of this crime be brought to justice. The rape of a little girl is terrible in any circumstances, but it is made all the more horrifying by the fact that she was repeatedly gang-raped on Easter Day, a day which for Christians should be one of celebration. We are also deeply disappointed that the Blasphemy law is again being used to target religious minorities in Pakistan, We hope the Pakistani authorities will repeal these unjust laws, which require almost no evidence and therefore are wide open to abuse. ”

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December 21, 2006   Urgent Action: Pakistan

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May 24, 2006  URGENT ACTION: Appeal for Prayers for Persecuted Christians in Pakistan

Dear Friends,

The Pakistan Asian Christian Welfare Organization has issued an appeal to churches and Christian communities around the world to join them on Sunday, 6 August 2006 during their worship in praying for the persecuted church in Pakistan. We are therefore inviting you and your church to join with us in this expression of solidarity with Christians in Pakistan as part of your Sunday service.

Whilst Article 20 of the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees every citizen the right to profess, practice and propagate their religion, the reality for Christians and other minorities is often very different. Using the blasphemy laws to justify their actions Muslim extremists, terrorists and religious leaders have attacked churches and killed Christians throughout the country. In one incident in November 2005, 3,000 militant Islamists attacked Christians in Sangla Hill and destroyed Roman Catholic, Salvation Army and United Presbyterian churches. More recently, in February of this year, churches and Christian schools were targeted in protests over the publications of an anti-Islamic cartoon in Denmark, leaving two elderly women injured and many homes and properties destroyed.

Often these attacks committed under the blasphemy law have very little to do with the issues that surround this legislation. Instead the charges are motivated by many different reasons including economic rivalry, personal enmity and religious hatred. Unfortunately very little evidence is needed to make a charge under the blasphemy laws and it is very difficult for non-Muslims to successfully contest the accusations. Even the judicial system struggles to counter such acts with blasphemy cases attracting scores of agitators disrupting court proceedings, shouting slogans and demanding the death penalty.

CSW and the Pakistan Asian Christian Welfare Association are both engaged in lobbying the Pakistan Government, the British Government and the EU to help protect religious freedom and guarantee the safety of majority groups in Pakistan. We recognize however, the importance of underpinning all this work in prayer and ask that you would join with us in praying for Pakistan on Sunday 6 August.

Please pray in particular for the following issues highlighted by the Pakistan Asian Christian Welfare Association:

• The thousands of children in Pakistan who are struggling for survival

• The hundreds of young Christian girls who are gang raped and subjected to forced conversion into Islam

• The network of Churches in Pakistan who provide hope and life for 10 million Christians in Pakistan

• For the Government of Pakistan to provide protection to Christians and Muslims from terrorists

• Those who wish to destroy the pluralistic character of Pakistan's multi-faith society

• Pakistan's security, stability, peace and progress which demands faith, unity and discipline.

Thank you for your support

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November 5, 2004   Pakistani religious minorities say blasphemy law reforms not enough

Religious minorities and women in Pakistan continue to face severe persecution, despite reformist rhetoric by the President, Pervez Musharraf.

Minorities regard proposals for procedural reform of the notorious blasphemy laws, introduced to the National Assembly last week, as meaningless and dangerous, because they create the impression of reform without any change in reality.

A delegation from Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) returned this week from a fact-finding visit to Pakistan , where they met former blasphemy prisoners in hiding, as well as church leaders, Parliamentarians, human rights activists, lawyers and women victims of sexual harassment and violence. 

Activists face severe threats from the Pakistani authorities and Islamic extremists. One prominent campaigner for the rights of religious minorities told CSW: "We Christians are living among the hunting dogs. They want to see us dead. People who criticize the authorities, who are bold and active, are on a hit list." A lawyer who has represented many people, Muslim and non-Muslim, accused of blasphemy, receives regular death threats. After one case, his car was stopped by militant Islamists who beat him, held a gun to his head and warned: "We will not leave you. You are an enemy of Islam."

The CSW team met former blasphemy prisoner Aslam Masih, who spent almost five years in jail under two life sentences for blasphemy. He endured severe torture and beatings, and was held in solitary confinement. But even though he was acquitted in June 2003, he has had to live in hiding ever since. Anyone charged with blasphemy in Pakistan , even if they are found innocent, becomes a target for Islamic extremists for the rest of their lives. Aslam Masih's lawyer said: "He has no choice but to live in hiding. He lives in danger. A normal life is not possible for a former blasphemy prisoner in this society, even if he has been acquitted."

A fresh danger to minorities has emerged in North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), which is governed by the pro-Taliban extremist group, the Muttahia Majlis-e-Amal (MMA). The MMA Government in the province has already introduced Shari'a law, and has confirmed its intention to implement the Hisba Act, which would impose Islamic practices on the province, despite reservations by the Council on Islamic Ideology. The legislation was described to CSW by NWFP Senator Zahid Khan of the Awami National Party, a liberal democratic party, as "Mullah martial law". The Director of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, I.A. Rehman, argues that the law will create "a vigilante force that will interfere in ordinary people's lives. The weaker elements in society - women, minorities, children and workers - will be hit hardest. It will create a climate of fear."

The All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), a prominent human rights advocacy organization representing all religious minorities, has launched a campaign against the enforcement of Shar'ia law and the Hisba Act in NWFP. APMA has organized protests, press conferences, seminars and rallies to raise awareness. As a result, activists such as APMA Chairman Shahbaz Bhatti have received threats from extremists and warned to stop the campaign. APMA plans to challenge the introduction of Shar'ia law and the Hisba Act in the Supreme Court.

CSW also met Muslim and Christian women who have been targets of rape, domestic violence and the threat of 'honor killings'. Seven-year old Sharee Komal, a Christian, was raped and tortured by a Muslim man on May 29, because she is a Christian. Discovered near a graveyard, covered in blood, Sharee remains traumatized. Her mother told CSW: "I thought she was dead. The man tried to kill her, and she was badly beaten around the head."

CSW is campaigning for the repeal of the blasphemy laws, and urges President Musharraf to use his authority to prevent the implementation of the Hisba Act in NWFP.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The blasphemy laws, introduced by General Zia-ul-Haq, Pakistan 's former military ruler, in 1985 are detailed in Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Section 295A refers to "deliberate and malicious acts" intended to insult "religious beliefs", and is punishable by imprisonment of up to ten years. Section 295B applies specifically to "defiling of the Holy Koran" and carries a life sentence. Section 295C relates to "use of derogatory remarks in respect of the Holy Prophet [Mohammad]" and is punishable by death. The law requires only the testimony of one Muslim against another person, and therefore it is widely misused to settle scores and persecute minorities. According to the National Commission for Justice and Peace of the Catholic Bishops Conference, between 1986 and 2003 at least 280 blasphemy cases were registered. Of these, 254 cases were against Muslims; 203 Ahmadis; 78 Christians; 8 Hindus. There are currently over 30 blasphemy cases under trial or awaiting trial, including several Christians such as Pervez Masih, Ranjha Masih, Shahbaz Masih, Augustine "Kingri" Masih and Asif and Amjad Masih.

President Pervez Musharraf has called for reform of the blasphemy laws, but proposals published so far only offer procedural reform. Under the draft amendment to Section 295C, no police officer below the rank of Superintendent shall have the authority to investigate blasphemy accusations. But as human rights groups point out, the police will still be susceptible to bribery, corruption, intimidation and religious extremism. The root problem in the law is the vague definition, and the fact that, as the Director of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan noted, it "overlooks the question of intent".

Blasphemy suspects are targets for extremist violence during trial, imprisonment and after their release. On May 28, this year Samuel Masih, aged 32, was beaten with a brick cutter by a police officer, and died of his injuries. He was awaiting trial for blasphemy. "I offered my religious duty for killing the man. I am spiritually satisfied and ready to face the consequences," said the policeman who killed him. On August 24, 2003 Naseem Bibi was beaten to death in Kot Lakhpat Jail, three months after she had been detained on blasphemy charges. In 2002, Mushtaq Zafar was shot dead in Lahore soon after he left a court hearing. Justice Mian Nasir Akhtar of the Lahore High Court said in 1999 that those accused of blasphemy should be killed without trial.

The proposed Hisba Act in North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) will lead to the "Talibanisation" of the province, according to its opponents. The legislation, which the NWFP Government may try to implement as early as next month, will create a position of 'Mohtaseb' or Shari'a judge, whose decisions cannot be challenged in non-Shari'a courts. The law will also require the establishment of mosques in all government and public buildings, including shopping centres, schools and hospitals.

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September 6, 2004  Second Pakistani Christian tortured to death by police in four months  

Another Christian has died in Pakistan as a result of severe torture at the hands of the police. This is the third murder of a Pakistani Christian this year, and the second carried out by the police.

Nasir Masih, aged 26, was arrested on false charges of theft on August 16, and died three days later after sustaining 20 injuries. According to his father, Mukhtar Masih, Nasir was taken from his home in Baldia, Siekhupura, 45 kilometers from Lahore , by a group of Muslims, and a few hours later his family was informed by the police that he had been arrested and charged with theft. The accusation had been made by one of the group which took Nasir from his home.

"This is a conspiracy based on religious enmity to kill my son," Mukhtar Masih told the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance. "My son cannot have been involved in any theft."

A case has been registered against ten people, including six policemen, for allegedly torturing Nasir Masih to death, on the orders of the District Police Officer Shahid Iqbal. No arrests have yet been made. "I will knock on every door to get justice for my son," Mukhtar Masih said.

Nasir's murder follows the deaths in May this year of Samuel Masih and Javed Anjum. Samuel Masih, charged under the blasphemy law, was beaten by a police officer while he lay in a hospital suffering from tuberculosis. Javed Anjum was tortured to death by Muslims from a madrassah (Islamic school).

Hundreds of Christians protested Nasir Masih's murder by blocking the Siekhupura to Lahore road on August 20. Police responded to the protest with a baton charge and firing in the air, which led to several protestors being injured. Police beat up and arrested Pastor Joel Raja and Pastor Noel Cecil, who were preparing to lead Nasir Masih's funeral, along with 15 others. The two pastors and five others have been released, but ten further people remain in police custody. Police have also warned the local Christian community, particularly Haroon Fateh, a lawyer representing Nasih Masih's family, not to pursue the case against the police. About a dozen Christian protestors have been charged with suspending traffic and rioting.

CSW is calling for the repeal of the blasphemy laws and the Hudood Ordinances, and for the reform of the madrassahs.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Christians in Pakistan represent two per cent of the population.

The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, a bill proposing amendments to the Hudood Ordinances and the blasphemy laws has been referred by the National Assembly to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice. These reforms were proposed by President Pervez Musharraf in a speech in June, in which he called for 'scrutiny' of the blasphemy laws and an end to 'honor' killings.

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July 15, 2004    Pakistani government drafts bill to revise discriminatory laws

In the face of a growing international campaign for the repeal of the blasphemy laws and the Hudood Ordinances, the Pakistani Government announced last week that it would introduce a new bill to revise these laws.

The draft 'Criminal Law (Amendment) Act' will revise the Hudood Ordinances and the blasphemy laws, and criminalize so-called 'honor' killings. The news was announced on July 8 by Pakistan 's Justice Minister, Raza Hayat Hiraj, who said the draft would be presented to the Cabinet for approval. It was subsequently tabled in the National Assembly, and, according to CSW's source, is now with the Council of Islamic Ideology. The bill was drafted with input from the Supreme Court, which has already ruled that 'honor killings' should be considered as murder.

The Government's move to reform these laws comes after the killings of several Christians in recent months, including Samuel Masih, accused of blasphemy, and Javed Anjum, murdered by maulvis (mullahs) at a madrassa (Islamic school). International pressure has mounted on the Pakistani authorities to take action to curb religious intolerance, and last month President Pervez Musharraf called for 'scrutiny' of the blasphemy laws and the Hudood ordinances, and an end to 'honor killings'.

The Hudood Ordinances, introduced in 1979, deal with Islamic laws relating to criminal acts. These include the requirement that a married woman who has been raped must provide four Muslim male witnesses otherwise the rape is considered adultery. 

Cecil Chaudhry, a leading campaigner for human rights and religious freedom in Pakistan, and a member of the Catholic Church's Justice and Peace Commission, told CSW that the proposed draft bill does not go far enough: "The stand of the women of Pakistan, and the non-Muslim minorities, has been to call for the total repeal of the blasphemy laws and the Hudood ordinances. The total repeal of these laws was also the recommendation of the Women's Commission formed by the government itself."

In regard to the move to declare 'honor killings' as a crime, Mr Chaudhry said there was no need for new legislation. Existing laws under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code already provided for the crime of murder, punishable with the death penalty. "Murder is murder, and honor killings are murder, so Section 302 already covers this crime," he argued.

The move to reform the law is likely to draw fierce opposition from Islamic militant groups. The Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), an alliance of six Islamic parties in the National Assembly, urged the Government not to table a bill until a consensus had been reached, although a spokesman said he opposed the custom of 'Karo-Kari' or 'honor killings'.

Mervyn Thomas, CSW's Chief Executive, welcomed the draft bill, but urged the Pakistani Government to go further. "Hundreds of people of all religions, including Muslims and Christians, have suffered unimaginable injustices and danger as a result of the blasphemy laws and the Hudood ordinances. We are pleased that the Pakistani authorities are now taking steps to address the discrimination, persecution and killings that have resulted from these unjust laws, but we do not believe that the laws can be revised or reformed. We stand with the women and the minorities of Pakistan in urging the Government to completely repeal these laws, and create a new atmosphere of religious freedom and tolerance."

NOTES TO EDITORS

Pakistan has a population of 150 million, 96 per cent of whom are Muslim. Islam is the state religion, but the Constitution provides for religious freedoms. About two percent of the population are Christians and two percent are Hindus.

For more than 20 years, the blasphemy laws under Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code have been widely misused and caused fear and suffering. It is not only Christians whose security is jeopardized by these laws. Other minorities, such as the Ahmadis, and indeed Muslims themselves are affected by the legislation. It only requires the testimony of one Muslim man to bring charges against another person for blasphemy, and so the law has been used as a tool in disputes that have nothing to do with religion.  The ultimate penalty is death, although no one has been executed under the laws.

There are currently 75 blasphemy cases awaiting or undergoing trial. These include 59 Muslims, three Ahmadis, three Hindus and ten Christians. The Christians include Parvez Masih, Anwar Kenneth and Augustine Ashiq 'Kingri' Masih.

Since 1986, a total of 579 people have been charged under the blasphemy laws. The majority of these, at least 289, are Muslims, while 203 are Ahmadis. At least 79 Christians have been charged, including Tahir Iqbal, a Christian convert from Islam, arrested in 1992 and poisoned to death in jail. Although the death penalty has never been carried out by the authorities, blasphemy suspects face danger from extremists, even if they are acquitted. Niamat Ahmer, a teacher, poet and writer, was murdered by extremists in 1992, while Bantu Masih, aged 80, was stabbed and killed in the presence of the police in 1992, and Mukhtar Masih, aged 50, was tortured to death in police custody. In 1994, Salamat Masih, aged 12, and Rehmat Masih, aged 42, and Manzoor Masih, aged 37, were fired on in front of the Lahore High Court by extremists, after the former two had been acquitted of blasphemy. Manzoor Masih died on the spot, while Salamat and Rehmat sustained serious injuries. One of the judges in that trial, Arif Iqbal Bhatti, was later murdered. The Senior Judge of Lahore High Court, Justice Nazir Akhtar, has said in a public statement that "it is a religious obligation to kill the blasphemer on the spot without trial". That illustrates how dangerous the climate is in Pakistan under this law. The Government and police have failed to protect those accused, and the law has only led to an increase in religious intolerance and violence.

