Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) has received the following report of a Christian woman in Islamabad, Pakistan being threatened to reject her faith and being accused of “blasphemy,” under the oppressive Pakistan penal code Section 295-C.
The report states that a “33 year old Christian government teacher Ms. Saiqa has been accused of blasphemy 295c. Ms. Saiqa is a very educated primary government teacher in Islamabad, who belongs to very poor family. Ms. Saiqa regularly taught Sunday school and has worked with Christian children ministry.”
R.E.A.L. has received a report that this Islambad Christian woman has been threated to deny her Christian faith, which she refused.
The report stated that “Molvi Razzaq approached [Christian woman] Ms. Saiqa on different occasions and asked her to stop practicing western religion and spreading Christianity. Local molvi Abdul Razzaq invited her to accept Islam and asked her to read KALMA. Ms. Saiqa refused. People of the mosque and Molvi Razaq has been chasing her and watching her activities. Molvi Razzaq sent a few women to her house to pass message and also that she needs to convert to Islam. Molvi Razzaq also sent red Shalwar kameez for as a wedding proposal. Molvi also went in her house with mosque’s elders to give her invitation to get her to marry in Islamic way after she accepted Islam. Ms. Saiqa refused everything in front of Muslim women and Molvi Razzaq. As a result, the local Muslim women told local people that Ms. Saiqa committed blasphemy and cursed on Islam and Muhammad.”
The report continues:
“Molvi Razzaq and few people from the mosque also went school and protested front of school administration that their children getting non Islamic education and school should terminate her employment. Molvi and few people also tried to kidnap her, but Ms. Saiqa left the city and went into hiding. The local mosque’s jammat and Molvi Razzaq filed a FIR to the local police station stating that Ms. Saiqa used dirty language against Islam and Muhammad. Molvi Razzaq also announced a Fatwa on loud speaker and put Fatwa posters in different areas to find her.”
R.E.A.L. is sharing this report with the public, to our friends in the human rights media to get help to Ms. Saiqa, and we challenge the Pakistan government to act to stop this oppression.
We especially challenge Pakistan Embassy spokesman Nadeem Hotiana who is very concerned about the image of Pakistan in the media. If the Pakistan government is concerned about its reputation, the way to make a difference is to act, not talk, to defend the human rights of religious minorities oppressed throughout Pakistan, in defiance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We call upon the Pakistan government, and we call upon Nadeem Hotiana to personally intervene to stop such oppression of religious minorities.
We call for the defense of this woman, Ms. Saiqa, in Islamabad, and we call for the defense of her human rights, freedom of conscience, safety, and human dignity, in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) accepted by the United Nations over 60 years ago.
Responsible for Equality and Liberty has received a report of the human rights violations of two women in Lahore, Pakistan. International human rights sources have advised that Christian sisters, “Hina” and “Marina” from Lahore have gone into hiding, after attempts by extremist to kidnap them, to force marriage on them, and to forcefully convert them to deny their Christian religion.
The sources state that Hina and Marina are from Lahore city near the Nishter police station area. The reports state that Hina and Marina have been followed and harassed by extremists, including one individual with a “green turban.” The reports state that extremists have sought to abduct the two sisters, force the sisters into marriage, and to force the sisters to reject their Christian religion and convert them to Islam. The reports state that according to police sources, Mulan’a Abdul Attiq took his son and nephew Hafiz Nasir and Abid Attri to arrange a forced wedding to both Christian sisters. The forced wedding attempts have been rejected by the Christian sisters and their families.
As a result of the sisters rejecting such attempts at forced marriage and forced religious conversion, reports indicate that the Punjab police in Lahore have stated that those two sisters and family have committed blasphemy when Muslim clerics sought to talk about the wedding attempts. The report states that police have filed FIR (under Pakistan law 295-C) against the family.
In accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Responsible for Equality And Liberty continues to support the universal human rights, religious liberty, and freedom for all people, including religious minorities oppressed in Pakistan. We urge the Pakistan authorities to drop any charges against minority Christians being oppressed, harassed, and threatened, including these two Christian sisters, who have reportedly been threatened by attempts at abduction, forced marriage, and forced religious conversion. Responsible for Equality And Liberty also calls for the Pakistan government to end the oppressive blasphemy law used to oppress and harass religious minorities and so many other individuals. Responsible for Equality And Liberty also calls upon on our colleagues in human rights organizations to share this story and call for human rights protection for these sisters.
Statement by Nazir S. Bhatti, President, Pakistan Christian Congress (PCC), and Editor, Pakistan Christian Post (PCP) on Human Rights Day Regarding Human Rights Issues of Pakistan Christians, including urging the government of Pakistan to repeal blasphemy law and demand formation of Judicial Commission to investigate and to arrest killers of Shahbaz Bhatti, Federal Minister for Minorities who was assassinated on March 2, 2011, in Islamabad.
