She was sentenced in 2010, a year after she was accused. She was harvesting berries with a group of Muslim women, who accused her of drinking from the same water bowl as them. Following an argument, the women told a local cleric that Bibi had blasphemed against Islam.
Sunday, September 6, 2015
#LahoreWelcomesBBZ: Bilawal Bhutto hoists national flag on #DefenceDay
The Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reached Lahore on Saturday on a week long visit, yesterday.
Today, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has hoisted the national flag on the occasion of Defence Day at Bilawal Bouse Lahore.
The function was held at Bilawal House, Lahore. Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, PPP central Punjab president Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, PPP South Punjab president Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood, the spokesperson of Bilawal House, Jameel Soomro, Mian Manzoor Manika, Abdul Qadir Shaheen and others also participated in the event.
Today, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has hoisted the national flag on the occasion of Defence Day at Bilawal Bouse Lahore.
The function was held at Bilawal House, Lahore. Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, PPP central Punjab president Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, PPP South Punjab president Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood, the spokesperson of Bilawal House, Jameel Soomro, Mian Manzoor Manika, Abdul Qadir Shaheen and others also participated in the event.
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has emphasized Defence Day of Pakistan needs the whole Pakistani nation to multiply their efforts for unity and develop a permanent invincibility from its enemies of all sorts.
As per details, Chairman paid salutes and tributes to the valiant soldiers and civilians who stood like rocks against the aggression and even sacrificed their lives in the defence of Pakistan.
He said that those who were martyred while defending our country shall remain our heroes and revered forever, he stated.
The PPP chairman said that contributions of Prime Ministers Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to defence of the country invincible through nuclear deterrence and missile technology will remain golden chapters in the history.
As per details, Chairman paid salutes and tributes to the valiant soldiers and civilians who stood like rocks against the aggression and even sacrificed their lives in the defence of Pakistan.
He said that those who were martyred while defending our country shall remain our heroes and revered forever, he stated.
The PPP chairman said that contributions of Prime Ministers Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to defence of the country invincible through nuclear deterrence and missile technology will remain golden chapters in the history.
https://ppppunjab.wordpress.com/2015/09/06/lahorewelcomesbbz-bilawal-bhutto-zardari-hoists-national-flag-on-defenceday/
UNHCR shuts eye to the plight of Pakistani Christian asylum seekers in Thailand
Christians fleeing persecution in Pakistan receive no real help from UNHCR in Thailand.
According to details, Pakistani Christians who have fled from Pakistan because of augmenting religious persecution are rendered helpless in Thailand. Recently, Christian Freedom International lent a helping hand to these troubled Pakistani Christians seeking asylum in Thailand.
The organisation succeeded in securing release of detained Pakistani Christian asylum seekers from a Bangkok detention centre. The organisation Christian Freedom International withheld the names of these Pakistani Christians for the sake of their security.
It was on August 26, that the Thai police conducted a raid at the house where two Pakistani Christian families were lodging. Both the families had filed cases before the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for an asylum status in Bangkok, Thailand.
Thai police seized both the Pakistani Christian families and arrested and imprisoned them all over charges of living in the country with expired visas. Christian Freedom International paid the fines and thus mange dot get them released after two days on August 28.
Both the Christian families had fled from Pakistan amidst persecution, and after arriving in Thailand immediately filed appeals before the UNHCR for asylum status.
Seeing that, due to persecution reaching alarming levels in Pakistan, these Christians could not return to their homeland decided to resettle in Thailand.
Seeing that, due to persecution reaching alarming levels in Pakistan, these Christians could not return to their homeland decided to resettle in Thailand.
As per regulation, when a refugee files an appeal for asylum before the UNHCR, he gets registered with the UNHCR, as a result of this the asylum seeker is granted safety and protection status under International Law. They cannot go back to Pakistan because they will be killed.
Once granted a protective status, the asylum seeker can not be arrested or deported until the UNHCR decides whether to grant asylum or otherwise. During the protracted period until UNHCR decides upon the asylum request, the asylum seeker is granted necessary aid for daily survival by the UNHCR.
Conversely, the UNHCR is providing little or no help to Pakistani Christian asylum seekers in Thailand. Majority of the Pakistani Christians are living in fear of deportation and arrest as their visas have expired and asylum requests are being pending with the UNHCR for a verdict. What is more, thousands of Pakistani Christians have flooded Bangkok seeking asylum from UNHCR. They are waiting for hearing dates from the UN agency so that their fate gets decided over the asylum status.
- See more at: http://www.christiansinpakistan.com/unhcr-shuts-eye-to-the-plight-of-pakistani-christian-asylum-seekers-in-thailand/#sthash.S68W7nKa.dpuf
Is it compulsory to hate India, America and Israel, in order to love Pakistan?
A few days ago, I was sitting by the Indus River in Jamshoro, singing a patriotic song. Moments later, I noticed a fisherman who burst into laughter observing me.
When I asked him why he was laughing, he said,
“Saeen where is this Pakistan this song speaks of? Here, I don’t have the money to send my children to school or even shop for Eid. That aside, women are continuously killed in the name of honour, children are raped and such brutalities are recorded then sold. People are murdered because they belong to different sects or religions, be it Shias, Ahmadis, Christians etcetera. There’s no tolerance in this society. Hindus can’t even build their temples on this land, plus their girls are kidnapped and forcefully converted to Islam. Then there’s our culture, which is constantly threatened by religious fanatics. When human beings are treated this way, then to no surprise, there is no such thing as animal rights either. Animals are killed, be it for pleasure or business, even I kill fish for survival. So the song you’re playing isn’t practical, it’s very far from reality. Perhaps Pakistan looks good only on Pakistani TV.”