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July 8, 2004   Urgent: A call to prayer for Pakistan - Sunday, 18 July

Dear Friends,

In recent weeks at least three Christians in Pakistan have been killed. Samuel Masih, accused of blasphemy, was killed by a policeman while he was in hospital suffering from tuberculosis, Javed Anjum was severely tortured by Maulvis (Mullahs) from a madrassa and died as a result of his injuries, and preacher George Masih was also killed. In addition, Christians in Quetta, Baluchestan province, received threatening letters and one pastor was kidnapped and tortured, though he later escaped. In addition, several Christian women have been raped, including a two and a half year old and a seven year old. Previous CSW Urgent Action campaigns and press releases have detailed these incidents.

Christians face persecution in Pakistan at the hands of extremist Islamists, and also as a result of the misuse of the Blasphemy Laws. Since 1986, at least 79 Christians have faced blasphemy charges. At least 10 are currently awaiting trial. These include Parvez Masih, Anwar Kenneth and Augustine Ashiq 'Kingri' Masih. Many Muslims also suffer under the Blasphemy Laws - 289 have been charged since 1986, and 59 are currently awaiting trial.

The Pakistan Asian Christian Welfare Organization in Bradford has called for a day of prayer in churches around Britain on July 18, and their call has been endorsed by the Bishop of Bradford, the Rt. Rev. David James, the Bishop of Manchester, the Rt. Rev. Nigel McCullouch, the former Bishop of Bradford, the Rt. Rev. David Smith, the Team Rector of Bradford, Rev. Canon George Moffat, Chair of the West Yorkshire Methodist District, Rev. Peter Whittaker, the Archdeacon of Craven Ven. Malcolm Grudy, and the Vicar-General of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds, Monsignor Kieran Heskin. Several hundred churches across the UK have already pledged to support this in prayer.

On behalf of CSW, I would like to appeal to you to involve your church in this day of prayer. It need not involve a lot of work - all we are asking is that during your regular Sunday service, you pray specifically for Pakistan. Please remember in prayer all Christians, but particularly those facing blasphemy charges; for the families of Samuel Masih, Javed Anjum and George Masih; for the reform or repeal of the Blasphemy Laws; for reform of the madrassahs; and for an end to religious intolerance and violence in Pakistan. Pray for judges and police as they exercise their authority in blasphemy cases. Pray too for President Musharraf, who has spoken up in favor of 'scrutiny' of the Blasphemy Laws and the Hudood Ordinances, and for reform of the madrassahs and an end to so-called 'honor killings'. Pray that the President will put his words into action, and will have wisdom, courage and protection in seeking to counter extremism and religious intolerance. As the organizers of this call to prayer have said, "we pray especially for all the churches of Pakistan who provide hope and life for 10 million Christians in Pakistan."

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June 1, 2004  Pakistani Christian dies - CSW urges supporters to pray and campaign  

Dear Friends,

Last week I wrote to ask you to join us in campaigning for the repeal of Pakistan's blasphemy laws, and to pray for Samuel Masih. Samuel, a Pakistani Christian, was in a coma as a result of an attack, reportedly by a policeman.

I am sorry to have to tell you that Samuel, 32, died in Lahore last Friday, May 28. He had been accused of blasphemy and was awaiting trial when he contracted tuberculosis and was admitted to hospital. He was under police guard in hospital when he was reportedly attacked by a policeman with a brick cutter. He is the second Pakistani Christian to have died at the hands of Islamists that we have reported in the past month.

Please pray for Samuel's family, and for other Christians in Pakistan. If you have not already written to your member of Congress as requested in our Urgent Action last week, I would appeal to you to do so urgently, using the information we have already sent out, but of course now mentioning Samuel's tragic death. For your convenience the information is repeated below.

One of our sources in Pakistan summed up the seriousness of the situation by saying: "This tragic incident proves the hate of Islamic extremists towards the Christians of Pakistan. Many Christians have been killed and many are in prison facing a situation of life and death under this blasphemy law. This draconian law is a death warrant for the Christians of Pakistan. The government, police authorities, courts and Pakistan establishment have failed to protect the lives of blasphemy prisoners. It is a need of time to abolish this unjust law."

SAMPLE LETTER 

Write to your Senator at U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510, or your Representative at U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515.  (Call the Capitol Hill Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to find out your Congressperson’s name).

Please copy your letter to:

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Fax: (202) 261-8577 
Phone: (202) 647-4000
Email: secretary@state.gov

Dear ___________

I am writing to bring to your attention the issue of the blasphemy laws in Pakistan, and to ask you to raise this matter with the US and Pakistani Governments.

For more than 20 years the blasphemy laws, under Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code, have been in place and during that time many people of all religious backgrounds have suffered injustice and violence as a result. The blasphemy laws have been widely abused, and in some cases have led to extrajudicial killings by Islamic militants.

In the most recent case, Samuel Masih, a 32-year-old Christian, has died after allegedly being attacked by a policeman. He was due to face trial for blasphemy, accused of throwing waste against the wall of a mosque. Last August he was beaten up by a Muslim prayer leader and others, and then handed over to the police, who arrested him on August 23, 2003. He was remanded in custody in Lahore Central Jail, where he remained until May 22 this year. He was then transferred to Gulab Devi Hospital, suffering from tuberculosis. A police guard was provided for his security in the hospital, but on May 24 at 4.30am, a police constable attacked him with a brick cutter. He died of his injuries on May 28.

A fact-finding team investigated the incident and was told by the police that the constable who attacked Samuel had told them that his faith compelled him to try to kill Samuel. "I have offered my religious duty for killing the man. I'm spiritually satisfied and ready to face the consequences," he is reported to have said.

Samuel's father, Mr. Emanuel, says his family has faced threats. "I do not believe that he committed blasphemy," he told our source. "It is a wrong allegation against my son. We were threatened and harassed and warned that if we will pursue his case, we will face dire consequences. That is why we were not pursuing his case."

Samuel Masih was not the first person charged with blasphemy to face serious threats to his life. In 1992, Tahir Iqbal, a Christian convert from Islam, was poisoned to death in jail. Niamat Ahmer, a teacher, poet and writer, was murdered by extremists in 1992, accused of blasphemy. Bantu Masih, aged 80, was stabbed and killed in the presence of the police in 1992, and Mukhtar Masih, aged 50, was tortured to death in police custody. In 1994, Salamat Masih, aged 12, Manzoor Masih aged 37 and Rehmat Masih, aged 42, were fired on in front of the Lahore High Court by extremists, after they had been acquitted of blasphemy. Manzoor Masih died on the spot, while Salamat and Rehmat sustained serious injuries. One of the judges in that trial, Arif Iqbal Bhatti, was later murdered.

The President of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, has recently called for scrutiny of the blasphemy laws and the Hudood Ordinances, and called for an end to so-called 'honor' killings. Please would you write directly to the President, expressing appreciation for his willingness to consider a review of the laws, but urge him to go further and repeal the laws altogether. I would also be grateful if you would take this issue up with the Secretary of State, urging him to encourage the Pakistani Government to repeal the blasphemy laws. Your support in this could be critical, and I would be very grateful for your help.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Yours sincerely,

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May 28, 2004   Pakistani Christian accused of blasphemy in critical condition after attack

Another Christian accused of blasphemy in Pakistan has been savagely attacked in the name of religion, this time allegedly by a policeman.

Despite being under police protection, Samuel Masih, 32, was hit around the head with a brick cutter, having been admitted to hospital with tuberculosis. He now lies in a coma, suffering from serious head injuries.

Samuel Masih was accused of throwing waste against the wall of a mosque and was beaten up last August by a Muslim prayer leader and others in Lahore, and then handed over to the police. He was arrested on August 23, 2003 and held in Lahore Central Jail, where he remained until May 22 when he was hospitalized with tuberculosis. A police guard was provided for his security in the hospital, but on May 24 at 4.30am, a police constable attacked him.

A fact-finding team investigated the incident and was told by the police that the constable who attacked Samuel had told them that his faith compelled him to try to kill Samuel. "I have offered my religious duty for killing the man. I'm spiritually satisfied and ready to face the consequences," he is reported to have said.

Samuel Masih's father, Mr. Emanuel, says his family has faced threats. "I do not believe that he committed blasphemy," he told our source. "It is a wrong allegation against my son. We were threatened and harassed and warned that if we will pursue his case, we will face dire consequences. That is why we were not pursuing his case. I am very much worried for my son. I want to see [him] alive. Kindly pray for his life."

The attack on Samuel Masih is the latest in a string of recent incidents of Islamist-led violence in Pakistan. Earlier in May, 23-year-old Christian Javed Anjum died as a result of torture by Islamic militants, and Christian leaders in Quetta, Baluchistan province, received threatening letters. One pastor, Wilson Fazal, was kidnapped and tortured, although he subsequently escaped. Other Christians have gone into hiding.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has campaigned for many years for the repeal of the blasphemy laws. Last week, in a significant speech on human rights, Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf called for a review of these laws. However, he has so far stopped short of a full repeal and CSW has asked supporters to encourage him to take this step.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Pakistan has a population of 150 million, 96 per cent of whom are Muslim. Islam is the state religion, but the constitution provides for religious freedoms. 1.96 per cent of the population are Christians and 2.02 per cent Hindus.

For more than 20 years, the Blasphemy laws under Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code have been widely misused and caused fear and suffering. It is not only Christians whose security is jeopardized by these laws. Other minorities, such as the Ahmadis, and indeed Muslims themselves are affected by the legislation. It only requires the testimony of one Muslim man to bring charges against another person for blasphemy, and so the law has been used as a tool in disputes that have nothing to do with religion. The ultimate penalty is death, although no one has been executed under the laws.

Samuel Masih is not the first person charged with blasphemy to face serious threats to his life. In 1992, Tahir Iqbal, a Christian convert from Islam, was poisoned to death in jail. Niamat Ahmer, a teacher, poet and writer, was murdered by extremists in 1992, accused of blasphemy. Bantu Masih, aged 80, was stabbed and killed in the presence of the police in 1992, and Mukhtar Masih, aged 50, was tortured to death in police custody. In 1994, Salamat Masih, aged 12, Manzoor Masih aged 37 and Rehmat Masih, aged 42, were fired on in front of the Lahore High Court by extremists, after they had been acquitted of blasphemy. Manzoor Masih died on the spot, while Salamat and Rehmat sustained serious injuries. One of the judges in that trial, Arif Iqbal Bhatti, was later murdered.

The Senior Judge of Lahore High Court, Justice Nazir Akhtar, has said in a public statement that "it is a religious obligation to kill the blasphemer on the spot without trial". That illustrates how dangerous the climate is in Pakistan under this law. The Government and police have failed to protect those accused, and the law has only led to an increase in religious intolerance and violence.

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May 24, 2004   Urgent action requested for Pakistan

Dear Friends,

I am writing to ask you to help us by writing to the President of Pakistan and his Government concerning the recent persecution of Christians in Quetta, Baluchistan province.

Just over two weeks ago, we issued a press release announcing the tragic death of a young Christian man, Javed Anjum, aged 19, who had been severely tortured by a teacher and students of a madrassah (Islamic seminary) at Toba Tek Singh, Punjab. He was abducted on April 17, and died of his injuries on May 2. According to the statement he made on his death bed, Javed Anjim claimed he was told to convert to Islam, and when he refused, he was subjected to brutal torture.

Once the perpetrators of the crime were identified, the local police were initially reluctant to register a case against them, because of the influence of religious parties. But on May 5 arrests were made, and a court hearing is expected in the next two weeks. It has been reported that Javed Anjum's family is under pressure to withdraw the case.

Following this case, we have received reports in the past week that Christian leaders in Quetta have received threats. According to news agency Compass Direct, at least three different threatening letters were sent to church leaders, including the directors of Christian institutions. One pastor, Wilson Fazal, went missing after receiving a letter which stated: "Christians of Quetta, you are displeasing God ... Accept the faith of jihad ... Get ready, ready, ready, or else." Christians were promised large sums of money if they converted - and, according to the Pakistan Christian Post, "bullets, if it were to be spurned". Compass Direct reported that one of the letters began with a penciled sketch of Osama bin Laden. Six other Pentecostal church leaders have gone into hiding. Pastor Fazal escaped from his kidnappers and is now in a safe place, although he had been severely tortured for refusing to convert.

In a more positive development, President Pervez Musharraf made a statement last Saturday in which he called for a law banning honor killings, and recommended that the Hudood Ordinances and the Blasphemy Laws be scrutinized to prevent further abuses. Speaking to the National Commission for Human Rights in Islamabad, the President said that a law banning honor killings would "lend more strength to Pakistan's efforts to do away with this intolerable practice". Over 600 women were killed in the name of honor in Pakistan in 2003, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

While President Musharraf's comments are to be welcomed, we would urge him to do more than simply scrutinize the Hudood Ordinances and the Blasphemy Laws. The Hudood Ordinances, put into effect in 1979 as part of an 'Islamization' program, include the principle that in a rape case, a rape victim who is unable to prove her case risks being accused of adultery. The Blasphemy Laws have been widely abused and present a threat to the security of minorities in Pakistan.

Please write polite letters to the President in regard to these issues, using the suggested letter and the addresses detailed below. Please also pray for the Christians of Quetta.

SAMPLE LETTER:

His Excellency Pervez Musharraf
President of Pakistan
President's House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: (92) 51-9211018

Dear Mr. President,

I am writing first of all to thank you for your recent remarks in an address to the National Commission for Human Rights, in which you called for a law to ban honor killings, and further scrutiny of the Hudood Ordinances and the Blasphemy Laws. Your remarks are very welcome.

May I respectfully urge you, however, to consider doing more than scrutinizing the Hudood Ordinances and the Blasphemy Laws. As you are aware, both laws have been widely abused and misused over many years, resulting in terrible injustices. I would encourage you to consider repealing these laws completely.

I would also wish to bring to your attention the current persecution of Christians in Quetta, Baluchistan province. As you may be aware, Christians in Quetta last week received threatening letters warning them that if they did not convert to Islam and "accept the faith of the jihad", they would be killed. I am sure you are aware that Pastor Wilson Fazal was kidnapped and severely tortured after he refused to convert. He escaped and is now in safety, but he was seriously injured by his torturers.

Pastor Fazal is not the first Christian to be a target for forced conversion to Islam, nor is he the first to be tortured for refusing to convert. Earlier this month, a 19-year-old Christian, Javed Anjum, from Quetta, died as a result of torture at the hands of maulvis, for refusing to convert to Islam. Javed Anjum had been severely tortured at Jamia Hassan Madrassah at Toba Tek Singh, Punjab.