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Pakistan Christian Congress' Dr. Nazir Bhatti - Speaking at a previous R.E.A.L. Human Rights Day Event - National Press Club, Washington DC
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I congratulate, Mr. Jeffrey Imm, Chief Coordinator of Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) for organizing this event as commitment to Declaration of Universal Human Rights of United Nation. It is important to pay homage to REAL leadership for commitment and re-commitment of Human Rights Day every year in DC when many champions of Human Rights not even bother to raise voice for persecuted communities on this day.
Availing opportunity of this occasion on Human Rights Day, I must submit that 20 million Pakistani Christians are a forgotten community by the International forums and Human Right organizations. There are incidents of gang-rape, abduction and enforced conversion to Islam of Christian women but silence prevails in capitals of Western governments. The Pastors are gunned down, Churches are attacked, Christian properties are set on fire, worshipers in churches are sprayed with bullets and Christian women and children are burnt alive but culprits walk free from courts if they are arrested. There are arrests of Christians under controversial blasphemy law to settle scores by Muslim majority but Human Right champions have never dared to press upon government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan to repeal such black laws which are contradictory to Universal Human Rights of UN, of which Pakistan is a signatory state.
There are frequent incidents of murder of Christian victims of blasphemy law in custody of law enforcement agencies and by hands of extremist elements but none of culprit is ever arrested and brought to justice. The Christian youth is denied equal opportunities in education and employment to undermine their due rights and even in share of US AID on such programs in Pakistan.
Dear Sirs,
It will be surprising to note that Islamic Republic of Pakistan claims to be a Democratic state but 20 million Pakistani Christians are deprived of their basic right to elect their representation by their vote in Pakistan. We are forced to vote for a Muslim and then that Muslim selects our member in Parliament but Western Democratic countries have never linked their AID to Pakistan for true democracy. Pakistani Christians have long standing demand of representation in National Assembly of Pakistan, Senate of Pakistan; Provincial Assemblies of Pakistan and Local Bodies with proportional to their population which is 13% but never received due consideration.
Dear Sirs,
I must submit that there have been more than 1,500 cases registered under blasphemy law in Pakistan since 1986, in which Christians, Ahmadi, Hindu and individuals of some Muslim sects were arrested. The Christian and Ahmadi victims of blasphemy law were killed by the hands of extremist’s Islamic elements in which none was arrested to ensure justice.
On occasion of Human Right Day, I will urge government of Pakistan to repeal blasphemy law and demand formation of Judicial Commission to investigate and to arrest killers of Shahbaz Bhatti, Federal Minister for Minorities who was assassinated on March 2, 2011, in Islamabad; The Tehreek-e-Taliban Punjab TTP accepted responsibility of killing of Shahbaz Bhatti but Joint Investigation Committee comprising of Islamabad Police and some Christian leaders have failed to make any arrest. I will also demand release of Asia Bibi, a Christian mother of 5, who was sentenced to death on accusation of blasphemy and waiting in jail for his appeal pending in Lahore High Court. Pakistan Christian Congress PCC demands release of more than 100 victims of blasphemy in jails and adequate security for those who have been acquitted from courts and forced to live in hidings.
It is also important to bring in notice of United Nation that Pakistani Christians are facing genocide in Islamic Republic of Pakistan and immediate action is required to safe 20 million Pakistani Christians by awarding Refugee Status for their safety and security of life and property.
I, President of Pakistan Christian congress PCC, Nazir S. Bhatti, on behalf of 20 million Pakistani Christians demand, His Excellency Ban-Ki Moon, Secretary General UN, on Human Right Day of 2011, to form a Commission to investigate genocide of Pakistani Christians under following Universal Conditions for Genocide.
1. Public display of ethnic and religious differences through physical features, language and communal symbols.
2. Absence in multi-religious and/or multi-ethnic societies of strong integrating institutions.
3. Absence of the rule of law and presence of authoritarian traditions of governance.
4. Deep-seated insecurity on the part of ruling elites.
5. Widespread perception of vulnerable religious and ethnic groups as potential agents of politically subversive powers.
6. Prevalence of a racially or religiously discriminatory ideology or worldview that upholds a utopian vision of a homogenous society as the foundation of political unity.
7. Institutionalization of racial or religious discrimination in statute law or social custom.
8. Widespread communication by state and/or non-state actors of hateful propaganda that portrays members of religious or ethnic communities as subject peoples, aliens within society, or as subhuman creatures.
9. Outbreaks of organized violence by mobs or individuals against members of vulnerable religious or ethnic communities.
10. Habitual denial of discrimination by state and non-state actors that engage in oppressive practices, including violence, against vulnerable groups in society.
11. Widespread militarization of society and/or widespread influence of non-state terrorist groups or militias.
We hope that formation of UN Commission on genocide of Pakistani Christians will be revival of Declaration of International Human Rights in Pakistan and around globe.
