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.
A crowd of 1,200 in Pakistan burned a Christian couple alive, based on false claims of “blasphemy.” The Christian couple, Sajjad Maseeh, 27, and his wife Shama Bibi, 24, were murdered by the crowd as it chanted religious slogans from the Qur’an, their legs broken, and their bodies publicly burned in a kiln. Shama Bibi was four months pregnant, and since her body would not burn properly, it was wrapped in cloth, so the murderous mob could more readily burn her body.
NBC News reported that the Christian couple “set upon by at least 1,200 people after rumors circulated that they had burned verses from the Qur’an, family spokesman Javed Maseeh.” The Daily Mail further reported that their four-year old daughter Sonia Rami and her 18 month old baby sister Ponam were forced to witness the public torture and murder of her parents, and watch her mother’s body “twitch” while being publicly burned. The crowd then tried to burn the four-year old child.
The Daily Mail reported: “Chanting ‘God is great’, huge numbers gathered to watch the sickening murder, which took place in Chak 59 – a village situated in Kasur district, 60 kilometers from Pakistan’s second largest city Lahore.”
Their 11-year old cousin Muhammad Faryad reported the public atrocity: “I saw a young man with small beard who was wearing white clothes and a white cap and other man wearing blue clothes. They were both leading the assault. The man in white hit her belly with his axe. There was blood. People were very angry; they were shouting that they would teach lesson to the blasphemer Christians. The majority of them were young people carrying spades, hatchets and clubs in their hand.”
Sharma’s sister Yasmeen told World Watch Monitor that due to a bonded loan, the kiln owner, would not let the couple leave the area. The sister also reported that there was Shama Bibi and Sajjad Maseeh, had not burned the Qur’an, but that was what the crowd believed when they saw the Shama Bibi throw out some amulets that her late husband’s father had. She stated that some believed there were parts of a burned Qur’an in the amulets thrown out and this was what started the accusations against the couple.
Yasmeen told World Watch Monitor that originally there was just a small crowd, but then “she could hear announcements being made from mosque loudspeakers in nearby villages – that a Christian woman had desecrated the Qur’an.” The report stated that “Yasmeen said people from five surrounding villages – Chak 60, Rosey, Pailan, Nawan Pindi and Hatnian – were gathered together by the residents of Chak 59 and their brick kiln coworkers.”
“They beat them with wooden clubs on their heads, and hatchets, before they were both tied to a tractor and pulled out onto a road which was under construction, covered with crushed stones. They took some petrol from a tractor and doused their bodies and threw them in the kiln. Then I lost hope and fled with my children from there.”
Yasmeen said “says that during the entire violent attack, a police van was present, but because they were so few, the police did not take charge.” But the police were armed with weapons and the mob was not.
The rest of the police arrived after the couple was killed.
Shama Bibi and Sajjad Maseeh were killed by a mob in Kot Radha Kishan, Pakistan.
Update: Christianity Today reports that “After a fact-finding trip, the Church of Pakistan claims that “revenge for unpaid bills” was the real reason a Christian couple fell afoul of blasphemy rumors that led to a mob burning them to death.”
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) points to this atrocity as one in many such crimes against our fellow human beings, which begins with religious intolerance and the view that violence is an acceptable approach for those who view that they are religiously offended. Free nations must reject such views and such oppression of all people, especially religious minorities targeted by such violence and hatred.
Pepsi-Cola Public Relations –
My name is Jeffrey Imm, I am a human rights activist. Pepsi is on the board of directors of the U.S.-Pakistan Business Council promoting business in Pakistan. Human rights activists have been expressing their concern about the growing human rights abuses against Hindus and Christians in Pakistan, including forced marriage and forced religious conversion of Hindu and Christian girls. This is against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Pakistan constitution. We are looking to see if your company is willing to make a positive statement in support of human rights for all people, including Hindu and Christian girls in Pakistan.
We are holding a public rally in support of univesal human rights for all on Saturday, April 14 in Washington DC. If you have such a statement, we would be glad to share this with the public.
Thank you.
Jeffrey Imm
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) human rights coalition
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PepsiCo responds:
“Dear Jeffrey,
Thank you for contacting us to share your concerns about human rights abuses.
As a global corporation, PepsiCo strongly supports fundamental human rights for all people, and we commend the efforts of all those who are working to protect those rights around the world. In our own businesses, we have a very clear global policy on human rights in the workplace (which is communicated annually to our associates in more than 20 languages), and we do not tolerate any infringement or abuse of human rights. In addition, we are a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact, which also guarantees human rights in the workplace.
We agree that the protection of human rights around the world requires constant vigilance on the part of international organizations and human rights coalitions such as yours. Please know that we will continue to do our part to strengthen and promote that commitment.
On Saturday, April 14, a rally will be held in support of human rights and dignity for Hindus and Christians in Pakistan. The event will be from 1:30 to 3:30 PM at 1615 H Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20062 – in front of the U.S.-Pakistan Business Council and across the street from Lafayette Square Park. It is a short walking distance from either the Farragut West or Farragut North Metro subway stops. The part of H Street we will be on will be between 16th St NW and 17 St NW, however, the closest intersection will be H Street and Connecticut Ave/Jackson Place.
U.S.-Pakistan Business Council, 1615 H Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20062
The coalition supports our Universal Human Rights for all people, including freedom of conscience for all people in every part of the world.
Organizations represented will include: Pakistan Christian Congress, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.), American Friends of Balochistan, and other activist groups and individual human rights activists. R.E.A.L. has submitted an Assembly Notification to the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia.