I am concerned that the police initially refused to register a case against the suspected perpetrators of Javed Anjum's murder, and failed to arrest the accused until May 5. I therefore appeal to you to give your attention to this case, and ensure timely investigation and action against the perpetrators of the forced conversion, torture and death of Javed Anjum, in accordance with the law. I also urge you to ensure that the kidnapping and torture of Pastor Fazal, and the threats to other Christians in Quetta, are investigated. Furthermore, I request that you introduce substantial reforms of the madrassahs, as you have pledged to do, in order to prevent the spread of extremism and the fostering of violence and intolerance. I respectfully ask you to do everything possible to promote religious harmony and tolerance, equality of rights and opportunities, in accordance with international standards and Pakistan's own constitutional guarantees.

Yours sincerely,

Please also write to:

Mr. Khurseed Mahmood Qasoori
Minister of Law and Justice
S- Block Pak Secretariat, Islamabad, PAKISTAN
Fax: (92) 51-9210062

Send copies to:

Mr. Fasial Saleh Hayat, Interior Minister
R-Block Pak Secretariat, Islamabad, PAKISTAN
Fax: (92) 51-9212026

Mr. Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi
Chief Minister Secretariat
7- Club Road, G.O.R. - 1, Lahore., PAKISTAN
Fax: (92) 42-9203224

Please also write to your Member of Congress, to ask him/her to raise these issues with the Secretary of State.

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May 5, 2004   Pakistani Christian dies of torture at hands of Islamists  

A 23 year-old Pakistani Christian has died of injuries as a result of five days of severe torture by Islamic militants for refusing to convert to Islam.

Javed Anjum, a Christian from Toba Tek Singh District, was tortured for five days and nights by Islamic extremists from a 'madrassa' or Islamic school in the district.

The torture included electric shocks and burns from warm iron rods. He suffered 26 injuries. He was hospitalized for 11 days, and died at the Allied Hospital in Faisalabad at 2:12am on May 2nd. Doctors said his kidneys had failed and he had undergone dialysis four times. His right arm was fractured, and electric shocks to his ears had affected his hearing. According to the doctors' report, "his bladder stopped working. Instead of urine, he was passing blood or pus."

In his statement to the police before he died, Javed said: "I was searching for water near the Islamic madrassa when the Maulvis (mullahs) took me inside and told me that I was a thief and was trying to steal the water pump. I rejected the charge and told the Islamic leaders that I am a Christian youth and a student. I had come here to attend a marriage. As soon as the Islamic extremists came to know that I am Christian they asked me to convert to Islam. I refused and they started torturing me. They would continue the torture from night till morning. They tortured me badly and during the torture they continuously asked me to accept Islam."

CSW is deeply concerned about this case, and urges the Pakistani authorities to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. The police have registered a case against one of the suspects, Moulana Ghulam Rasool, and several of his companions under 337/F6 of the Pakistan penal code.

Stuart Windsor, National Director of CSW-UK, said: "This is a tragedy, and is an example of the threat that Christians continue to face in Pakistan. We urge our supporters to pray for Javed's family, and to appeal to the Pakistani authorities to investigate this case and bring the culprits to justice. We also urge the international community to raise this case with the Pakistani government."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Javed Anjum, from Quetta, was traveling to Pir Mahal, in Toba Tek Singh district, to attend a wedding, but went missing on April 16, 2004, before reaching Pir Mahal. His father, Parvez Masih, reported this to the local police and placed an advertisement on the local cable channels.

On April 22, 2004, Maulvis (mullahs) from the madrassa, the Jamia Hassan Bin Ali-ul-Murtaza, in Chak (village) 323 JB Tarandi, Toba Tek Singh district, handed Javed to the police, claiming that he was a thief who was trying to steal their water pump. The police refused to take him because he was badly injured and was not in his senses. Instead they called Javed's father and told him that Javed should be admitted to the hospital immediately.

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December 4, 2003   Human Rights Defender Has Travel Ban Lifted Thanks to YOU!   

Pakistani human rights defender, Shahbaz Bhatti, has been removed from the Exit Control List following high level lobbying by CSW in Europe, the US and Pakistan.

Mr. Bhatti, Chairman of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), had been barred by the Government of Pakistan from leaving the country since early October. He believed the restriction was an attempt to deter him from speaking out on behalf of the non-Muslim minorities in the country.  On hearing of this restriction on his movements, CSW contacted influential MPs and MEPs, who were able to raise his case with strategic people in Pakistan and in the UK. 

CSW also brought Mr. Bhatti's case to the attention of the UK Foreign Office, the European Commission, the permanent EU delegation in Islamabad and selected individuals within the UN. Through a CSW representative in Washington, selected US Senators and Congressmen also took up his case at high levels. Concerted international and domestic pressures resulted in the lifting of the travel ban on November 28. 

Shahbaz Bhatti is greatly encouraged by the recent development and thanked CSW and its supporters for all their prayers, solidarity and campaign efforts. 

He wrote: "This is great and encouraging news for me and the religious minorities of Pakistan. The authorities took the decision to drop my name from the Exit Control List because of international pressure and high level lobbing, including strong protest in Pakistan from different sections of society against...me as a representative of the oppressed and persecuted religious minorities of Pakistan. 

"I am highly grateful for all your prayers, efforts, solidarity and involvement throughout the critical times. I am mindful that it is because of your sincere efforts, prayers and lobbying. You played a significant and leading role to effectively muster support of relevant dignitaries and authorities to build pressure and get my name removed from the Exit Control List. 

"I personally and on behalf of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance thank you from the depth of my heart as this has only been possible due to sincere efforts, that I once again have been able to come out of crisis to serve the Lord our God by raising the plight of persecuted, downtrodden Christians and the other religious minorities of Pakistan and to continue our struggle vehemently for equality, tolerance, human rights and social justice.  "God bless you all and thank you for being Gods' source to help the just and right on earth."

Stuart Windsor, CSW-UK's National Director, said: "We're greatly relieved Shahbaz is able to move around freely again and can continue his unique ministry on behalf of the religious minorities in Pakistan. We were glad to play our part and are extremely grateful to our supporters for their prompt prayers and action on his behalf which have been so effective."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA): 
Formed on 25th November 2001, the APMA is a representative body of all non-Muslim communities in Pakistan, including Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and many other groups. It has emerged as a uniting force to bring together all non-Muslim communities onto a common platform. Its mandate includes: to enhance the understanding of human rights, to propagate democratic norms, to assist in peace building efforts, to alleviate religious extremism, to move towards a democratic and progressive Pakistan according to the ideals of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan. In the 2002 elections, members of the APMA were elected into the National and Provincial Assemblies. 

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November 4, 2003   Take action for human rights defender harassed in Pakistan

Dear Friends,

Please take action for Shahbaz Bhatti, a prominent human rights advocate in Pakistan who has been barred from leaving the country. 

Mr. Bhatti believes that the restriction on his freedom of movement is an overt attempt to infringe upon his right to promote and strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms in his country, particularly on issues pertaining to religious minorities. 

According to Mr. Bhatti, government security agencies have put him under undue pressure in the last few months. On numerous occasions, he was
harassed and warned by security agencies that if he continues to speak out against the victimization of minorities, religious terrorism and discriminatory legislation, including the Blasphemy law and the Shar'ia laws, he would be severely punished. Mr. Bhatti also told CSW that an assassination attempt was made on him in the last week of August 2003.

Shahbaz Bhatti is the Chairman of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), the Executive Director of the Pakistan Council for Human Rights & Democracy (PCHRD) and the Founder and President of the human rights organization, the Christian Liberation Front, Pakistan (CLF). For the past 28 years, Mr. Bhatti has been vocal in highlighting the discrimination, injustice and persecution faced by Christians and religious minorities of Pakistan at national and international levels. 

The APMA and the CLF have strongly condemned the brutal killings of innocent Christians at the hands of pro-Taliban and pro-Al-Qaeda militants after the World Trade Center attacks. In his recent visits to the US, Canada and Europe, Mr. Bhatti highlighted unhelpful links between Islamic militants and some government bodies. 

CSW strongly condemns any attempt to restrict the rights of human rights defenders and is gravely concerned about the safety of Mr. Bhatti. We would be grateful if you would take this case up with your Congressperson and the Secretary of State. A sample letter follows. 

Thank you for your solidarity in this matter. 


ACTION:

1. Please write a polite letter to your Congressperson. Kindly request that they to raise the matter with the Government of Pakistan as well as with Colin Powell, Secretary of State. Please also encourage your representative to consider meeting with the Pakistan High Commissioner, Her Excellency Dr Malheea Lodhi. 

Write to your Senator at U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510, or your Representative at U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515.  (Call the Capitol Hill Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to find out your Congressperson’s name).

2. Please copy your letter to:

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Fax: (202) 261-8577 
Phone: (202) 647-4000
Email: secretary@state.gov

Sample Letter

Dear Senator/ Representative _____________,

I am writing to convey my serious concern for the safety and well being of renowned Pakistani human rights defender, Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti, of 710 Shadman Colony, Lahore, Pakistan. As Chairman of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), the Executive Director of Pakistan Council for Human Rights & Democracy (PCHRD) and the Founder and President of Christian Liberation Front Pakistan (CLF), Mr. Bhatti has been advocating the cause of religious
minorities in Pakistan at national and international levels since 1985.

Recently, the Government of Pakistan placed Mr. Bhatti on the Exit Control List under Section 2 of the Exit from Pakistan (Control) Ordinance, 1981. He is now barred from leaving Pakistan. Mr. Bhatti believes the restriction on his freedom of movement is an overt attempt to deter him from the pursuit of fundamental human rights, particularly those pertaining to religious minorities in Pakistan. 

According to Mr. Bhatti, he has been under undue pressure from government security agencies in the last few months. Security agencies have reportedly warned him on numerous occasions that if he continues to speak out against victimization, religious terrorism and discriminatory legislation, including the Blasphemy law and the Shar'ia laws, he would be severely punished. An assassination attempt was made on him in the last week of August 2003. 

It is worth noting that copies of a memorandum issued by the Government of Pakistan Interior Division concerning Mr. Bhatti were sent to the Prime Minister's Secretariat, the Director General of the ISI (the security services), the Chief Commissioner, the Home Secretary, the Intelligence Bureau and others. Reliable sources from within the security forces in Pakistan have also indicated that it may only be a matter of time before Mr. Bhatti is put in prison for pleading the cause of religious minorities. 

May I urge you to raise the case of Mr. Bhatti with the Pakistan authorities and with Colin Powell, Secretary of State. Please request that the Government of Pakistan: 

a) Immediately remove Shahbaz Bhatti from the Exit Control List and lift other restrictions;
b) conduct a thorough investigation in this matter; 
c) publicly condemn all attempts to harass human rights advocates; and 
d) uphold and protect Mr. Bhatti's rights to plead the cause of the religious minorities without interference from government agencies and extremist elements in accordance with the 1998 UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. 

May I also invite you to consider setting up a meeting with the Pakistan High Commissioner, Her Excellency Dr. Malheea Lodhi, at the High Commission
for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to discuss this matter and the wider issue of religious freedom in Pakistan. 

Thank you for your assistance in this matter. I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

-------------------------------

July 16, 2003  Pakistani Priest Gunned Down

Source: International Christian Concern

The Washington-DC based human rights group, International Christian Concern (ICC) www.persecution.org has just become aware of the heinous murder of a priest in Pakistan. While spending a quiet evening at home, Roman Catholic priest, Reverend Father George Ibrahim, 38, was brutally murdered in the early hours of July 5 at his parish residence of the Catholic Church at Renala Khurd, district Okara, which is located 180 miles south of Islamabad.

Upon hearing noises close to the church building and detecting movement outside the parish, Reverend Ibrahim informed his cook that he was going outside to check out the suspicious activity. Once outside the parish, Rev. Ibrahim had no protection and was brutally gunned down by five armed assailants. The cook heard the shots and ran outside only to see the men fleeing the church property and his beloved priest lying dead in a pool of blood. The cook immediately called the police and local Christian elders of Renala Khurd.  Ibrahim’s body was taken to the local hospital where he was declared dead from six bullet wounds.

According to the Christians of Renala Khurd, Rev. Fr. George Ibrahim had received many threats because he was very bold and outspoken about the betterment of Christians in the area. The motive for the murder seems to be connected with Fr. Ibrahim’s success in having his Catholic school denationalized. For many years, the Catholic school had been under government control and had recently been returned back to the management of the church.  This was not acceptable to the local Muslim community. 

One believer in Renala Khurd said, “There are wings of a few Islamic militant organizations who do not wish Christians to be prosperous.” The Catholic Church and Christian elders of the area have declared this tragic incident an act of brutal terrorism.

Reverend George Ibrahim was buried in his own native Christian village of Khushpur, district Faisalabad. A police report has been filed but there have been no arrests.

ICC urges the Pakistani government to establish a judicial commission to probe into this tragic incident. The Pakistani government must bring the perpetrators of this murder to justice. When the government turns a blind eye to cases such as these, terrorism increases. 

ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC delivers humanitarian aid, trains and supports persecuted pastors, raises awareness of the problem of persecution in the US Church and is an advocate for the persecuted to the US Government. For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 301-989-1708.

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June 11, 2003  Pakistani Christian Set Free After Over Four Years in Prison For Blasphemy

Great News! Aslam Masih, a Christian falsely accused of blasphemy in Pakistan, was acquitted on June 4 after spending four and a half year in prison. 

Full story please see below. Thank you for all your prayers and support.

PAKISTANI CHRISTIAN SET FREE AFTER OVER FOUR YEARS IN JAIL ON FALSE BLASPHEMY CHARGES

A Christian falsely accused of blasphemy in Pakistan was acquitted on June 4 after spending four and a half years in prison. 

The Lahore High Court overturned the origin verdict on the basis that the conviction, based on hearsay evidence, was unsafe.

Aslam Masih, a Christian pastor from Mammun Kanjun, Faisalabad district (north central Pakistan), was given two life sentences and a fine of 100,000 Rupees ($2,210) on May 7, last year for allegedly defiling the Qur'an (s.295B) and the Prophet Mohammed (s.295C).  He was accused of writing insulting words against the Prophet Mohammad on some lucky amulets in a bid to win a dog fight in 1998. 

The complainant was a local mullah and a member of the 'Ahlay Hadees' Islamic militant group. 

According to local human rights groups, the case against 46-year-old Aslam Masih was unfounded and registered without proper investigation. He was also reportedly stabbed in the back and severely beaten by a mob of angry Islamists before being taken to the police station. The prosecution had failed to produce concrete evidence to establish Aslam Masih's guilt during  the trial. The prosecution's key witness also reportedly testified in open court that he did not know Aslam Masih and did not agree with the accusation brought by the complainant. 

Eyewitnesses also observed that on the day of trial, the Additional Session Judge was under severe pressure from the Islamic extremists who had gathered outside the courtroom. 

Aslam Masih has been detained in Faisalabad Central jail since 1998. Muslim inmates reportedly tortured him on several occasions. 

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has been campaigning for his release since his arrest. CSW welcomes the recent decision but is concerned that it took four and a half years for the courts to free an innocent man. 

