Justice Watch

February 25, 2012

NCJP frees Christian man held
in slave-like conditions by rich Muslim

by Shafique Khokhar

NCJP activists successfully obtain the release of Qamar Masih, 25, father of two, who was abducted over an unpaid debt by a landowner for whom he used to work in “slave-like conditions”. A priest in Faisalabad is happy about the outcome, blames such incidents on the country’s “feudal system”.

Faisalabad (AsiaNews) February 24, 2012 — A rich Muslim landowner abducted a Christian man in Faisalabad for failure to repay a debt he had contracted and not repaid whilst working for him. Sources close to the Christian man’s family said the latter left the job tired of being exploited and abused for a pittance. Only the intervention of the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) of the Catholic Church of Pakistan led to the man’s release and a peaceful resolution of the issue. However, the case highlights the fact that Pakistan’s “feudal system” forces “poor workers into slave-like conditions”.

Today, Qamar Masih, also known as Bhola 35, a Christian father two from Malkhanwala  in Faisalabad, is back at work at a cattle feed shop owned by a Muslim where he earns 7,500 rupees (US$ 88) a month, a salary that allows him to make a decent living for himself and his family.

However, just this Wednesday, his former employer, Bilal Sarwar Cheema, a rich landowner connected with Punjab’s land mafia, had him abducted by a group of armed men. He was kidnapped because he had not repaid a loan (20,000 rupees) the rich Muslim landowner had granted to him last year.

In order to secure her husband’s release, Qamar’s 32-year-old wife, Uzma Dildar, called on Fr Khalid Rasheed Asi and the activists of the Faisalabad branch of the NCJP for help. She told them that her husband had quit his job because of constant harassment and abuses from his employer who treated him like a serf.

The NCJP went to the police, which opened an investigation. When they met the rich Muslim landowner, Bilal Sarwar Cheema confirmed the abduction. He told police that when he found out that Qamar had returned home after an absence of seven months, he decided to abduct him.

Mediation allowed the Christian man to go free on condition he repay the loan in instalments over a certain period so that he had enough money to support his wife and daughters.

Contacted by AsiaNews, Fr Khalid Rasheed Asi explained, “Pakistan’s remotest regions are still under a feudal system”. It is common practice “for rich landowners to grant loans” and “then keep workers in slave-like conditions for generations” doing “nothing but the same job”.

“I’m happy,” the clergyman said, “that for once the matter was sorted out peacefully.”

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September 28, 2011

Youcef in Prison

Youcef Nadarkhani was convicted of apostasy and sentenced to death. Youcef converted to Christianity as a boy and has never been a Muslim as an adult.

When asked to “repent” by the Judges, Youcef stated, “Repent means to return. What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?” The judges replied, “To the religion of your ancestors, Islam.” To which he replied, “I cannot.”

Several agencies are trying to get the sentence overturn. See updates on the website of the American Center for Law and Justice.

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March 3, 2011

March 2, 2011 – Pakistan (Justice Watch) — Mr. Ashfaq Fateh, our correspondent in Pakistan, reports that Mr. Clement Shahbaz Bhatti, the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Pakistan (a Committed Christian) was brutally murdered by the four unidentified men in the capital of Islamabad, Pakistan. Mr. Bhatti was instrumental in seeking the repeal of the blasphemy laws that can bring death to anyone perceived to blaspheme Islam or Muhammad. The Christians are mourning and protesting nationwide.

Asian News International reports:

Ashfaq Fateh gives an analysis:

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August 3, 2010

by Ashfaq Fateh, reporting from Pakistan

Editorial Note: In the Gojra incident seven people, including a seven year old, were burned alive and eighteen others injured in after fresh violence erupted in the town over the alleged desecration of the Holy Qu’ran. More than 50 houses were set on fire and a place of worship belonging to a minority community was damaged by an angry mob. Read the story>>>

Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan, August 1, 2010 (Justice Watch) – Thousands of Christians from Gojra and across the country marked first anniversary of Gojra violence. Most Rev. Bishop Joseph Coutts the Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Faisalabad offered Eucharistic Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Gojra, Toba Tek Singh. Heavy contingent of police was deployed. The police cordon off all the routes to Church and Colony.