His words were impactful, and honestly, I wasn’t shocked, as I too was aware of this harsh reality.
The weather was pleasant and birds were singing over the gushing Sindhu River. I deliberately closed my eyes to get a good sense of my surroundings but the fisherman’s words echoed relentlessly in my mind.
It’s true, I thought to myself. Our soul is sacred in Pakistan, but one’s body is not. God is sacred in this nation, but not God’s creation. He has created many species, but we have further divided ourselves based on religion and caste. And as a dreamer I can’t digest such predetermined facts for myself.
How can another define correct and incorrect for me?
Isn’t this slavery?
The majority finds no fault in this, but is this normal?
I’m aware that my individual freedom cannot be fully utilised, but I should at least hold the right to think, feel and imagine a world of my own.
I love Pakistan, but why isn’t that enough?
Is it compulsory to hate India, America and Israel, in order to love Pakistan?
There’s no logic in hating one thing to love another. But sanity escapes us. It proves that I’m not even free to love. Giving verdicts against religions other than Islam is believed to be freedom of speech, yet when reversed we kill. Do we not understand that this only spreads hate?
They call Pakistan a fort of Islam, but I wonder what happened to Jinnah’s Pakistan, where everyone was free to worship their God, regardless which religion or sect they belonged to. I wonder what Islam we practice because religious discrimination isn’t taught in the Islam I believe in.
With these thoughts still swirling in my mind, I started dreaming. I dreamt of a colourful Pakistan that celebrated Holi. One that decorated the streets with mud oil lamps and fireworks on Diwali. One that celebrated Christmas and shared sweets with its neighbours. One that greeted everyone on Eid, no matter which faith they belonged to.
I dreamt of a Pakistan where the temples and churches were respected just as much as mosques; where Bhagwat Geeta and Vedhas are perceived sacred like the Holy Quran. A country that nurtured all, regardless of one’s caste or creed.
I wake up now craving a nation that doesn’t dig out the corpse of Bhoro Bheel and dishonour it on the streets just because he was Hindu.
I am awake now, full of desire. I desire a nation that allows the Pope, Dalai Lama, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, SadhGuru and others religious figures to visit and preach on our land, just like our own scholars do.
I want to be a citizen of Pakistan, one who respects other countries of the world and in return receives the same treatment.
We once lived in a Pakistan where everyone was welcome to feel at home, no matter which country they belonged to.
Where did that Pakistan go?
I was told that an Ahmadi-Pakistani scientist named Abdul Salam was the first Pakistani Noble Prize winner. He was celebrated all over the world. But he was not welcome in Pakistan. Perhaps we had forgotten that the first foreign minister of Pakistan was Zafarullah Khan, an Ahmadi. Three governor generals were Christians and the first law minister of Pakistan was Jogandar Nath Mandal, a Hindu.
Ironically, the second Noble Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, who survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban, cannot return to Pakistan either. Apparently we believe she is a foreign agent.
Do we know the meaning of honour?
Yes, we do. We kill in the name of honour. Yet we never honour our heroes. But I don’t understand why we practice this hypocrisy?
These heroes were raised on our soil and brought a change to our society that no one else could, yet we do not honour them. Instead we remain impressed by invaders and colonisers who once occupied our land and tarnished our culture. Such individuals are listed as heroes in our syllabus.
So, there is a question I wish to ask you all, a question that has bothered me since I woke up.
Like birds, should we also not be free to practise whatever religion we believe in? Should we not be free to call ourselves Pakistani without the fear of being ridiculed, or worse killed? Should we not be free to hold our heads up high in pride? Should we not be free?
If we believe in God and believe that everything belongs to Him, how can we label the soil as Hindu or Muslim? Do trees follow a religion? Can we divide birds into sects, in terms of Shia and Sunni? And like birds, should we not be free to build our own nests with the confidence that we will not be hunted down by official or unofficial militants?
I await your response eagerly.
Christian Man Arrested for 'Blasphemy' in Pakistan After Muslim Business Rival Lodges Complaint
A Christian man has been arrested on charges of "blasphemy" after his business rival, a Muslim, claimed in a police complaint that he defiled the name of the Muslim prophet Muhammad. The complaint was lodged after the Christian man got a contract for building material that complainant had also applied for.
Police arrested the Christian man, Pervaiz Masih, from his home in Punjab province's District Kasur this week, acting on a complain filed by a Muslim businessman, Haji Jamshed, according to a report by a local group, Some members of The Voice Society, who visited the area to prepare the investigative report, were also arrested, and later released.
Allegations of blasphemy often "stem from the Muslim accuser's desire to take revenge" and to "settle petty, personal disputes," according to the U.K.-based group Pakistan's Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement, or CLAAS.
Pakistan's blasphemy laws, which are embedded in Sections 295 and 298 of the Pakistan Penal Code, carry death penalty, and yet there is no provision to punish a false accuser or a false witness of blasphemy.
Katrina Lantos Swett, chairperson of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, and her fellow commissioner, Mary Ann Glendon, visited Pakistan earlier this month and came up with a report.
"There is a rising tide of religious persecution by the state and by militants," the report said, adding that the South Asian country's blasphemy law grossly abuses human rights. "The commission is aware of almost 40 people on death row or serving life sentences for blasphemy, a statistic unmatched in the world. The law fosters violence against religious minorities, such as Christians, Hindus and Ahmadis."
Last October, the Lahore High Court upheld the death penalty of Asia Bibi, a Christian mother who was convicted of blasphemy.
Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-man-arrested-for-blasphemy-in-pakistan-after-muslim-business-rival-lodges-complaint-144583/#c8jXBxUAzufD2izs.99