Stuart Windsor, National Director of CSW said: "We are delighted that Aslam Masih has finally been cleared and hope this latest decision will bring a ray of hope to many others such as Ranja Masih, Augustine Masih and Parvez Masih who are still imprisoned under the divisive and blatantly unjust blasphemy law.  "Aslam Masih's case is another clear example of how extremist mullahs and members of the Islamic militant groups manipulate the poorly drafted blasphemy law to persecute those they disagree with. 

"To protect the innocents, the government of Pakistan must take immediate steps to introduce legislative and administrative measures to safeguard against further abuses. People who file maliciously-motivated complaints should also be brought to justice without delay." 

FURTHER BACKGROUND

Section 295 of Pakistan's Penal Code, known as the blasphemy law, is open to widespread abuse due to its vague wording and the lack of penalties against its misuse.

The law allows the courts to pass sentence on those who 'by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representations, or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defile the sacred name of the Holy Prophet.' A conviction carries a mandatory death sentence.

According to the National Commission for Justice & Peace, at least 148 Muslims (121 cases), 208 Ahmadis (56 cases), 75 Christians (64 cases) and eight Hindis (five cases) have been charged with blasphemy since 1987. In 2001 alone, it is estimated that at least 40 Muslims, 23 Ahmadis, ten Christians and two Hindus were charged with blasphemy.

In April 2003, Ranjha Masih, a Christian from Faisalabad district, was sentenced to life and fined 50,000 Pakistani rupees (£660) for blasphemy.

Last June, Augustine Ashiq Masih (alias Kungri Masih) from Mohalla Saeedabad, Faisalabad district, was given the mandatory death sentence plus a heavy fine for making derogatory remarks against the Prophet Mohammed.

Parvez Masih, a Christian headmaster from Daska, was charged with blasphemy in April 2001. According to local sources, the complaint was filed by a rival Muslim in a malicious attempt to force Parvez Masih into closing down his school. The local Bar Council had announced that any lawyer taking up Parvez Masih's case would be killed.

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May 21, 2003  Nine Year Old Christian Girl in Pakistan Sexually Assaulted as Punishment for War in Iraq

A nine-year-old Christian girl from Pakistan claims to have been beaten and sexually assaulted by her Muslim employers whenever footage from the war in Iraq was shown on television.

The girl from Faisal Town in Lahore claims that when she cried for mercy, they would ask her to call for the Americans to help her.

She said the couple told her they were taking revenge for the American bombing of Iraqi Muslim children on her because she was an "infidel and a Christian", according to what she told CSW partners, the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), a human rights NGO based in Pakistan.

She said the couple would beat her with a cricket bat, hang her upside down from the ceiling, pour spoonfuls of hot chilies into her mouth, handcuff her and bash her head repeatedly against the wall.

When she cried and appealed for mercy, they would tell her to call the Americans for help.

She attempted to escape from her employers on April 26, but after being recaptured, she was so badly beaten that she was put on a rickshaw home by her employers who apparently thought she would die.

When her older brother took her to the local hospital, she was immediately admitted to the intensive care unit.

A preliminary medical report from that hospital stated that she had suffered a fractured right arm, multiple burns, and bruises and lacerations to her face and body. She was later treated at Jinnah Hospital, Lahore and is suffering from depression and trauma.

The APMA has helped the girl's family register an official complaint against her employers with the Faisal police. The APMA reports that so far no action has been taken on her behalf by the authorities.

The APMA has also helped another family file a complaint under Section 10 of the Zina Ordinance against a man whom they allege raped a ten-year-old Christian girl.

The girl's father told the APMA the family had enjoyed peaceful relations with their Muslim neighbors until the war in Iraq broke out.

He said they noticed a marked change in their neighbor's attitude and noted his links with some extremist Islamic organizations. They claim the man lured the girl into his home on March 31, under the pretext of receiving an urgent telephone call from her uncle before raping her.

Both families are said to have received threats from Muslim extremists to withdraw their complaints. Stuart Windsor, National Director of Christian Solidarity Worldwide-UK, said: "We strongly condemn these two appalling attacks. Although there has been no major backlash on Christian institutions since the war in Iraq began, the attacks on these two girls seem to be related to the war.  "Christians in Pakistan are increasingly vulnerable to religiously motivated hate crimes and Christian girls and women seem to be specially targeted.  "We are outraged by the unwillingness of the police to investigate the complaints as this only emboldens extremists to continue to victimize Christians and other non-Muslims. "CSW calls on the Government of Pakistan to clearly and publicly condemn such acts, investigate them promptly, independently and impartially and to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice."

Christian and other non-Muslim women who are victims of rape are often forcibly converted and married off to their rapists or sold into prostitution. They can also be at risk of being accused of committing adultery. Under Shari'ah Law, there is no distinction between rape and adultery. The penalty for zina (adultery and fornication) is death by stoning and to discharge adultery, the burden falls on the victim to prove rape which requires the testimony of four adult male Muslims who have witnessed the rape. The testimony of the rape victim alone or of four female witnesses is insufficient. If the accused is a Muslim, no non-Muslim is allowed to testify against him.

There are about 2.25 million Christians (1.6% of the population) in Pakistan and they are often from poorer backgrounds. They suffer a wide range of discriminations including the Blasphemy law, which can see them sentenced to death on the testimony of a single Muslim witness.

In February 2002, a 16-year-old Christian girl from Fatewala village, Gujranwala district was reportedly raped by a Muslim landlord.  In February 2001, Naira Nadia, a 14-year-old Christian girl, was kidnapped and gang raped by a group of armed Islamic extremists, allegedly as a punishment for sharing her faith with school friends. She was forcibly converted to Islam and the men sent the parents a certificate of conversion. Despite a ruling from Lahore High Court to nullify the conversion, the police have failed to take steps to recover the girl. The girl's family is currently bringing the case before the Supreme Court, but no hearing date has been fixed. The family is under immense pressure from Muslim extremists to drop the case.

In May 2000, eight Christian girls were allegedly gang raped by six Muslim men when traveling home from work. When their case went before the Ferozwala District and Sessions Court on May 15 2002, the presiding judge ruled in favor of the accused despite corroborating medical and police evidence. It is widely believed that the judgment was given under influence and pressure from Muslim supporters who reportedly packed the courtroom at each stage of the proceedings. 

Pakistan is a party to the UN's Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

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May 12, 2003  Another Christian Child Raped in Pakistan

The Washington-DC based human rights group, International Christian Concern (ICC)
www.persecution.org has just become aware of the rape case of a 10-year-old Pakistani child. On March 31, 2002, Natasha Emmanuel from Ismailabad, Wah Cantt was raped by Ghazanfar Mehmood, a Muslim
neighbor. Following the incident, Natasha was taken immediately to the hospital where she was kept in the
intensive care unit for three days. Although Natasha is very intelligent and religious, she has been
psychologically depressed following the attack.

Ghanzanfar Mehmood has links with conservative and extremist Islamic organizations. Prior to the war in Iraq, Ghazanfar Mehmood lived in peace with Natasha’s family. After the war in Iraq began however, the Emmanuel family noticed a change in Mehmood’s attitude. It is reported that the rape was motivated by revenge for the war in Iraq.

Because Muslims view Christianity as a Western religion, Pakistani Christians are viewed as being
pro-American. Some Muslims have vented their anger about the War in Iraq by acts of revenge, especially on Christian women and young girls. The raping of Natasha Emmanuel is the second attack and raping of a
Christian girl in the last two months. Nine-year-old Christian Razia Masih was beaten and raped on April 26,
2003 in retaliation for the War in Iraq. 

ICC urges American Christians to call the Embassy of Pakistan in protest of these two heinous hate crimes
against Christian children. The Pakistani Embassy can be reached at 202-939-6200.

ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC delivers humanitarian aid, trains and supports persecuted pastors, raises awareness in the US Church regarding the problem of persecution, and is an advocate for the persecuted on Capitol Hill and at the State Department. 

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April 29, 2003  Pakistani Christian Found Guilty of Blasphemy After Trial in Court Filled with Islamic Extremists

A Pakistani Christian from Faisalabad was sentenced to life in prison and fined for blasphemy on April 26.

Ranjha Masih, aged 54, was fined 50,000 Pakistani rupees ($1122.00) and sentenced for making derogatory remarks against the Prophet Mohammed. 

He is the third Christian to be convicted of blasphemy by the Additional District and Sessions Court in Faisalabad (approx 100km west of Lahore in northern Pakistan) in less than a year.

He was arrested on May 8 1998 while taking part in a demonstration to commemorate the suicide (in protest against the blasphemy law) of Catholic Bishop Dr John Joseph of Faisalabad and to show their support for his stand.

Thousands of Christians took to the streets of Faisalabad on that day when Bishop John Joseph was buried, and emotions ran high. 

Some young Christians, distressed by the suicide of their well-respected spiritual leader, started throwing stones at nearby vehicles and shops. Angry Muslims responded by attacking Christian homes and businesses in the vicinity. 

When a signboard with 'There is no God but Allah and the Prophet Mohammed is His Messenger' (the Kalima Tayyaba or proclamation of Islamic faith) written on it, fell to the ground, Ranjha Masih was blamed for stoning and damaging the board, and was severely beaten by a mob of Muslims. 

On receiving a complaint from Muhammad Jahanzeb, the son of former mayor of Faisalabad Malik Muhammad Ashraf on the same day, officers from the Faisalabad Rail Bazaar Police Station arrested Ranjha Masih and registered a case under section 295C Pakistan Penal Code (the blasphemy law) against him.

The Christian Liberation Front (CLF), a Pakistan-based human rights group that has been monitoring the case from the beginning, told Christian Solidarity Worldwide that the case against Ranjha Masih was registered without proper investigation and the police have so far failed to produce sufficient evidence to substantiate the allegation. 

According to Shahbaz Bhatti, the Chairman of CLF, who was present at the trial, Islamic militants in the area have been demanding the death penalty for Ranjha Masih. The courtroom was packed with Islamic religious leaders and the presiding judge appeared confused when delivering his decision. 

Ranjha Masih who has been in Faisalabad Central jail since his arrest is said to be depressed but strong in his Christian faith. 

He said: "I will be happy if the sacrifice of my life could contribute to the abolition of the blasphemy law, although I am falsely involved and being punished for a crime that I did not commit. The prayers of my brothers and sisters in Christ are strength for me." 

CLF intends to file an appeal on behalf of Ranjha Masih within the next 30 days.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide is submitting the case of Ranjha Masih to the attention of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. CSW is also raising his case with the European Parliament and the US government. 

Stuart Windsor, CSW-UK's National Director, criticized the judgement in this case: "The decision of the District and Sessions Court represents a grave injustice to Ranjha Masih. Intimidation from the Islamic clerics and the atmosphere surrounding the trial denied him any chance of a fair trial.

"Faisalabad is the stronghold of several Islamist organizations including the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba. Pressure from these militant groups and certain extreme clerics are keeping the blasphemy law alive. We will be supporting the CLF in their work to set this man and others free and to repeal the blasphemy law, which causes so much sectarian tension." 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Bishop John Joseph, the bishop of Faisalabad, killed himself in front of the court house in Sahiwal on May 6 1998 to register his protest against the death sentence awarded to Ayub Masih, another Christian convicted under the blasphemy law, and to draw international attention to the injustice of the law.

Ayub Masih was released on appeal to the Supreme Court of Pakistan in August 2002. 

In May 2002, Aslam Masih, a Christian pastor from Faisalabad District, was given two life sentences and a large fine for allegedly defiling the Qur'an (s.295B) and Prophet Mohammed (s.295C) by the Additional District and Sessions Court in Faisalabad In June 2002, Augustine Ashiq Masih (alias Kungri Masih) from Mohalla Saeedabad, Faisalabad District, was given the mandatory death sentence plus a heavy fine by the same court.

__________________________________________________________

April 8, 2003  Pakistani Christian-Falsely Accused, Tortured and Murdered Protestors Take His Dead Body To The Streets In Protest

Source: International Christian Concern

The Washington-DC based human rights group, International Christian Concern, has just become aware of the murder of a Christian man (Rehmat Masih) by police authorities in Lahore, Pakistan. Rehmat Masih was a staunch Christian that was married to Martha Masih and had 5 children. He was employed as a custodian at the Civil Secretariat in Lahore.

Mr. Masih was falsely accused with another Christian man of the theft of 300 law books from his employer. Although there were 10 other Muslim employees with access to the books, only the 2 Christians were arrested. Rehmat’s wife stated, “My husband was innocent and was arrested only because he was a bold Christian. My husband was uneducated and his means of transport was a bicycle. Why would he steal 300 books and how could he transport them on a bicycle?”

The 2 Christians were taken into custody without charges being filed on March 2^nd. After 17 days of illegal detention and severe torture by authorities (in an attempt to pressure them to admit the theft), Rehmat’s health started to fail. He was transferred to a hospital where he died on April 1st.

Family members and fellow Christians, outraged by the persecution and murder of their brother, protested by bringing his dead body to the same government ministry demanding justice. Police cordoned off the area and pushed back the protestors. One of Rehmat’s nephews was struck in the head by a police officer during the protest and was also killed.

ICC urges American Christians to raise their voices in concern about the treatment of Christians in Pakistan. Write or call immediately to Pakistani ambassador Mr. Ashraf Jehangir Qazi  and ask for help in securing justice for Christians in Pakistan.

Embassy of Pakistan
2315 Massachuesetts Ave. NW
Washington DC 2008
www.pakistan-embassy.com
Email: parepwashington@erols.com
Ph.  202-939-6200
Fax: 202-387-0484

March 20, 2003   Saleem and Rasheed Masih of Pakistan Released!

Good news! Lahore High Court yesterday ordered the release of Saleem and
Rasheed Masih. Please be encouraged that your prayers and letters work. 

The brothers were charged with s.295C (blasphemy) after a dispute with an
ice-cream vendor almost four years ago. They were both given 35-year jail
sentences in May 2000. We will be putting out an urgent action on other
blasphemy cases as soon as possible, but wanted to encourage you with this
good news as soon as we got it.

-------------------------------------

March 19, 2003   Extremists Incite Violence Against Christians at Anti-War Rallies in Pakistan

Anti-war rallies in Pakistan are being used by extremists to stir up violence against the minority Christian community.

Pakistan's opposition party, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), is publicly calling for jihad (holy war) against America and infidels (non-Muslims) and has announced a third 'Million Men March' on Saturday March 23 in Lahore.

Hundreds of thousands of Muslims waving the green and white flags of the MMA and holding pictures of Osama bin Laden took to the streets in Karachi on March 2 and in Rawalpindi on March 9 to protest against the impending US-led war against Iraq.

Calling Pakistan the citadel of Islam, the MMA condemned any attack on Iraq as a Christian crusade against Islam and declared that it was the responsibility of every good Muslim to kill infidels. 

"Any attack on Iraq would be considered an attack on the Muslim world," Qazi Hussain Ahmed, leader of the MMA in Pakistan's National Assembly, told the protesters from a podium.