The Bishop and people of various sections of life lit the candles in front of the pictures of Gojra martyrs and Emmanuel brothers who were killed outside the court room in Faisalabad on July 19, 2010 on Blasphemy charges.

Fr. Khalid Rasheed Asi, Vicar General, Diocese Faisalabad gave a sermon. He said, “Today, we are not here to protest or agitate against anybody but to recall and pay tribute to the martyrs of violence against Christians in Gojra on August 01, 2009. The sacrifice of the nine Christians and Emanuels has strengthened the faith of the followers. He appealed Christians to remain peaceful and serve Pakistan.”

After the prayer service, speeches were made by the district administration, Muslim clerics and Christian leaders.

Abid Mukhtar, former Christian Councilor from Gojra Colony said, “Its unfortunate that one year has past but government has not done any advancement to start phase two, rebuilding work of the victims in Christian Colony, Gojra. He demanded the government to pay the promised compensation to victims.”

Main Khalid, secretary traders association Gojra remarked, “The tragedy shaken the Gojra. Traders decided to respond in a way that could Muslim love. Traders provided food to the victims for months. Church and district administration supported the traders and other citizens to restore peace.”

Advocate Sheikh Javed, President Tehsil Bar Council said, “All Pakistanis are equal. There is no distinction on the basis of religion. Pakistan is for each one of us. The violence against Christians on August 1, 2009 was horrible and the culprits must not be spared. However, for the last past couple of years terrorists have been targeting every peace loving people.”

Joel Amir Sahotra, Member Punjab Assembly, condemned Divisional Commissioner of Faisalabad and District Coordination Officer, Toba Tek Singh, for not reporting the remaining work and compensation issue of the victims to Chief Minster. He alleged his party Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz for not given due share in jobs for Christians and not paying serious attention to resolve the issues of religious minorities in the Province of Punjab. He warned his party that if their reservations will not be addressed; “there will be no votes in coming elections.”

Aasia Nasir, a Christian woman and member of the National Assembly on Women, from JUI, Fazal-ur-Rehman, addressed the Christians in a program held in Gojra Christian Colony. She said, “It’s unfortunate that most of the Blasphemy cases are reported and violence against Christians is made in central Punjab. There is not a single case of Blasphemy law in Balochistan Province.” She continued, “Following Jesus Christ, Gojra Christians should forgive the culprits for the sake of peace and harmony in the city. I know it’s not a popular suggestion. However, our Christian values teach us forgiveness.”

Pir Israr Bahar Shah, a Muslim cleric, expressed solidarity with Christians and said, “The Gojra violence by the terrorists created a bad name for Islam and Pakistan in the world around. The incident has not given any service to Islam. People of Pakistan are targeted by the non state actors indiscriminately. The terrorists are attacking Shrines, Mosques, Churches, Temples, hospitals, security personnel. He stressed the need for interfaith harmony and peace.”

Mullana Abdul Haye, another Muslim cleric, recited his poem on Christian/Muslim peace and friendship.

Bishop Joseph Coutts thanked all those who helped and expressed solidarity to support victims in the shape of rebuilding of houses, compensation and providing security aftermath the violence. He praised law enforcement agencies for security arrangements.

Fr. Yaqub Yousaf, a  parish priest in Gojra and Christian Community, organized the program. Thousands of guests were provided lunch.

