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Christians are Unsafe in Pakistan. Bishops of Pakistan |
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HYDERABAD, August 05,2009 : (Abbas Kassar for PCP) "We the Christians feel ourselves as unsafe in our own land Pakistan because of the religious extremism which is at its climax in the country. The religious extremism which happened to be consisting of few extremists has now spread to common Muslims.
Pakistan has turned hard place to live for minorities." This was stated by Christian leaders representing Christian community of Pakistan while addressing news conference at Hyderabad press club on Wednesday. These leaders reverend Bishop Max John Rodrex, Bishop Rafiq Masih, Father John Murad and father Danierl Fayyaz demanded abolition of all blasphemous laws because these laws also affect Muslims but in individual cases while if there is any case against any individual Christian whole village becomes target of attack and destruction.
They said that majority of Muslims belong to nice people but few extremists commit attacks and nowadays whole Christian settlements are on their target which they said was open evidence of terrorism.
They said minorities in Pakistan were peaceful and patriot who were living in the region since centuries. The Christians have taken part in wars against Pakistan and their role to defend their motherland could not be forgotten. But they said that few blasphemous laws: section 295-B and C of Pakistan Penal Code were discriminate against minorities mostly Christians in Pakitan.
They added that Federal Shariat Court has held that accused of blasphemy will be given punishment of no less than death ( 295/C). There is life sentence to accused of desecration of holy Koran under section 295/B and under section 298/A.B the accused of blasphemy of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) will also be punished. They said that under this law and by misuse of it many settlements of Christians have been razed to ground and not only the properties of Christians have been damaged but their honor also spoilt.
They said that blasphemy laws continue to hang on heads of Christians like sword. " Our beloved leader reverend Bishop John Joseph was martyred under this law and hundreds of people of our community have been made target of it," they added.
They said in past few years 500 homes along with many copies of their holy Bible were burnt in Shanti Nagar. Among other incidents hundreds of their holy Bible along with innocent Christians and their homes were burnt to ashes in Rahimyar Khan Church of Bahawalpur, Islamabad, Mari, Texila, Karachi, Bannu, Daska, Sangla Hill and two churches burnt in Sukkur. They lamented that not a single accused has so far been arrested or punished. They said in few days back Christians homes were burnt, men, women and children killed, their women raped and properties damaged in Teesar Town Karachi, Baheniwala district Qasur, and now Korian village near Gojra where 68 homes of Christians were burnt, 7 including women and , animals burnt alive. They said in many cases the Muslims settle their score with Christians by attacking their villages and burning their homes and innocent men, women and children misusing name of blasphemy.
They said " we Christians respect all religions as we and Muslims believe in one God and no Pakistani Christian could ever commit blasphemy, nor desecrate holy Koran, nor could they speak any insulting language against it. They said that no Christian in Pakistan could ever think of committing blasphemy. They alleged that in Gojra the administration watched the action against Christians like silent spectator. They made appeal to government of Pakistan to take action against the forces involved in attacks on Christians, to arrest them and to punish them so that no one in future can misuse the laws. They asked for ending of sense of deprivation among Christians of Pakistan and to give them the sense of existence. They demanded equal treatment to their community.
They announced that all Christian schools which had observed three days mourning will open from today. To a question on demand for separate Christian province they said if they were given equal rights and treatment there would not be need for separate homeland for Christians in Pakistan. To another question Bishop Rafiq Masih said that incidents against Christian community have increased during past 15 months since PPP took over. He also said to the question that Shahbaz Bhatti federal minister was not representing Christians in central government. He was picked up by the ruling party and follows their policies. However he said he has failed to provide much needed protection to Christian community in Pakistan.
Outside press club Christians from various areas of Hyderabad including Wahdat colony, GOR colony, Latifabad and other areas took out rally which they had taken from their colonies towards press club where they were chanting slogans for protection to Christianss. The rally was led Inayet Masih, Master Saleem, Younis Gill, Sooba Bhatti and others. They condemned recent attack on Christians in Gojra and demanded arrest and punishment to the assailants. The participants of rally had blocked Miran Muhammad Shah road for one hour by staging sit in before press club. |
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