Maulana Fazal-ul Rehman, the secretary-general of the MMA added: "Those who are supporting infidels will face our wrath. Jews and Christians are our enemies, they cannot be our friends. Our jihad is against all these infidels. This is not a war against Iraq but against Islam and if the war will break then Muslims will participate in this Holy War."

Christians in Pakistan are particularly targeted because Islamic militants believe that by killing them, they are striking at Christian America and the West. 

Anti-Christian sentiment in Pakistan is further fuelled by hate campaigns from various Islamic militant groups who have openly distributed provocative anti-Christian and pro-jihad literature across the country. 

In January, Jesh Ahle-I-Alqiblat Ali Alsari Al Alami, an Islamic militant group based in the capital city of Islamabad, published a pamphlet in Urdu and Arabic demanding Pakistani Christians to convert to Islam or face death.

Calling non-Muslims 'enemies of Islam', the document claimed that jihad becomes obligatory on Muslims if non-believers harass them or become a threat to their honor and religion. 

Published by several national newspapers, the pamphlet directed Muslims to kill infidels wherever and whenever they can be found. 

The Government of Pakistan has been silent on the subject even though the distribution on such a large scale of hate materials is in breach of s.295A and s.298 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Christians and other non-Muslim citizens living in Pakistan are extremely fearful that what happens in the Gulf will bring grave repercussions on them. 

Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide-UK, said: "Pakistan is at risk of being torn apart by Islamic militancy. Most of the 2,000 extremists arrested last year have now been released. Outlawed militant groups have reconstituted themselves under new names. These extreme elements are fanning the flame of religious hatred and violence."

"We strongly urge President Musharraf to redouble efforts to crack down on militant groups lest these extreme elements put at risk all he has achieved in bringing Pakistan towards being a moderate and progressive society. 

"We also call on the Government of Pakistan to formulate a comprehensive strategy in providing sufficient security measures for its Christian and other non-Muslim citizens in these volatile times." 

NOTES:

The MMA is a coalition of radical Islamic parties currently holding governments in two of the four provinces in Pakistan (the Northwest Frontier Province and Baluchistan bordering Afghanistan). It is widely believed to
have close links with the Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

--------------------------------------------

Courtesy of Institute on Religion and Public Policy

November 18, 2002  Institute Disturbed by Changes in Pakistani Anti-Terror Law

Washington, D.C. - The Institute on Religion and Public Policy is concerned by amendments to Pakistan's anti-terrorism law, allowing police to detain a suspect for up to a year without any charges.

The law was issued by Pakistan's military government overnight Sunday, November 17, and took effect immediately.

"This is yet another incident of the government of Pakistan restricting the rights of its citizens," commented Institute President Joseph K. Grieboski. "Democracy and freedom are daily being eliminated. I fear that this new version of the law will be used indiscriminately against religious minorities."

Detention under the former law was limited to three months.

"While we fully support the need to take steps to protect citizens against terror and to fight threats therein, the institution of draconian laws such as this only serve to advance the power of the government and to restrict the very rights of citizens which the state is meant to protect."


Institute on Religion and Public Policy
1101 15th Street, NW, Suite 115
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-835-8760
Fax: 202-835-8764

IRPP Europe
53 Rue Archimede
Brussels 1000
Belgium
Phone: +32 (0) 2 742 1575
Fax: +32 (0) 2 742 1576

---------------------------------

September 25, 2002   Christian Human Rights Workers Executed During Attack in Pakistan

Gunmen have shot dead seven Christians in an attack on a human rights office in Karachi, Pakistan.

They entered the third-floor offices of the Institute for Peace and Justice (IPJ) at mid-morning local time and executed their victims after tying them up.

The offices of the charity, which has been at work for 27 years in Pakistan, are in the heart of the southern port city of Karachi. The IPJ works for human rights and social action in the city.

Cecil Chaudry, Executive Secretary of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance and Senior Vice Chairman of the Minorities Advisory Council, knew all of the victims through working in the same field.

He said: "These extremists just want to keep targeting our places of worship and institutions. This was a very good organization which has done a lot of good for the neighborhood and in sanitary work.

"There is a great deal of fear and Christians are asking when is it going to stop. I sometimes wonder whether they're trying to drive us to take up arms against them, but we are not going to do that.

Former Group Captain Chaudry, who is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Pakistan, said: "We have always been a peaceful group, but we fear for our lives. It's in the terrorists' interests to have more militancy in Pakistan, but we will not give in to them."

There have been anti-Western attacks in Karachi earlier this year, including the bombing of the US consulate in June which left six dead and 45 injured. 

When the police arrested 21 members of the Islamic militant group, Harakat ul-Mujahideen Al-Almi, earlier this month in connection with the US consulate attack, they found maps and plans of Christian institutions and places of worship in Karachi area. 

While this is the first attack on Christians in Karachi, there have been numerous other attacks further north in Pakistan.

In August this year, six Christians were killed during an attack on a missionary school in Murree and four were killed at a Christian hospital in Taxila. Five people were killed in an attack on a church in Islamabad in March and 15 were killed in an attack on a church in Bahawalpur in October last year.

Stuart Windsor, National Director of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, said: "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of all who have lost their lives in this attack.

"The Christian community has been attacked again and these people who dedicated their lives to working for the good of others have paid the ultimate price for that dedication.

"Christians in Pakistan must be properly protected by security forces and be reassured that everything possible is being done to clamp down on armed extremists who seem determined to stir up inter-religious conflict."

-------------------------------------------

September 16, 2002   Prominent Pakistani Christian Warns of "Reign of Terror" for Christians if Iraq Attacked by America

A leading Pakistani Christian has warned that an attack on Iraq by America could cause a severe increase in persecution for Christians in Pakistan.

Cecil Chaudry, Executive Secretary of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance and Senior Vice Chairman of the Minorities Advisory Council, said: "I see terrible things happening if Iraq is invaded, including attacks on our churches and even attacks on our homes.

"Any attack on Iraq is going to signify to the extremists, rightly or wrongly, that this is a war of Christianity against Islam.

"We have not been able to weed out our local terrorists and this could bring about a reign of terror on the Christian community should Iraq be attacked by America.

"When the Gulf War took place Iraq was the aggressor and Pakistan was part of the multi-national coalition force, but our churches were stoned, a Catholic priest was manhandled and furniture burned.

"If the UN give their support to action against Iraq it will still be difficult for Christians, but the Government may be able to keep the situation under control as they will say that Pakistan as a country has to stand by the Security Council's recommendations."

Retired Group Captain Cecil Chaudry, who was decorated as a fighter pilot during the two wars against India, is a key Christian leader who speaks up for minority rights in Pakistan.

He was instrumental in securing the recent restoration of the Joint Electoral System (JES) to replace the Separate Electoral System which divided voters into religious groups in a form of 'religious apartheid'.

Cecil, who is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Pakistan, has dedicated his life to the struggle against the blasphemy laws. He was closely involved in the campaign which recently saw Pakistani Christian Ayub Masih released after six years in prison.

Cecil holds that these laws need to be repealed, adding: "I fought two wars for Pakistan. I didn't fight for the glory of religion but for the freedom of my country against an external aggressor. If I can fight for that, I will also campaign against Pakistan's internal enemies which threaten to bring about the destruction of my country.

"People want to be free, they want peace, but the one and a half percent of the 140 million are trying to bring about the disintegration of Pakistan and I want to stop them from doing it."

Cecil Chaudry has also been instrumental in safeguarding the church in Pakistan since the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre last year.

He has been briefing police chiefs and politicians on the best way to protect the Christian community including advising against arming Christians to defend their churches.

He said the six million strong Christian community had taken thorough precautions against extremist violence.

He has advocated discreet protection by law enforcement agencies in order to prevent any recurrence of attacks such as that at Bahawalpur last October when 15 people were murdered in a church.

He said: "Churches are as full as ever and Christians have a lot of faith in their leaders. We have taken a lot of trouble for their protection, but I don't want armed police guarding churches while worship is going on as it puts fear in peoples' minds. There is fear in the minds of people, but it has not deterred them from worship which shows how strong their faith is."

For more information, a photograph of Cecil, or to speak to Cecil who is in the UK until Friday September 20, contact Richard Chilvers at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on 020 8949 0587 or 020 8942 8810, email richard.chilvers@csw.org.uk or go to www.csw.org.uk

--------------------------------

August 15, 2002   Supreme court acquitted Ayub Masih

Dear Brothers &Sisters in Christ 

Today, 15th august 2002, the Supreme Court of Pakistan acquitted Ayub Masih and ordered his immediate release. In the orders of Supreme Court, it is said that “Ayub Masih is not found guilty of committing blasphemy and allegations against Ayub are baseless and false". 

Advocate Abid Hussain Mintto, advocate of Supreme Court defended Ayub masih. Few members of All Pakistan Minorities Alliance and Christian Liberation Front were present during the hearing today on 15th August, morning. 

Ayub Masih a Christian gentleman 35 years old was arrested in 1996 on false and concocted charges of blasphemy. His tormentors, the Muslim fanatics blamed him saying that he had passed derogatory remarks against the prophet of Islam. Ayub Masih was incarcerated in jail where he was tortured and put to untold miseries and is suffering because of his faith. 

In 1998 he was mercilessly and unjusticely awarded the death sentence by the session judge of Shaiwal district. Since this tyrannical punishment was awarded on the pressure of Muslim fundamentalists, so in the protest the Catholic Bishop of Faisalabad Bishop John Joseph shot himself dead in front of the court of the unjust Judge of Sahiwal on 6th May 1998. 

The appeal against the judgment of the Sahiwal session judge was rejected by the High court bench comprised of Justice Khawaja Mohammad Sharif and Justice Naseem ul Sharwani, who maintained the death sentence awarded by Session Court. 

We are thankful to Lord Jesus that he saved the life of Ayub Masih. This is a clear proof that blasphemy law is widely misused against Christians of Pakistan on baseless grounds due to their Christian faith and affiliation. 

Ayub will be released tonight or tomorrow. 

Praise the Lord. 

Shahbaz Bhatti, 
Chairman, 
All Pakistan Minorities Alliance. 

----------------------------------------
International Christian Concern

August 15, 2002   Blasphemy Prisoner Acquitted After Six Years in Prison

(Washington DC - August 15, 2002) The Pakistani Supreme Court today acquitted Christian prisoner Ayub Masih of blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad and ordered his release. Ayub was initially arrested on October 14, 1996 after neighbors accused him of uttering derogatory statements against the Prophet of Islam and telling them to read The Satanic Verses, a book considered highly offensive by Muslims. He was later sentenced to death by the Session Court Sahiwal under section 295/c of the Pakistani penal code. This decision was upheld by the Lahore High Court in July of 2001.

Human rights leaders from around the world have been calling for Ayub Masih's release for the past six years. It has been evident since the initial FIR was registered that the case had little to do with blasphemy and much to do with a land dispute in Ayub's village. The three judges presiding over Ayub's Supreme Court hearing today noted that Mr. Sharif Muhammad Akram, the complaintant, had used the blasphemy charge in order to acquire property that had belonged to Ayub Masih's family, and therefore felt the case had been fabricated for personal gain. They also noted other breaches in the law of due process.

Ayub Masih's acquittal holds out a shadow of hope to the seven or more other Christians currently being held under the country's draconian blasphemy laws. At least two of them have already been sentenced to death. Blasphemy cases can drag on for years before a sentence is ever handed down. Appealing the case can take even longer, leading to years of unjust imprisonment. Blasphemy prisoners are often beaten by other inmates, and may be denied a blanket, food or medicine. Earlier this year a Muslim accused of blasphemy was killed inside a prison in Lahore.

Ayub Masih survived two attempts on his life since the blasphemy case against him was registered. His safety remains an issue of utmost priority, as Islamic extremists not satisfied with the Court's ruling may try to extract vigilante justice. Rev. Steven Snyder, President of the Washington, DC-based human rights group, International Christian Concern, said "We thank God that Ayub Masih has been acquitted, but we are also concerned for his security. The Pakistani authorities must take every possible measure to ensure the safety of Ayub Masih. Moreover, Pakistan's blasphemy laws must be abolished once and for all."

International Christian Concern, a Washington, DC based human rights organization, advocates and aids Christians undergoing persecution worldwide. More information is available at www.persecution.org or by calling the ICC office at (301) 989-1708.

----------------------------------------
August 15 2002   Good News - Ayub Masih Set Free After Six Years in Prison

The Supreme Court in Islamabad today ordered the immediate release of Ayub Masih and concluded: "Ayub Masih is not found guilty of committing blasphemy and allegations against Ayub are baseless and false."

On behalf of Ayub, we want to thank you for all your prayers and support throughout the past six years. 

The decision to quash his conviction is a brave move by the panel of judges, particularly in the current climate of religious extremist violence against Christians, which last week claimed ten lives.

Please continue to pray for the safety and protection of Ayub. He is currently being sheltered from Islamic extremists who are believed to be seeking to kill him.

Please also pray for the safety of Abid Minto, Ayub's defense lawyers, and the judges who decided to set Ayub free this morning.

---------------------------------------
August 15 2002   Pakistani Christian on Death Row Released After Appeal to Supreme Court! 

Ayub Masih, a Pakistani Christian who has been in prison since 1996 accused of blasphemy, has had his conviction quashed.

The Supreme Court in Islamabad today ordered his immediate release and concluded: "Ayub Masih is not found guilty of committing blasphemy and allegations against Ayub are baseless and false."

Ayub, now in his early thirties, has been under sentence of death for four years. He is currently being sheltered from Islamic extremists who are believed to be seeking to kill him.

The decision to quash his conviction is a brave move by the panel of judges, particularly in the current climate of religious extremist violence against Christians, which last week claimed ten lives.

Ayub Masih was charged with blasphemy in October 1996 for making derogatory remarks about the Prophet Mohammed. While he was in prison he was repeatedly threatened and mistreated and in November 1997 he was shot at by the complainant inside the Sahiwal sessions court.

The death sentence was imposed by a session judge of Sahiwal district in 1998 and an appeal was rejected by the Multan Bench of the Lahore High Court in July 2001.

Faisalabad's Catholic Bishop Dr John Joseph was so outraged by the original verdict that he shot himself dead in protest on the steps of the Sahiwal courthouse in May 1998.

According to reliable local sources, the accusations against Ayub Masih were fabricated in order to force 15 Christian families to drop a land dispute in his village of Arifabad. The case appeared to have been registered without proper investigation and based merely on a statement made by the complainant.

Throughout the hearings, Islamic extremists packed the courtroom and threatened to kill Ayub, his lawyers and the judge if he was not convicted and hanged. At least five prisoners charged with blasphemy have been killed and at least another three have been shot at by extremists. A trial judge was also killed in 1997 after acquitting two Christians accused of blasphemy.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide welcomes this decision, but is concerned that it took six years for the courts to free an innocent man. CSW calls on the judiciary to prioritize the processing of all pending blasphemy cases.

CSW also calls for the immediate abolition of the blasphemy law, which discriminates against moderate Muslims as well as religious minorities throughout Pakistan.

Stuart Windsor, National Director of CSW-UK said: "We commend all those involved in taking this brave decision to free this high profile prisoner who has done nothing wrong.

