Faisalabad: November 11, 2014. (PCP) The District Action Committee of the HomeNet Pakistan and Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM) have expressed grave concerns over the mob’s stoning of Christian couple and their unborn child to death with bricks, and reducing their bodies to ashes in a brick kiln at Chak-59 Kot Radha Kishan village in Kasur, for allegedly desecrating pages of the Holy Quran. Nazia Sardar (Executive Director-AWAM), Arif Ayaz (General Secretary-Awami Workers Party), Hashmat Barkat Advocate, Naseem Anthony (Director Programs-AWAM) and Surraiya Waseer (Leader-Lady health Workers Association) were among the panel of the press conference held at Faisalabad Press Club on 7th November 2014. They called this incident a barbaric and inhuman act, and demanded justice for deceased couple, so that such kinds of merciless acts against minority groups are not repeated. They also urged state of Pakistan to redefine its policies and laws, if it truly wants to project a better image in the world. Talking about the facts of the incident, the participants of the press conference said that the dispute involving brick kiln workers Shahzad Masih, 28 and his wife Shama, 24 with kiln owners erupted over wages and recovery of advance that the kiln owner Yousaf Gujar had extended to two families of Muslim labourers with the reference of Shahzad Masih, who had left the kiln without repaying the amount. On November 3, The Kiln owner asked them to return the money, but their failure to pay back the advance, then the couple was severely beaten up at the kiln and locked up in a room. On November 4, a local cleric made announcements through the mosque loudspeaker about alleged desecration by the couple. After the announcement, a mob of about 800 people headed towards the kiln. The policemen arrived at the crime scene and asked kiln owners to hand over the couple to them, but the culprits denied, and even punished policemen. Then, the enraged mob headed by local cleric brutally beat up Christian couple, dragged them in the locality through tying them to a tractor, cracked their legs and threw them in the furnace of kiln, where the couple used to earn their livelihood by working at a brick-kiln for last one decade. Presently, not only the family of the deceased couple, but also the Christian community of the neighboring villages has fled the area for fear of their safety. The police have arrested many suspects, but the main accused is still at large, who provoked people to punish the couple. Arif Ayaz said, “It is not a case of blasphemy, but a social matter. The local clerics and kiln owner have spread propaganda of blasphemy, and have plotted to kill Christian couple by giving a monetary dispute a religious connotation, and provoking religious sentiments of Muslims through misuse of loudspeakers about alleged blasphemy in order to turn them against the couple. The failure of the police to rescue the beleaguered couple represents the impotence of state’s writ despite having reached the crime scene.” “The perpetrators of the crime who instigated violence against the couple, and those who prevented their rescue must be awarded exemplary punishment for committing blasphemy, so that nobody could take the law into their own hands in the name of religion to lynch innocent people,” he demanded. Hashmat Barkat said, “The state and the government of Pakistan have failed to instill a culture of peace and justice, and protect minority groups, who are being targeted frequently in the name of religion through the exploitation of blasphemy laws by the fanatic groups for vested interests. Due to the misuse of blasphemy laws for vested interests, religious minorities have been threatened and harassed; their lives, properties and worship places have been targeted; and they have been left insecure socially and economically. The violent attacks have created sense of fear, deprivation, pessimism and insecurity among religious minorities especially Christians.” Nazia Sardar said, “The recent incident has occurred, because the governments had failed to punish the perpetrators behind attacks against Christians in Shanti Nagar, Lahore, Sangla Hill, Kasur, Gojra, Korian, Sialkot and Faisalabad on blasphemy charges during last several years. Even, the Holy Bible and places of worship of Christians have been desecrated many times, but the government didn’t act against the culprits.” “Everything the government has done so far has fallen short of addressing the problem. The government must take practical measures to ensure the safety and security of the family of the deceased and minority settlements, as the onus of responsibility lies with the state to safeguard life, liberty, properties, religious sites and graveyards of the religious minorities,” she demanded. Naseem Anthony said, “The latest case of a Christian couple being burnt in a brick kiln by an enraged mob has yet again raised many questions about not only the worsening state of law and order in Pakistan or the shredding fabric of a rapidly desensitized society, but also about how long the state will continue to be held hostage by these man-made laws and will silently continue its policy of appeasement, just to save its political face. The incident has damaged the reputation of the Pakistan regarding safe existence of religious minorities.” Surraiya Waseer said, “The government must take comprehensive measures to stop misuse of blasphemy laws to settle personal scores through reforming it, as the misuse of blasphemy laws is tantamount to committing an act of blasphemy.” “A judicial commission must be constituted for credible probe of all cases of alleged blasphemy pending in courts, and the findings of the commission must be made public, whereas conclusive and remedial steps must be taken otherwise such killings will continue taking place in every street of the country,” she demanded.