The coalition objects to the efforts to deny universal human rights and dignity to religious minorities in Pakistan. As reported by human rights groups, there are hundreds of abductions and forced conversion cases of Hindus and Christian women every year in Pakistan which go unreported.
Recent news has reported on a Hindu family reporting the kidnapping of a 19 year old Hindu girl in Sindh, Rinkle Kumari, who was forced to convert from her religion. The Hindu American Foundation has reported on this as well and the Pakistan Hindu Post issued an online petition to U.S. Secretary of State Clinton, for those concerned about human rights to sign, calling for the U.S. Government to intervene on behalf of Hindu girls kidnapped and forced to deny their religious beliefs.
According to the BBC report, “Human rights activists say that other reported abductions of members of minority communities in Pakistan, which is overwhelmingly Muslim, have not been properly investigated by the authorities.” The Pakistan Tribune also reports on Hindu and Christian girls who have been forcibly converted to Islam.
The Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) coalition calls for the universal human rights of all people, including their freedom, their freedom of conscience, and their right to human dignity. We urge the Government, courts, and the people of Pakistan to act immediately to end abuse of religious minorities, to stop and punish the ongoing kidnappings, and to stop and punish those who would forcibly deny anyone their universal human right of religious freedom and freedom of conscience.
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Event Logistics
Date: Saturday, April 14
Time: 1:30 to 3:30 PM
Location: on the sidewalk area outside 1615 H Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20062 – in front of the U.S.-Pakistan Business Council and across the street from Lafayette Square Park. The part of H Street we will be on will be between 16th St NW and 17 St NW, however, the closest intersection will be H Street and Connecticut Ave/Jackson Place. There is a Starbucks coffee shop near H Street and 18th St NW at 801 18th Street.
Walking Directions from Farragut West Metro
FARRAGUT WEST METRO STATION to H ST NW:
Exit station through 18TH & I (EYE) ST NW entrance.
Walk approx. 2 blocks E on I St NW.
Turn right on Connecticut Ave NW.
Walk approx. 1 block S on Connecticut Ave NW.
Walking Directions from Farragut North Metro
FARRAGUT NORTH METRO STATION to H ST NW:
Exit station through CONNECTICUT AVE & K ST NW entrance.
Walk a short distance S on Connecticut Ave NW.
Bear left on Unnamed.
Walk approx. 1 block SE on Unnamed.
Turn left on I St NW.
Walk a short distance E on I St NW.
Turn right on Connecticut Ave NW.
Walk approx. 1 block S on Connecticut Ave NW.
The part of H Street we will be on will be between 16th St NW and 17 St NW, however, the closest intersection will be H Street and Connecticut Ave/Jackson Place.
Get off at the Farragut West Stop
Exit onto 17th Street
Walk towards the Park Place Gourmet (down I Street)
Take a right onto Connecticut Avenue one block to H Street, make a left
U.S. Chamber is on your left (Corner of Connecticut and H Streets)
Red Line
Get off at the Farragut North Stop
Exit onto K Street
Walk across K Street to Farragut Park
Walk south across the park toward the White House
At the Corner of Connecticut and I Streets walk 1 block south to H Street, make a left
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Building will be on your left (Corner of Connecticut and H Streets)
From Virginia:
From 95
Take 95 North (stay in left lane) across the 14th Street Bridge
Stay on 14th Street until I Street
Left on I Street
Left on Connecticut Avenue
Left on H Street
U.S. Chamber of Commerce will be on your left (Parking on I Street)
From Fairfax/Falls Church Area
Take I-66 East to Constitution Avenue
Left on 17th Street
Right on H Street
U.S. Chamber of Commerce will be on your left
From Maryland:
From Silver Spring Area (495) Take 16th Street to DC
Right on I Street
Left on Connecticut Avenue
Left on H Street
U.S. Chamber of Commerce will be on your left on corner (Parking on I Street)
From Bethesda Area
Take Connecticut Avenue to DC
Connecticut turns into 17th Street
Left on H Street
U.S. Chamber will be on your left (Parking on H Street)
From Southern Maryland Area
Take South Capital Street
Left on Independence
Right on 3rd Street
Left on Pennsylvania Avenue
Right on 15th Street
Left on I Street
Left on Connecticut Avenue
Left on H Street
U.S. Chamber will be on the corner (Parking on I Street)
From Baltimore Washington Parkway
Take New York Avenue exit West (Route 50) toward DC
Left on 6th Street (Route 1)
Right on Pennsylvania Avenue
Right on 15th Street
Left on I Street
Left on Connecticut Avenue
Left on H Street
U.S. Chamber of Commerce will be on the corner (Parking on I Street)
Parking Research
For those driving, note that some garages are not open on Saturday.
I have found the following nearby Parking garages state they have Saturday hours:
— COLONIAL Parking. 1620 I St NW (bet. 16th St NW-17th St NW) – 202-295-8200 – I talked to them and confirmed this on the phone
— MID-TOWN Parking. 1750 K St NW (bet. 17th St NW-18th St NW) — NOTE: they close at 4 PM. 202-775-8819 – I talked to them and confirmed this on the phone
— CENTRAL Parking System. 1625 I St NW (bet. 16th St NW-17th St NW)
— I am also told there is another COLONIAL Parking lot at 1775 I St NW (bet. 17th St NW-18th St NW) – I spoke to a COLONIAL Parking attendant on the telephone that says it is open, but the Internet site for it says that it is not open