"He has endured unimaginable suffering over the last six years and his life is still in very great danger from Islamic extremists.

"We congratulate the Pakistani judiciary for seeing justice finally done. We hope this latest decision will set a precedent for all future blasphemy cases and bring a ray of hope to all those still imprisoned under this legislation."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Section 295 of Pakistan's Penal Code, known as the Blasphemy Law, is open to widespread abuse due to its vague wording and the lack of penalties against its misuse.

Section 295C allows the courts to pass sentence on those who 'by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representations, or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defile the scared name of the Holy Prophet.' A conviction carries a mandatory death sentence.

In 2001 alone, it is estimated that at least 40 Muslims, 23 Ahmadis, ten Christians and two Hindus have been charged with blasphemy.

----------------------------------------

August 12, 2002   FOUR NURSES KILLED IN GRENADE ATTACK ON CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL IN PAKISTAN

Four nurses were killed after suspected pro-Islamic terrorists attacked a Christian hospital in Taxila on Friday. Three unidentified assailants hurled grenades at the staff as they came out of the hospital chapel after attending their daily morning service. According to eye-witnesses, up to 70 others were injured in the attack on the hospital site, 12 miles west of Pakistan's capital, Islamabad.

Most of the casualties were Pakistanis, with two of the wounded in a serious condition on Friday.  One of the attackers was killed on the spot, reportedly shot dead by his accomplices after he was wrestled to the ground by hospital staff.  The attack has caused waves of anxiety among the Christian and Buddhist minorities in the area and is the second assault on the Christian community in less than a week.

On August 5th, three suspected Islamic militants stormed Murree Christian School, about 40 miles east of Taxila. The gunmen reportedly opened fire indiscriminately as they swept across the playground, before making their escape over the fence at the rear. Miraculously, no students were injured and one group of children in the playground at the time managed to take shelter under some bushes. Two Christian and four Muslim staff were, however, killed as they attempted to stop the assailants. A Pakistani cleaner, a neighbor and a parent also sustained gunshot wounds.

The school has cancelled all classes and has set up three counseling teams for the traumatized students and staff. One student said: "We have witnessed a miracle and are now stronger in our Christian faith. In spite of attacks of evil, Almighty Jesus saved us; but we are in grief that we lost six innocent people in this terrorist attack. In spite of the threats and the hostile situation, we will continue our study in Murree Christian School." 

Mr. Russell, the Australian headmaster of the school, said: "We ask for earnest and sustained prayer at this time from Christians everywhere, and are grateful for the support we have received from our Muslim neighbors and from the authorities." 

An Islamic militant group named Al-Intiqami Al-Pakistani (Revenge of Jehadi) has accepted the responsibility for the terrorist attack on the school.  In a letter sent to Murree Christian School shortly after the attack, Al-Intiqami Al-Pakistani stated that: "This is just a beginning of a revenge for the atrocities committed by the US in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir and Palestine, and we will continue attacking."

Murree Christian School is a boarding school for the children of foreign missionaries and expatriates. Its 150 students come from over 20 countries. 

The US war on terrorism has driven many radical Muslims from Afghanistan into Pakistan and a notable increase in attacks on Christian institutions has since occurred.

In March, five grenades were thrown into an international church in Islamabad, killing five and injuring 40. In January, a bomb went off inside a church in G/8 Christian Colony in Islamabad. Last October, 15 Christians and a Muslim were killed in the bombing of the church in Bahawalpur.

Shahbaz Bhatti, Chairman of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) and President of Christian Liberation Front Pakistan, said: "If our government will not ban or crush these Islamic militants' organizations, these attacks and killings will continue. We are mindful that in the campaign against terrorism, religious minorities of Pakistan will remain targets of these militants." 

The APMA is a coalition of leaders and representatives of religious minorities, including Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Ahmadis and Zoroastrians. Their aim is to foster unity and harmony among all the religious minorities in the country. 

Christian Solidarity Worldwide continues to call on the Government of Pakistan to take effective action against Islamic militant groups. 

------------------------------------------------

July 4 2002   RAPE OF CHRISTIAN GIRL IN PAKISTAN IGNORED BY POLICE

The rape of a 16-year-old girl in Pakistan has been ignored by police because of her religious beliefs. Shakeela Siddique, a Christian from Fatewala village in the northeastern Gujranwala district, was reportedly raped by an influential local Muslim landlord in February 2002. Traumatized and ashamed, Shakeela kept quiet about her ordeal. The incident only came to light two months later when she realized she was pregnant. In order to avoid social stigma, she was forced to have an abortion (illegal in Pakistan) at the end of April and has suffered from severe depression since the attack.

When her father, Siddique Masih, attempted to confront the alleged rapist, he was badly beaten up.  He told Christian Liberation Front, a Pakistani human rights group: "My everything has been ruined as my daughter is now a living corpse. No Christian in our village dares to raise his voice against the Muslim landlords."

There are about 150 Muslim families and 50 Christian families living in Fatewala and most of the Christians are poor peasants employed by Muslims.

In February 2001, Naira Nadia, a 14-year-old Christian girl, was kidnapped and gang raped by a group of Muslim men. This was apparently a reprisal for sharing her faith with her school friends. The group forcibly converted her to Islam and sent her parents a certificate of conversion. Despite evidence that Naira was underage and therefore could not marry or convert to another faith without her parents' consent, the presiding judge at Lahore High Court ruled in favor of the abductor. 

Naira has been missing for almost 17 months. Her family filed an appeal to the Supreme Court in February this year, but they are under increasing pressure from local Muslims to drop the case.

In May 2000, eight Christian girls were allegedly gang raped by six Muslims. Their case went before the Ferozwala District and Sessions Court in May 2002 and the judge ruled against the girls. It is widely believed that he did so because of pressure from extremists who packed the courtroom at every stage of the proceedings.

Minority women who are rape victims are often forcibly converted to Islam and married to their rapists or sold into prostitution. According to a ruling of the Lahore High Court, if a non-Muslim married woman converts to Islam, her marriage is automatically dissolved. In some cases, the rape, conversion, marriage and even subsequent divorce can take place in a single evening.

In Pakistan, women who have been raped are at risk of being accused of committing adultery, the penalty for which is death by stoning. To successfully defend a charge of adultery, the burden falls on the victim to prove rape, requiring four adult Muslim males to testify that they have witnessed the act.

Pakistan has been a signatory to the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) since 1981. CSW is calling on the government of Pakistan to bring its law and practice in line with CEDAW. CSW is also urging the government of Pakistan to bring to justice those responsible for these crimes and to hold independent inquiries into those officials who seem to have acted impartially in these cases.

Stuart Windsor, National Director of Christian Solidarity Worldwide-UK, said: "Shakeela's ordeal has had terrible consequences for her but the injustice in the way her case is being dealt with by the authorities adds to her suffering.

"Women from minority religions such as Christianity have virtually no voice in the Pakistani criminal justice system and Shakeela's case is an outrage about which the international community should not be silent."

------------------------------------------

International Christian Concern

July 1, 2002   Pakistani Christian Girl Raped by Muslim Landlord

The Washington-DC based human rights group, International Christian Concern, has just become aware of the case of Miss Shakeela Siddique of Fatewala village in the district of Gujranwala, Pakistan. Several months ago, upon reporting to work at the home of Mr. Azam, Shakeela, a 16-year-old Christian girl, was raped at gunpoint by the Muslim landlord, who had sent his wife and children into town in order to carry out this dastardly deed in secret. After having his way with the poor Christian girl, Azam then threatened to kill Shakeela and burn her family to death if she ever told anyone about the rape. 

Ashamed and horrified, Shakeela quit her job as one of Azam’s domestic servants. However, after two months, Shakeela realized she was pregnant, making it necessary to tell her parents about the rape. Shakeela’s father, Siddique Masih, then approached Azam and was mercilessly beaten and driven out of the landlord’s home. The police refused to help Siddique pursue the case because the family of Azam is very influential in the village. With much mental anguish, Shakeela received an abortion, hoping to avoid further shame and social stigma. 

Shakeela’s mother told an ICC representative that before the rape “Shakeela was a committed Christian girl and prayed daily. She was very caring for her family. That is why she wanted to contribute to lower the financial burden of her father.” Shakeela had decided to work for Azam to help support her six brothers and sisters. However, her life has been drastically changed by the rape. Her father told ICC: “My every thing has been ruined as my daughter is a living corpse. No Christian in our village can think to raise [his] voice against the Muslim landlord on this cruelty.” Siddique’s family is one of only 50 Christian families in a predominantly Muslim village. 

Sadly, Shakeela’s case is not an isolated one. Across Pakistan Christian women are targeted for sexual abuse by Muslims who believe they can get away with their crime because Christians have little legal protection in the corrupt judicial system. Some Christian girls have been raped and then forced into becoming Muslims and marrying their rapists so that the crime would not be exposed. One such case is that of Naira Nadia, who was kidnapped and raped in February 2001. To date Nadia remains missing because the Lahore High Court has refused to help her parents, claiming Nadia had married her attacker. Nadia’s case is now being taken up by the Supreme Court, which could overturn the ruling of the lower court. Nadia’s birth certificate confirms her to be a minor and unable to legally marry or convert to another religion without her parents’ consent. 

ICC urges American Christians to raise their voices in concern about the treatment of Christian women in Pakistan. Write immediately to Pakistani Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi and ask for her help in securing justice for Christian victims of rape and forced marriage. 

Embassy of Pakistan
2315 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20008
Fax: (202) 387-0484

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Advancing Native Missions

June 20, 2002  Lawyers Defending Christians Receive Death Threats

Dear Praying Friends, 

Two lawyers working in Pakistan defending Christians accused of blasphemy have recently received death threats. One of these men is serving with the Center for Legal Aid, an ANM supported ministry which not only provides legal assistance for the Christian community, but also helps the widows and orphans of those who have died as martyrs, and provides practical help for abused Christian women. While driving to court one morning, the car of Bro. P.C. was forced off of the road by four men on motorbikes. He and his colleague were threatened with death if they did not drop a well known blasphemy case. The other lawyer, who is defending a jailed Christian named Ranjha, has also been threatened with the loss of his life if he persists in representing accused blasphemers. 

As you pray, please remember to pray for P.C. and K.T. Please pray for the Center for Legal Aid and the many accused Christians whom they represent. If the Lord leads you to help this ministry financially, gifts can be sent through Advancing Native Missions. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to let me know. The Lord bless you, and hear your prayers for our brethren.

In His Service, 

Rev. Jay Temple 
Comforting the Persecuted Church 

Advancing Native Missions 
PO Box 5303 
Charlottesville VA 22905 
434-823-7777 (Phone) 
434-823-7776 (Fax) 
jayt@adnamis.org 
www.adnamis.org 

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June 13, 2002    MUSLIM CLERIC CONVICTED OF BLASPHEMY SHOT DEAD IN A PAKISTAN PRISON

A 55-year-old Muslim cleric convicted of blasphemy in Pakistan has been shot dead in jail in Lahore. Mohammed Yousaf Ali was being transferred from Cell Block 7 to Cell Block 1 in the Kot Lakhpat Central Jail when he was shot at close range on June 11.

The murderer is alleged to be another prisoner in the jail, Tariq Mota, a member of Sipah-e-Sahaba (SSP), a banned Sunni militant group believed to
have close links to the Al Qaeda network.

He is reported to have shot Yousaf with a .30 caliber pistol before kneeling down to give thanks to Allah.

Mota is said to have boasted in a statement to police: "I now feel spiritually satisfied because it was my wish to kill him. It is the responsibility of every Muslim to kill these infidels."

Yousaf Ali, 55, was sentenced to death for blasphemy on August 5, 2000, in a case brought by the Tharik-I-Khatmi Nabuwat, an Islamic militant group in Lahore.

Yousaf was a cleric in a Lahore mosque and had been vocal in condemning religious extremism.

At every stage of the judicial process, students from nearby madrassahs (Islamic religious schools) and members of militant Islamic organizations packed the courthouse, shouting religious slogans and demanding his death.

It is widely believed that Islamic militant groups are behind his death.

Factors such as the non-routine transfer between cells and that the alleged murderer was waiting for Yousaf with a gun, point to the complicity of
prison staff in his murder.

The jail superintendent resigned a few hours after the murder and later, the jail's assistant superintendent and two wardens were arrested on charges of negligence.

At least four Christians charged with blasphemy have been killed at the hands of extremists and at least another three have been shot at. Baba Bantu Masih was stabbed to death by a young Muslim while in a Lahore police station in 1992.

In a case still under investigation, a post-mortem revealed that Tahir Iqbal, a convert from Islam to Christianity, was allegedly poisoned while in the same prison as Yousaf in 1992.

Nehmat Ahmer, a Christian teacher from Faisalabad, was knifed to death in 1992 by a young Muslim fanatic.

Manzoor Masih, Rehmat and Salamat Masih were also shot at outside Lahore High Court in 1995. Manzoor Masih was killed on the spot.

In November 1997 Ayub Masih was shot at by the complainant in his case outside the Sahiwal Sessions Court.

Ayub Masih is currently appealing to Pakistan's Supreme Court to have his death sentence quashed. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has concluded that his detention was arbitrary and that the threats and atmosphere surrounding his trial and appeal denied him any chance of a fair
trial.

Yousaf Ali's death demonstrates that despite President Musharraf's recent initiatives to curb Islamic extremists in Pakistan, they are still a
powerful force who seem to be able to act with impunity.

The Christian community in Pakistan fears that prisoners held on blasphemy and other religious charges could suffer the same fate as Yousaf.

In the year 2001 alone, it is estimated that at least 40 Muslims, 23 Ahmadi, ten Christians and two Hindus have been charged with blasphemy.

CSW condemns the assassination of Yousaf Ali and calls again for President Musharraf to prioritise the complete disarming of all militant Islamic groups. CSW also calls on President Musharraf to heighten security precautions for all faith minorities currently in detention in Pakistan.

Stuart Windsor, National Director of Christian Solidarity Worldwide-UK, said: "Our prayers and sympathies go out to Yousaf Ali's friends and family at this difficult time.

"His death seems to have been at the hand of an extremist backed by militant groups. If this was the case it shows just how much freedom these groups have to strike even at those who are under the eyes of the authorities in prison.

"We call on President Musharraf to identify and purge extremist elements from within the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency, the judiciary, the security forces and civil services and to bring to justice those behind such acts of murder and incitement to religious hatred."

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Gospel for Asia 

June 7, 2002    GFA Student Murdered In Kashmir

With deep sadness we inform you that a student from our GFA Bible school in Indian-controlled Kashmir has been murdered. Details are still sketchy, but our missionaries and field leaders believe that local Muslim extremists are responsible for his death.

The slain brother belonged to a group of GFA Bible school students who are ministering among the tens of thousands of refugees fleeing the Pakistan/ India border under the threat of war. Although the senior GFA leader who oversees the Kashmir region had instructed all of our missionaries and students to leave the area, 47 of them chose to stay behind and be a witness for the Lord. Even now they are scattered along the border areas of Kashmir, preaching the Gospel to the refugees and assisting them in practical ways.