Rev. Fr. Bonnie Mendes, currently working as Regional Coordinator, Caritas Asia,  Thailand is among the pioneers in Pakistan to lead movements for equal citizenship rights for minorities and human rights issues in Pakistan. He shared the following:

“Just as the Christian community all over the country, especially in the diocese of Faisalabad, was feeling the pain  of the wound of the tragedy of Gojra of August 1, 2009, on the occasion of the first anniversary [after an accusation of blasphemy miles away from Gojra - no relatives of the Gojra Christian community], two Christians, Sajid Emmanuuel and Rashid Emmanuel, were gunned down in broad day light, right in the premises of the court in the city of Faisalabad, where they were declared innocent by the judge of the accusation of blasphemy. To make matters worse the murderers were able to escape from the premises of the court. In Gojra last year, the police were warned to give the Christian community protection but they allowed a mob to torch the houses of the Christian community in the city of Gojra and some were burned to death, many others were injured All this not far from a police station in the city of Gojra.

” No doubt the government tried to help the community by re-building the houses of the Christian community, but no amount of help can erase the horrid memories and the inability of the police to track the real culprits and bring them to justice.”

All the government can now do is to bend backwards to do justice and listen to the innumerable complaints of the Christian community. Those complaints have to be addressed immediately, be it the curriculum of the schools or repeal of discriminatory laws. Things have to change radically if the community is live in peace and with full protection.

Christians strongly condemned Federal and Provincial Ministers of minorities’ affairs for their lack of interest in the first anniversary.

View Pictures of the gathering for the First Anniversary of Gojra Violence.

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July 26, 2010

Commentary by Ashfaq Fateh

Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan, July 26, 2010 (Justice Watch) – The family of Rashid Emmanuel, 32, and his brother Sajjad, 30, the two brothers murdered after they were falsely accused of blasphemy, are still in a trauma. On July 21, 2010, thousands of Christians attended a memorial service in Christian Colony, Gojra, district Toba Tek Singh. Rashid and Sajid were remembered. The relatives and friends who were not been able to attend the funeral due to “so-called” security reasons gathered in the town of Gojra an area which was set to burn last year by the Muslim extremists. Grand parents of the murdered lived there.

Print & Electronic Media

The mainstream electronic and print media showed bias and failed to cover the incidents in a way that could show Christians as victims and help common masses to understand that innocents have been killed. The media did not speak about the hearing in the court in which the police testified that no evidence were found against the two brothers. There were no witnesses in the case or any other evidence which could prove they were guilty.  Had the media reported the facts that the two brothers were falsely accused the people may have expressed sympathy and condemned the extremists.  Instead, the inaction of the media created more miseries and misunderstandings about the Christians.

The media also have not reported on the well-established Christian businesses in Warispura badly damaged by violence there. The loss of business and injuries to Christians by the Muslim attackers has be ignored in the press. The loss of Christians business is estimated in millions of dollars U.S..

An example of the press coverage on these events is the July 20 news story by The News International, one of the largest English newspapers in Pakistan and considered the most liberal news group. Their story was published on the second page of the News with the title, “Attackers killed two ‘Blasphemers’ in Police Custody”. The next day, July 21, the same correspondent asked Akram Gill, member of the National Assembly for Minorities, during a press conference, “why both the brothers had been distributing the handwritten papers at bus stand?” Such biased reporting misleads readers away from the established facts of the case of the innocence of the brothers.

The headline of The News International convinced many Muslims to believe that the murdered brothers were blasphemers and to conclude Christians are all blasphemers. The Urdu language press which is largely read in the country was much worse in their reporting. They published stories that could easily incite violence. Express Tribune and DAWN English newspapers, however, published balanced reports. DAWN reported that Muhammad Khuram Shahzad, the complainant that was the basis of the brothers’ arrest, belongs to an organization called Tehirk-i-Hurmat-i- Rasool, the Organization for the Honor of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).  This group is operated by an armed organization called Lashkar-e-Taiba that is outlawed a UN and Pakistan government .

