Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan live in fear of persecution and even execution or murder on false charges of blasphemy against Islam, the World Council of Churches (WCC) has said. The Council, the Geneva- based global body linking Protestant and Orthodox churches in 110 countries, has called on the Pakistani government to change a law promulgated by military ruler General Zia-ul-Haq that allows for the death penalty for blaspheming Islam.
(Photo: Christians in destroyed home in Gojra, 2 Aug 2009/Mohsin Raza)
Since the law was adopted in 1986 religious minorities in the country have been “living in a state of fear and terror … and many innocent people have lost their lives,” the WCC said in a statement.
Pakistan is an overwhelmingly Muslim country where religious minorities account for roughly 4 percent — three quarters of whom are Christians — of its 170 million people.
In early August, the WCC head, Kenyan Methodist Samuel Kobia, protested to the Pakistani government over violence in Punjab province when Muslims torched Christian homes and 8 people were killed, seven of them burned to death. Reports at the time said the attacks in Gojra town were sparked by allegations, denied by church leaders as well as Pakistani government officials, that Christians had desecrated the Koran.
Pakistani government officials said the violence, which also brought protests from Pope Benedict, was the work of Islamist groups linked to al Qaeda and the country’s Taliban movement.
(Photo: Christians grieve after funerals of Gojra attack victims, 2 Aug 2009/Mohsin Raza)
Read our report from Geneva here.
Charges of oppression of Christians in Pakistan are frequently heard in international meetings such as the WCC session. Complaints often surface at United Nations meetings. What do you think? Are these charges justified?
Before responding, consider the following articles in the international secular and Christian press. Are they accurate? If you think they don’t portray the real situation in Pakistan, how do you think international media should report about the Christian minority in Pakistan?
– Six Christians burnt alive in Pakistan violence (Reuters, 1 Aug 2009)
– Pakistan hurt by killing of Christians: church head (Reuters, 4 Aug 2009)
– Christians demand repeal of blasphemy laws (UCANews, 6 Aug 2009)
– Scrap blasphemy laws which bring shame on Islam and Pakistan, Muslim scholar says (Asianews, 10 Aug 2009)
– Some 20 million Christians to mark ‘black day’ against persecution in Pakistan (Asianews, 11 Aug 2009)
– Violations of human rights in Pakistan: 75% of cases remain unpunished (Asianews, 21 Aug 2009)
– Intolerance is sweeping across Pakistan (The Guardian, 24 Aug 2009)
– Pakistan gains from defending diversity (Daily Star, 24 Aug 2009)
– Punjab: Christian victims of the massacres in Gojra reported by police (Asianews, 25 Aug 2009)
– PAKISTAN: Attacks on Christians Spotlight Blasphemy Laws (IPS, 25 Aug 2009)
– Pakistan: Christians want blasphemy laws repealed (SperoNews, 26 Aug 2009)
– Memo to U.N.: Stop Muslims from killing Christians (WorldNetDaily, 27 Aug 2009)
– Church dissatisfied over slow prosecution of rioters (UCANews, 2 Sept 2009)
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Dear Rajeev,
Your ideal view of secularism is impossible without strictures in place to identify, profile and reign in religious torch bearers (all Missionaries, mullas, pundits, brahmins etc) so that they do not speak and act deriving inspiration from non existent/ unprovable things in arena outside Church/ Mosque/ Temple but from written law that tells exactly how to act and speak. Plus, religious torch bearers should act and preach on lines of what they submit to government in writing before they do so in Church/ Temple/ Mosques. Government should stick to job of guarantying availability of all necessities of life to live a peaceful prosperous life and leave the torch bearers only for satisfying unprovable things if needed and that also under strict control other wise the non existent/ unprovable thing makes these religious torch bearers act in illegal ways and it is impossible to punish non existent/ unprovable thing making them break the rule. Their right to propagate profs/ belief in existence of unprovable/ non existent should be restricted to those person who are able to respect finer nuances of non existent proofs around existence of non existent/ unprovable things. This would be difficult to implement in India but a strong will power will make resistance go away because common man needs bread and butter and good governance which is committed to improving his life style than dependency on unprovable/ non existent things.
But I guess we might be moving to one more 1947, slowly as the governance by various political parties keeps itself heavily involved in blind faith based politics and very few individuals interested in dispensing good governance making it out as leader of the nation.
- Posted by RohitRohit:
Happy Gandhi Jayanti
http://www.google.com/
To me, Secularism is the concept that the actions of government or any executive bodies should not take religious beliefs into consideration. I want no political party based on religion and the emphasis should be on the development.
What is Raj Dharam exactly? It is just a hindi translation of “Rule of Law”. But what the rule of law is and how well it is practiced is what matters.
From the articles you posted: “We had written to Sonia Gandhi early this month asking for deserving representation for Christians in the party’s candidate list, and we are extremely happy,”
This is a perfect example of not adhering to the constitution. An open declaration of “representation for Christians” is not following the constitution. Same goes for others.
This religion-based vote bank politics is polarizing and corrupting India and increasing religious fundamentalism. This must go. Only the elections will be decided on the real issues.
All this ticket business should be more carefully monitored and should be under a common body. Who gets to play is as important as who wins.
Of all “isms” Maoism is the biggest danger to India and needs to be taken care of—punishment, talks, development all should be used. This is real serious bigger than religion even.
- Posted by rajeevGood news for Pope from India.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090928/js p/frontpage/story_11550218.jsp
That’s a feat of achievement for Sickulars.
- Posted by RohitRajeev,
Thanks, for reminding me about Udham Singh. It is inspirational @ http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/per sonalities/udhams.html
- Posted by RohitNope… Never said so. It is your interpretation. No one in India except Christians, Muslims & seculars indulge in riots and genocide. This is a statement. One interpretation would be to apply strictures like Singapore has Prevention of Religious Harmony Act to control these religions. Second would be to link it with my name and say that this is Hindu statement. Secularism was term coined to beat negativity of word atheism and it limits role of Church. I do not know your definition of this religion secularism. But I do not give a damn to secularism. I am a firm believer in Raj Dharm or good governance and so I can say Britishers were better for governance in 1947 when two skeletons feasted on blood and flesh of Sanatan Dharmis and it’s off shoots to rule.
- Posted by RohitRohit:
That means you want India to be a Hindu country.
- Posted by rajeev