These students are studying at a GFA Bible school located just five kilometers from the Pakistan border, where there has been much unrest almost daily. Before the Afghan war prompted by 9/11, few Muslim extremists were creating strife in the area. Since then, however, dozens of groups like Al-Qaeda have moved in and are causing much unrest. Recently some GFA missionaries narrowly escaped death when a bus they had just stepped off of exploded.

To date, GFA native missionaries have planted many churches and mission stations in Kashmir, a predominately Muslim area. Please pray for God's protection for these dear believers and our GFA brothers as they face strong persecution. And continue to pray for peace between India and Pakistan. Millions of lives are at stake.

Grace and peace,
Dr. K.P. Yohannan
President, Gospel for Asia
http://www.gfa.org
1.800.Win.Asia

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April 11, 2002    Call for Tighter Security for Christians in Pakistan After Attack on Church by Youths with Machine Guns

A Presbyterian church close to the Kashmir border was attacked by a group of Islamic extremists on Sunday April 7.

Seven youths, aged between 14 and 25, armed with automatic weapons, stormed the church in Satrah village near Gujranwala district. They broke up the evening service, verbally abused the congregation and fired randomly into the air. 

When the church minister called for help through the church loudspeakers, the attackers fled the scene. Although no one was injured, the three hundred Christian families living in the area were terrified.

Gujranwala district is renowned for being a breeding ground for religious extremism. Islamic militant groups such as the Lakshar-I-Taiba, Jash-I-Mohammad, Harkat-ul- Mujahideen and Muslim fighters are active in the region. Many Muslim youths from the area have joined the Taliban for the 'Jihad' in Afghanistan. 

According to an eye-witness, three of the youths were members of local Islamic militant groups and had received training in Afghanistan.

Despite repeated requests from the Christian community, the local police and the Senior Superintendent were reluctant to file a first incident report. The local authorities also reportedly offered little sympathy. 

Local Christians believe the attack is a further gesture of retaliation by Islamists to President Musharraf's decisions to side with the US against the Taliban regime and to confront extremism inside the country. 

Several months ago, a local Muslim fighter group demanded that the Presbyterian minister close his church and threatened to attack it if he continued to conduct services. 

This is the second serious attack on Christian churches in under a month, and the third this year. Three weeks ago, Pakistan hit international headlines when Islamic extremists hurled grenades into a protestant church in the diplomatic area in Islamabad, killing five people and injuring over 40 others.

Recently, President Musharraf has taken groundbreaking steps to arrest extremists, ban militant groups and regulate the madrassahs (religious schools), but violence has continued. 

The growing number of Pakistanis joining the Taliban forces has exacerbated the military government's dilemma.

Various Islamic groups and elements within the military are criticizing the President for limiting the power of those actively involved in Kashmir and thereby abandoning his claim to the region. Extremists have vowed to depose the military leader, describing him as a 'threat to national security'. 

Meanwhile, the minority faith communities remain concerned that they would bear the brunt of extremist aggression and that fundamentalists would use the US-Afghan conflict as a pretext to step up their attacks. Pakistan Christians remain fully alert and closely monitor the situation as events unfold. 

CSW is calling on the Government of Pakistan to bring to justice those responsible for carrying out and inciting this and all previous attacks on churches and to augment security provisions for the Christian minority. 

Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of CSW, said: "We are profoundly disturbed by this series of attacks on Christian churches. It is appalling that, despite the President's repeated assurances to protect the Christian community, the local authorities are still reluctant to take up their cases. 

"Driven by an intense desire to Islamize Pakistan, Islamic militant groups have become one of the most divisive forces in the country. For Pakistan to move towards progressive Islam, President Musharraf must take concrete steps to oversee the complete disarming of these militant groups and bring to justice all those who incite sectarian and religious violence." 

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March 18, 2002   CSW calls on President Musharraf to strengthen clampdown on Islamic extremists after attack on church leaves five dead

Islamic extremists are suspected to be behind an attack on a church in Pakistan on Sunday which left five people dead and many others injured.

Worshippers at the Protestant International Church in Islamabad threw themselves to the floor when one or more attackers burst into the church during the morning service and threw several hand grenades.

This is the third serious attack on a church in the last six months. Gunmen burst into a church in Bahawalpur in October last year killing 15 people. A bomb was set off in the G/8 Church, also in Islamabad, on January 13.

Three gunmen killed at least ten people during an evening prayer meeting on February 26 at the Shi’ite Mosque in Rawalpindi in an attack believed to be a reaction to the crackdown on extremism.

President Musharraf has taken a number of courageous steps including banning five extremist groups, regulating the religious Islamic schools and carrying out mass arrests of suspected extremists. However, Christians in Pakistan feel he should still be doing more to protect them.

CSW is calling for a full investigation of this attack and for those responsible for carrying out and inciting this and previous attacks to be brought to justice. 

Although 2,000 people have been arrested for suspected extremist activities, none have been charged and many have been released.

CSW is also calling on the President to oversee the disarming of the extremists and to investigate and remove those with links to Islamic extremists from within the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency, the judiciary, the army and the civil service.

Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide said: “Our deepest sympathies go out to the families of all those killed and our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been seriously injured. 

“This attack demonstrates that extremists have not been brought under control and are still a very real threat to the Christian community.”

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February 20, 2002    Man on death row for blasphemy given leave to appeal

A man on death row in Pakistan since 1996 has been told his appeal will be heard at the Supreme Court in the next two or three months.

Ayub Masih, a Christian convicted of blasphemy under s.295C of the Pakistan Penal Code, was granted leave to appeal on the basis of legal irregularities on February 13 at a preliminary hearing.

For the first time in Pakistan’s legal history, the Supreme Court is to determine whether a Christian should be executed for making a derogatory comment against the Islamic prophet Mohammad.

The appeal, to be reviewed by a panel of at least three Supreme Court justices, will be Masih’s final judicial appeal. If the court upholds the previous court’s decision he would be the first person to be executed under the country’s blasphemy legislation.

Masih, now in his early thirties, has been in solitary confinement since October 14 1996. Last July, the Multan Bench of the Lahore High Court alarmed human rights groups and religious minorities by upholding the conviction and the mandatory death sentence.

The wording of the blasphemy law is notoriously vague. Anyone who ‘by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representation, or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly’ defiles the Prophet Mohammad can be found guilty of blasphemy. There is no requirement to prove intent and it is not uncommon for allegations to be motivated by religious bigotry, personal prejudice or selfish gain.

According to reliable local sources, the accusation against Ayub Masih was fabricated in order to force fifteen Christian families in his village to drop a land dispute. The case appears to have been registered without proper investigation, based merely on an oral statement made by the complainant. No substantial evidence had been produced to prove his guilt at either his trial or his recent appeal. The guilty verdict is believed to be the result of immense pressure from Islamic fundamentalists.

Although no one has yet been executed under the law, at least five Christians known to Christian Solidarity Worldwide have died at the hands of extremists.

Ayub Masih’s case highlights the need for revision of the blasphemy law and the strengthening of legal procedures to protect against its misuse. The mandatory death penalty accompanying the law is excessive and disproportionate to the crime. It is a matter of controversy even within Islamic circles.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide is working closely with UK MPs to call on Pakistan to introduce reforms to improve the status of religious minorities. An Early Day Motion (No. 349) featuring the plight of Ayub Masih and the injustice of the blasphemy legislation is receiving considerable support from MPs from all parties.

Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, said: “President Musharraf has demonstrated great courage in his recent attempts to combat Islamic fundamentalism and to reform the electoral system. 

“However, true democracy can only be achieved when Pakistan respects, upholds and protects individuals’ rights and freedoms, including freedom of religion. It is high time the government of Pakistan addressed the controversial blasphemy law and ended all discrimination based on religion.

“Pakistan is sensitive to international pressure, particularly pressure from the US and the European Union. We call on the international community to encourage Pakistan to pursue moderate Islam and to revise the blasphemy law. We also urge governments to send representatives to monitor Ayub Masih’s appeal to ensure impartiality and a fair trial.”

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January 17, 2002   RELIGIOUS MINORITIES CELEBRATE AS PAKISTAN RETURNS TO SINGLE ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Religious minorities in Pakistan are celebrating as the decision was made to abolish the divisive separate electoral system.

The Federal Cabinet unanimously decided that the general elections in July this year will be held on the basis of a one person one vote single electoral system, irrespective of religious persuasion.

President Musharraf, who chaired the meeting on January 16, said a truly moderate and progressive Islamic State would only be restored once religious terrorism and extremism had been eradicated from the country.

The Cabinet also agreed to remove the reserved seats for minorities in the National Assembly and non-Muslim candidates can now contest the 350 general seats.

The decision to return to a single electoral system came after President Musharraf delivered a significant televised national address in which he urged the people of Pakistan to banish intolerance and hatred and to establish a climate of equality and brotherhood. He also pledged to end extremism, militancy, violence and fundamentalism. 

Since General Zia introduced the separate electoral system to the Provincial and National Assemblies (upper and lower houses of Parliament) in 1985, citizens of Pakistan could only vote for candidates from within their religious affiliations. Muslims were barred from electing non-Muslims, and minorities could not vote for Muslim candidates.

The separate electoral system also restricted the number of seats which religious minorities could win in elections, reserving the vast majority for Muslim candidates. 

Minorities were cut off from mainstream politics and were virtually voiceless after Zia politically divided the country into five religious groups, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Ahmadis and lastly, Parsis, Sikhs and other non-Muslims. 

The system violated the civil and political rights of all Pakistani citizens and has long been criticized by many human rights groups as unethical, unconstitutional and fundamentally undemocratic. Religious minorities also said it promoted religious apartheid and was a cause of sectarianism.

The return to the single electoral system will have the added effect of reducing the significance of discriminatory legislation such as the Blasphemy Law. Under the new system, when a Christian living in a Muslim constituency is falsely accused of blasphemy, the Muslim MP would be obliged to take up the case under the principle of electoral accountability. 

More crucially, as minorities (which make up three percent of the population) tend to live together in clusters, the Muslim MP would have the added incentive to act in order to retain the important minority vote.

Cecil Chaudry is Chairman of Christian Organizations for Social Action in Pakistan (COSAP), a coalition of Christian human rights NGOs and churches which has been campaigning for years for the restoration of a single electoral system.

He said: “We have been campaigning for the last 14 years for this change and are elated that it has happened. This will immediately bring religious minorities into the mainstream of politics of the country, from which they have been divorced for so long.

“All the other discriminatory laws will start losing their importance as there will now be solidarity among all the communities in Pakistan. I’m absolutely sure that the impact of the blasphemy laws will become less important and not susceptible to being so misused.

“In the separate electoral system, religious communities were unable to interact with other communities politically and we were very isolated. This meant people could be discriminated against and even killed.

“We are very happy and other religious minorities, many of whom have campaigned against it, are also welcoming this change.”

Violence in the name of religion has been at the core of much communal conflict throughout the history of Pakistan. 

The latest incident happened on Sunday January 13, when a bomb exploded in a church at the G/8 Christian Colony in the capital, Islamabad. Fortunately, no one was injured as the explosion went off after the worshippers had left. 

There has been a sweeping crackdown on extremist religious groups since Musharraf’s national address on January 12. According to sources from within Pakistan, close to 2,000 extremists have been arrested. The President has also outlawed five Islamic militant organizations, including the two accused by India of attacking its Parliament last month. 

Stuart Windsor, National Director of CSW, said: “We welcome the decision of the Federal Cabinet and commend President Musharraf for his stance in promoting tolerance and harmony. 

“By abolishing the controversial separate electoral system, Pakistan has taken a giant step towards restoring democracy. 

“We are hopeful that these recent initiatives will open the country up to religious liberty and will eventually make the abolition of the blasphemy laws a reality.” 

-------------------------------------------------

October 29, 2001   Massacre in Church shows extent of threat to Christian minority in Pakistan

The massacre of 16 people at a church service by suspected Islamic extremists highlights the dangers faced by Christian believers in Pakistan.

Four masked gunmen, believed to be Pro-Taliban Muslims, opened fire with machineguns on the congregation at the Roman Catholic church at Bahawalpur as they gathered on Sunday morning.

After killing the security guard on the gate, they murdered 15 worshippers, including women and children, and injured a further 25 in the worst attack in Pakistan's recent history.

According to eyewitnesses, the gunmen shouted "Graveyard of Christians - Pakistan and Afghanistan" and "This is just a start."

The military action taken by the coalition led by the US Government has provoked mass rallies in support of the Taliban in Pakistan and Christians have feared reprisals since the bombing began.

President Musharraf called a meeting with Christians earlier this month to give them his personal assurance of protection after isolated attacks on Christians in Peshawar and Quetta near the Afghanistan border.

This meeting led to police guards being posted at places of worship including at the Bahawalpur church used by both Catholics and Protestants.

Cecil Chaudry, a member of the Executive Committee of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Bishop's Conference and based in Lahore, said: "The Government had taken adequate precautions against mob violence, but this was a pre-meditated act of terrorism. The Government knows where the strongholds of extremist groups are which they banned and we would ask that they keep a closer watch on them and provide better protection for the institutions, lives and property of Christians and other minority faiths."

Christians have set up a National Communication Network to liaise with local authorities and inter-faith conferences have already taken place.

Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan are discriminated against under the electoral system as well as under the blasphemy laws.

Ayub Masih, who made legal history when his appeal against the death penalty was turned down by the High Court in July, is in prison in Multan, 100km north of Bahawalpur. 

Christian Solidarity Worldwide met with Christians in Shantinagar, 80km from Bahawalpur in 1997 just one week after a mob looted and destroyed 1,500 homes.

The area also has a history of tensions between Sunni and Shia Muslim extremists and hundreds of Muslims have died in sectarian violence since partition.

Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, said: "We strongly condemn this unprovoked attack against the Christian community in Pakistan and pray for those who have lost loved ones. We call on President Musharraf to bring those responsible to justice and to reassure Christians of the state's protection at this particularly dangerous time."

CSW is aware of an increased number of attacks against Christians around the world after the bombing campaign in Afghanistan began.

Christians in Indonesia and Nigeria have suffered violence at the hands of Muslim extremists who perceive them to have links with the West due to their faith.

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October 12, 2001    President Musharraf of Pakistan assures religious minorities of his protection

Religious minorities in Pakistan were reassured of state protection when they met with President Musharraf earlier this week.

In a two-hour meeting on October 9, which the President initiated, he assured them their lives and property would be fully protected.

The delegation, which was led by Col (Ret'd) SK Tressler, the Federal Minister for Minorities, included Christians, Hindus, Ahmadis, Sikhs, Parsies and members of scheduled castes (untouchables).

There have been isolated attacks on Christians in Pakistan, including an attack by extremists on the Christian community at Quetta on the border with Afghanistan.

Islamic extremists told believers at the Christian Colony University in Peshawar to leave the country and beat several before police intervened.

President Musharraf admitted these attacks were due to the failure of the local administration and blamed them on Afghan refugees who support the Taliban regime.

He has recently taken action against Islamic extremists, banning two militant organizations in August and prohibiting fundraising to promote jihad or holy war.

He also passed laws to regulate the madrassahs (religious schools) which are believed to be training grounds for mujahideen (Islamic militants).

