Submission from the Centre for Legal Aid
Assistance and Settlement
CLAAS would like to bring to your attention
the growing number of blasphemy cases against Christians in Pakistan.
Within the first two months of this year at least 10 Christians
have been allegedly accused of blasphemy while according to our
own investigations all these people have been victimized through
blasphemy law in order to settle personal grudges.
In January Hector Aleem and Basharat Masih were forcefully
involved in a Blasphemy case registered against anonymous people
and victims Hector Aleem and Basharat Masih, under the influence
of police torture were forced to confess to the charges. Mr Hector
Aleem is a director of Peace World Wide, based in Islamabad which
has a consultative status with the UN. He cannot dare to commit
such a crime as he is well aware of the consequences but Islamabad's
police tortured Basharat Masih to name Hector Aleem. He was arrested
on 22 Jan 2009 at 1:30 am from his home whilst the family was
sleeping. The police have not only insulted and assaulted him,
but have also humiliated his wife and daughter. Such action by
police is very common in Pakistan and we are all aware of how
innocent people suffer at the hands of the police. Involved Police
officers must be questioned and immediate steps must be taken
against their cruel and malicious behavior.
Hector Aleem has been accused of making blasphemous
calls from his own telephone. The case is now being tried in the
terrorist court instead of a normal court and the police have
not been able to provide any evidence to prove Hector Aleem guilty,
therefore he should be believed to be innocent. On 30 January
a crowd gathered outside the court where Mr Aleem's case was being
heard to pressurize the court. CLAAS' lawyer has also been threatened
for representing Hector. Hector's wife and four children have
gone into hiding to save their lives. The government must intervene
so that justice could be done with Hector Aleem and his family
who are going through the traumatic time.
This month, at least four other people have
been accused of blasphemy: Christians from Narowall: Shafique
Anjum aged 35, Naveed Aziz aged 17 and their father Aziz Masih
by local police station at Baddomehli Town for having blasphemous
pamphlet, but because of the intervention of CLAAS-PK and the
local moderate Muslims the charges have been dropped against all
three of them as they had never committed blasphemy but were accused
off, just to settle personal grudges.
Sitara a first year nursing student of Fatima
Memorial Hospital of Lahore is the latest victim of blasphemy
law. Her Muslim roommate Sajda has accused her of desecrating
the holy Quran which she has denied. The dispute started when
Sajda tore a Christian poster as a result this matter was taken
to the management, to save herself, Sajda accused Sitara of tearing
Quran.
If we look into the history of blasphemy cases
against Christians it is easy to understand how innocent Christians
have been victimized through this infamous law. The law is being
used to settle personal grudges. If we look at just one example
when Yousaf Masih of Sangla hill, was accused of setting fire
to Quran Mahal (Quran Palace) in 2005, 1,000s of Muslims rampaged
and set fire to three churches, a Christian library, a nun's hostel
was attacked even some of the nuns were assaulted. The police
registered a case against Yousaf Masih under section 295-C, which
has mandatory death penalty, but eventually Kalu Sunar the accuser
admitted that Yousaf Masih was innocent and had been falsely accused
of in an act of vengeance. The case was settled out of court but
no one has been charged for desecrating the Holy Bible, burning
the churches, assaulting the local Christians, attacking their
homes, promoting the hate through mosques and setting fire to
Quaran Mahal.
The cases, where Christians are acquitted or
settled outside the courts need to be looked into and the Pakistani
government must take action to stop the growing trend amongst
Muslims to use these laws as the easiest and quickest way to settle
personal grudges against Christians. Several people have lost
their lives, and many more are languishing in jails for years
for the crime they have never committed. The Blasphemy law is
not only controversial to freedom of religion, human rights law
and international norms, but it is being used to promote religious
hatred and extremism against religious minorities and provokes
Muslims to take the laws into their own hands, thus taking the
lives of innocent people.
We are very grateful for your support in the
past but the position of Christians is rapidly deteriorating to
the extent that their very existence in Pakistan is becoming untenable.
I would like to be assured that you, as a strong opponent to religious
extremism and bigotry will put the necessary pressure on Government
of Pakistan to bring an end to the abuse of the blasphemy laws
as currently being practised.
The government of Pakistan must take this matter
seriously and bring about the appropriate changes with consultation
of churches and Christian NGOS. The false accusers must be punished
and the innocent victims and their families should be compensated.
Also I would like to request you to raise an
issue with Government of Pakistan for the release of Hector Aleem.
An inquiry should be made by DPO and if Hector Aleem is found
innocent he should be released immediately and the plaintiff should
be punished for false claim and endangering the lives of innocent
people.
Thanking you in anticipation and we look for
your support and cooperation, for those who are living in constant
fear of their lives because of their faith and to amendments of
Blasphemy law, so Christians could feel safe, protected and practice
their religion without the fear of persecution.
If you need any further information please feel
free to contact Claas at any time.
Senate Election being held on 4 of March 2009
where religious minorities, especially Christians completely has
been denied representation instead of repeated promises of President,
Asif Ali Zardari, and Prime Minster, Sayed Yousuf Raza Gilani,
of Pakistan. In this extremely improper state of affairs minorities
are deprived of performing their basic and just rights as equal
citizens of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Such situation will
never bring unity, peace and development and of course could not
help to promote Pakistanis image as moderate and enlighten state.
27 February 2009
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