Finally, he ordered key leaders of several pro-Taliban organizations to be placed under house arrest for three months last weekend.

This included Maulana Fazal Rehman of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, one of three extremist Islamic parties who issued a joint statement on October 11 condemning President Musharraf's decision to offer the US logistical support and declaring a jihad against the US-led coalition forces.

Minority faiths in Pakistan have already set up a National Communication Network to liaise with local authorities and inter-faith conferences have already taken place.

Successful meetings have already been held in Lahore, Islamabad and Faisalabad with representatives from Jamait Ulema-e-Islam at the Lahore meeting.

At a local level, faith communities are already talking to each other, attempting to curb inflammatory statements and running seminars on conflict resolution.

Rev Stuart Windsor, national director of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, said: "We welcome the courageous steps taken by President Musharraf in the past few months to curb fundamentalist activities within Pakistan. We are also grateful that he has taken the initiative to meet with Christians and members of other minority faiths and welcome his pledge to safeguard their lives and property. We continue to call on the Government of Pakistan to protect the rights of religious minorities and to reform the law relating to blasphemy which has left Christians like Ayub Masih on death row."

------------------------------------------

August 23, 2001    Urgent Plea for Ayub Masih

Dear Friends, 

We have an urgent follow-up to Monday's posting on the death penalty case of Ayub Masih, a 35 year-old Christian man who is sentenced to hang in Pakistan for blasphemy against Islam. We strongly urge you take action as outlined below. 

Ayub is being held in solitary confinement with no light, no toilet facility and no fan to cool him from the heat. The temperature in his four-by-six foot cell (2-by-1.3 meters) can reach 120 degrees F (49 C) during the day. 

Our contacts in Pakistan have confirmed that Ayub's appeal to the Pakistani Supreme Court was filed on Wednesday, August 22nd. There is no hearing date yet, but the defense has requested that the case be expedited. The court convenes for its fall session on September 1st. 

If his conviction and death sentence for blaspheming Islam and the Prophet Muhammad is upheld by the Supreme Court, only international intervention and clemency from Pakistan's President Musharraf will stop the public hanging of Ayub Masih. 

This is the first time a blasphemy case has reached the Supreme Court, which makes it extremely important, as no one has yet been executed for blasphemy in Pakistan (as the law decrees), and it will establish a very bad precedent if his conviction is upheld and he is put to death. 

Moreover, the case against Ayub is very weak. In both his trial and his recent appeal no substantial evidence has been provided to prove that he is guilty of blasphemy. 

Pakistan is quite sensitive to international opinion. It is important that the international human rights community keep the pressure on and continue to call for Ayub's release and for legislative and procedural reform. 

Below is a good summary of the case from Christian Solidarity Worldwide, followed by fax numbers of key officials in Pakistan and the U.N. We urge you to fax because the case could be decided by the Supreme Court when they hear cases during the first week of September. 

***We strongly encourage you to fax one or more of the following as soon as possible and strongly but respectfully insist that Ayub Masih's conviction be reversed and that he be set free. He has already suffered five years of detention under deplorable conditions, and there appears to be no legal basis for the conviction. Use your letterhead if appropriate. You may also wish to fax the Pakistani embassy in your country of residence.  Additional points from CSW's appeal above may be included in your  letter.*** 

(Note: 92 is the telephone country code for Pakistan. It is often  difficult to connect to Pakistan due to the overloaded phone system, so  keep trying.) 


General Parvez Musharraf 
President 
Islamic Republic of Pakistan 
Aiawan-e-Sadar 
Islamabad 
Pakistan 
Fax : 92 51 811 390 or 92 51 211 018 


UNITED NATIONS: 
PERMANENT MISSION OF PAKISTAN 
56, rue de Moillebeau, 
1209 Geneva, Switzerland 
Fax: 41 22 734 8085 

Ms Asma Jahangir 
United Nations Special Rapporteur 
for Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Execution 
Geneva, Switzerland 
Fax: 41 22 917 9006 

Mr Abdelfattah Amor 
United Nations Special Rapporteur 
for Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief 
Geneva, Switzerland 
Fax: 41 22 917 9018 

Embassy of Pakistan in the United States: 
2315 Massachusetts Avenue, NW 
Washington, DC 20008 
USA 
Fax: 1 202 387-0484 

UK: 
His Excellency Mian Riaz Samee 
Pakistan Ambassador to the UK 
High Commission for Pakistan 
35-36 Lowndes Square, London SW1X 9JN 
Fax.: 44 20 7664 9224 

(OR The diplomatic representatives of Pakistan in your country of  residence.) 

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August 17, 2001    Ayub Masih - Death Penalty Verdict for Blasphemy Upheld by High Court

Ayub Masih has been convicted of blasphemy under section 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code. His appeal against conviction and the mandatory death sentence was rejected by the Multan Bench of the Lahore High Court on 25th July 2001. 

This is the first time since the blasphemy laws were introduced that a bench of the High Court has upheld the mandatory death sentence. In the past, the rulings of lower courts were overturned by the High Court. 

The current verdict in the case of Ayub Masih is probably the result of immense extremist pressure. On the day of his appeal, it was reported that extremists once again gathered outside court threatening the court and defense advocate. 

An appeal to Pakistan's Supreme Court has been made. 


URGENT ACTION:

Please write a polite brief letter to your Congressperson to put the case of Ayub Masih on the agenda, and to call upon the Pakistan Government to:

a. Immediately release Ayub Masih 

b. Revise the blasphemy laws and its legal procedures to protect against obvious abuses;

c. Set up an independent investigation body, to formulate and put into practice proper investigation procedures;

d. Remove the most commonly-used blasphemy provision (s.295A) from the list of crimes that are tried by the special anti-terrorist courts, where the accused has fewer procedural protections and more restricted rights to appeal than in normal criminal courts;

e. Abolish the death penalty for s.295C and repeal this section altogether;

f. Take steps to curb Islamic fundamentalism in Pakistan;

g. End threats to political and religious organizations and institutions, judges, lawyers and spokesmen of NGOs who advocate a change in the law;

h. Protect Muslims who choose to embrace other faiths.


Please also continue to pray for:

· The safety of Ayub Masih, his family and those representing him

· The appeal to the Supreme Court to be expedited

· His early release and for justice to prevail.


Background

Ayub Masih was accused of making a reference to Salman Rushdie's book, The Satanic Verses. He was arrested on 14th October 1996 at his village of Arifabad, after a complaint filed by a Muslim, Muhammad Akam, who alleged that he heard Ayub saying, "If you want to know the truth about Islam, then read Salman Rushdie."

According to reliable local sources, however, the charges were fabricated and made vindictively to force 15 Christian families to drop a local land dispute in Ayub's village. The case also appeared to have been registered without proper investigation, based merely on a statement made by the complainant, Muhammad Akam. 

Typically, throughout the entire legal proceedings, the case was heavily influenced by intense pressure from Islamic fundamentalists. 

On the day of the initial trial, extremists gathered outside the court to intimidate the judge and the defense lawyers. The case was transferred from Arifwala to Sahiwal for fear that pressure from extremists would jeopardize the legal process.

On 6th November 1997, Ayub was shot at in Sahiwal Court by the complainant. No arrest was made but the trial thereafter was held 'in camera' as the court realized the danger. 

The closed prison trial, at which Ayub was denied the right to a defense, concluded on 27th April 1998 with the Session Court judge of Sahiwal district sentencing Ayub to death by hanging. 

The death penalty against Ayub was suspended on the 11th May 1998, pending an appeal. Regrettably, after a long wait of over three years, Ayub's appeal was turned down by the High Court.

CSW is calling for Ayub's unconditional release and for President Musharraf to honor his pledges to reform the law relating to blasphemy and to introduce key reforms to improve the status of religious minorities in Pakistan.

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July 31, 2001    Death penalty verdict for blasphemy upheld against Pakistani Christian

Ayub Masih, a Pakistani Christian, had his appeal against the death penalty for blasphemy turned down last week. Ayub, from Sahiwal district south of Lahore, was charged with blasphemy in 1996 for reportedly making derogatory remarks about the Prophet Mohammed.

The death sentence was imposed by a session judge of Sahiwal district in 1998. An appeal supported by Amnesty International was rejected by the Multan Bench of the Lahore High Court on July 25 2001.

Faisalabad’s Catholic Bishop Dr John Joseph was so outraged by the original verdict that he committed suicide on the steps of the Sahiwal courthouse by shooting himself.

Ayub, who faces death by hanging, has until August 24 to appeal to Pakistan’s Supreme Court. Earlier this month Ayub complained of frequent torture in Multan jail where he is being held. Sources in Pakistan report that after the appeal, Ayub’s lawyer received threats from Muslim extremists.

Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code, known as the blasphemy law, is open to widespread abuse due to its vague wording and the lack of penalties against its misuse.

Section 295C allows the courts to pass sentence on those who ‘by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representations, or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defile the sacred name of the Holy Prophet.’

Mervyn Thomas, chief executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, said: "The law relating to blasphemy in Pakistan continues to be abused with terrible consequences for Christians like Ayub. That somebody can be sentenced to death on religious grounds casts a shadow of shame over the country of Pakistan. The contrast between the protection of Muslim feelings and the lack of safeguards for Christians is more than striking."

CSW is calling for Ayub’s unconditional release and for President Musharraf to honor his pledges to reform the law relating to blasphemy and to introduce key reforms to improve the status of religious minorities in Pakistan.

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July 20, 2001   Christian blames Muslim extremists for robbery and rape of his wife

A man whose two younger brothers were jailed for blasphemy is blaming Muslim extremists for raping his wife and robbing his house. 

Hamid Masih’s wife was raped during the attack at their village home near Pasrur, 45 miles north of Lahore on June 25.

A man was arrested in connection with the attack, but was later released and the suspect’s family is blaming Hamid Masih for the detention. 

Hamid said: “Now I do not know whether to pursue the case or remain silent. Since the registration of the attack, the whole family has been under extreme danger, not only from the suspect but also from Muslim extremists and we are going through a very hard time.”

Hamid Masih has been providing for the wife and eight children of Rasheed Masih, 34, who is married with five children and Saleem Masih, 30, who is married with three children.

The two were arrested on blasphemy charges in May 1999 after a row with a Muslim ice cream vendor and the family has been in hiding for fear of retaliation by local religious zealots ever since.

The brothers faced the charges after the vendor refused to serve the two Christians from the same bowls used by Muslims.

Ice cream vendor Maqsood Ahmed filed a complaint that the brothers had uttered “bad remarks” against Islam and Mohammed.

At the hearing Muslim leaders packed the courtroom and demanded the death penalty. 

In May 2000 the brothers were sentenced to 35 years imprisonment and fined 75,000 rupees each. 

The accused’s lawyer, who is a member of a militant religious party, has put forward an appeal in the Lahore High Court. 

Both Rasheed and Saleem are in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail pending an appeal hearing.

Tina Lambert, advocacy director at CSW said: “The blasphemy laws in Pakistan encourage militant Muslims to take the law into their own hands. Extremists tell their followers that those who blaspheme deserve to be killed immediately. The families of those accused of blasphemy are also targeted and that seems to be what has happened here. CSW is appalled by this latest attack on the family of two Christians who have already suffered so much.”

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June 21, 2001   Christians call on new President to honor pledge to reform electoral system

Military ruler General Pervez Musharraf became President of Pakistan yesterday (June 20) having held the title of Chief Executive since seizing power in October 1999. Sources close to the Government believe Musharraf has taken the role of President to boost his stature ahead of the July 14 summit meeting with Indian Prime Minister Atal Vajpayee.

Christians and other religious minorities continue to call for the new President to reform the electoral system when replacing former figurehead President Rafiq Tarar. The current Separate Electorate System (SES) imposed by General Zia in 1985 split the country into five religious groupings - Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Ahmedis and Parsees, Sikhs and other non-Muslims. This system discriminates against religious minorities as voters are not allowed to vote for candidates outside their own religion. This means Muslims can only vote for Muslim candidates and non-Muslims can only vote for non-Muslim candidates.

Only ten seats out of a total of 217 in the National Assembly are allocated to religious minorities and only 23 seats out of 483 in the provincial assemblies leading to a gross under representation of religious minorities.

Critics suggest the SES works against national integration and promotes religious apartheid, in turn leading to minorities boycotting the first and second phases of the election. A spokesman for the Christian Organizations for Social Action in Pakistan (COSAP), said: "The very root cause of this sectarianism has been the SES which has like cancer attacked the very fabric of the social and religious harmony of our civil society."

Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide said: "We stand with religious minorities in Pakistan and are calling on President Musharraf to abolish the Separate Electoral System and honor his pledge to restore the Joint Electorate System."

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January 26, 2001  Christians detained and charged for Evangelizing in Pakistan

Two Christians who were detained because they distributed Christian literature will appear in court in Jacobabad on Tuesday 30th January, along with others charged with them, according to the Justice and Peace Commission of Pakistan. 

Khalid Masih and Nasir Masih were arrested on 11th January after distributing Christian literature and the 'Jesus' film amongst the Christian community in the Railway Christian Colony in Jacobabad. Local Muslims showed interest in receiving the literature that the local Campus Crusade team was distributing. 

However the Muslims subsequently took the literature to local Mulvies (religious leaders) Moulana Abdul Ghani Ansari and Moulana Hafiz Mir Mohammad Bunglani, who escalated the issue into a campaign against the entire Christian community of Jacobabad. The two young men were arrested and taken to the District Jail in Jacobabad, where they were reported to have been badly beaten by the police. Their cases were registered under Section 108 of the Pakistan Penal Code. They were held for eight days until a successful bail application was made on January 19th. It is reported that the Christians had to stand bail for Rs 60,000 (around $1,000) to free the two men and avoid the arrest of the other six members of the group. 

The Mulvies led a demonstration to the Deputy Commissioner of Jacobabad and the Press Club. 

They are pressuring the district and divisional administrations to lodge an FIR (First Information Report) against other Christians, including Pastor Yousaf Masih of Christ Church Jacobabad and Principal Newton of Victor Public Secondary School. A local source reported that the Mulvies have said that if the police do not arrest the two men, they themselves will shoot them dead. At midnight on January 14th shots were fired at the Christian school. The following day, the locks at Christ Church were broken and some of the pastor's personal property was stolen.

The Mulvies published a poster urging Muslims to take their children out of the school because they were being taught from anti-Islamic books and were being given anti-Islamic tapes. The school denies these charges. The Mulvies have called on the Deputy Commissioner to cancel the registration of the school. 

Meanwhile local Christians have been unable to see the Deputy Commissioner and are left without protection from the local administration. 

CSW is urging that letters of concern be sent to His Excellency Pervez Musharraf, Chief Executive of Pakistan, Chief Executive's Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan (fax: 92-51-927 0205, e-mail: ce@pak.gov.pk) and that copies of the letters should be sent to Gen. (R) Moin Uddin Haider, The Interior Minister, Islamabad, Pakistan (fax: 92-51-9202642), Mian Mohammad Somro, Governor of Sindh, Governor House, Karachi, Pakistan (fax:92-21-9201218) and Pakistani embassies.