Judiciary

Chief Justice of the Lahore Court has issued a Suo Motu action with a summons to the Regional Police Office (RPO) Faisalabad, for “Criminal Negligence” in failing to protect the two brothers. The RPO admitted in court that the two brothers were killed because of security laps. Judicial inquiry has been ordered. Labour court Judge of Faisalabad Shiekh Muhammad Yousaf has been appointed to hold the inquiry. A case has also been registered against Deputy Superintendent and Inspector Muhammad Hussian for their failure to provide security to Rashid and Sajid.

Government and Public Representatives

The President of Pakistan has sent messages of condolences and sympathies to the family and directed the concerned authorities to arrest the culprits involved in tarnishing Pakistani reputation by violating the rights of minorities. Prime Minster of Pakistan assured the Christians that he will take all out efforts to ensure justice to the family.

Farahnaz Ispahani, a member of the National Assembly and media advisor to the President of Pakistan, has submitted an “adjournment motion” in the national assembly for debate on “rising persecution of minority communities in Pakistan.” She said further that international polls had shown, “A trend of increasing violence and brutality” towards minority communities in Pakistan.

Altaf Hussian, the chief of Mutihida Qomi Movement, a political party, strongly condemned the incident and expressed solidarity with the Christian community and emphasized that the government needs to take stern action against the killers and conspirers.

The Chief Minister of Punjab assured early arrest of the culprits. However, no compensation or rehabilitation for the wounded Christian shopkeepers and citizens has been announced.

Minorities leaders are condemning the government for their failure to protect minorities and demanding to repeal the draconian laws in Pakistan.

Silence of Civil Society Organizations

Civil society organizations including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Labour Party Pakistan, South Asia Partnership (SAP), PATTAN, and many others claimed to work for the rights of religious minorities. Their silence over the killings of two Christian men will further strengthen the extremists.

Other organizations such as the Applied Socio-Economic Research (ASR-Lahore), Harmony Foundation, Society for Human Development, National Commission for Justice & Peace strongly condemned and urged government to take immediate steps to protect minorities.

Church

The Most Reverend Joseph Coutts, the Bishop of Faisalabad diocese, Fr. Khalid Rasheed Asi, Fr. Emmanuel Yousaf Mani, Fr. Aftab James Paul, Atif Jamil Pagaan, Joel Amir Shohotra, a member of the Punjab Assembly, and others held several meetings with district administration and with Muslim clerics for peaceful resolution of the issue and building peace after the killings.

Rev. Fr. Aftab James Paul, director for Interfaith Dialogue stated, “The handwritten letter was presented to Muslim clerics during interfaith and peace building meeting. The clerics strongly denied the involvement of the two brothers. It was decided in the meeting that Christian delegation comprised on Church and political leaders will have meeting with two brothers on July 20, 2010 to further investigate their allegedly involvement in the case. But they were killed.”

Failure of law enforcement agencies

The case has shown the overall failure of law enforcement agencies. The honorable courts are also well aware that in these cases the accused are attacked. This is obviously evidenced by the militants brandishing openly in the presence of law enforcement their firearms and even explosive material intended to burn down the houses and property of the Christians in Warispura, Faisalabad. The police dared not to arrest the offenders.

The challenge for government

There are several statements and promises made by the governments at federal and provincial level after the killings of the two brothers to protect and provide justice to the religious minorities. The coming days will prove how far they are committed to their words.

A Personal Note

Rashid and Sajid were my close associates. Rashid and I had spent lot of time together. He had great vision for the Christians. I never saw him speak against Islam or the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He had strong faith in the Lord.

Rashid worked for over ten years in Faisal Hospital, Faisalabad, and at the Dawoo Bus Service. He was stationed in different cities. All through these years he worked with Muslims. His co-workers, associates, and employers never saw him as having any anti-Islam thoughts, but instead found him a rather friendly and respectful of others.

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July 19, 2010

Two Christian brothers killed over false accusations of Blasphemy law

Faisalabad, July 19, 2010. Two Christian brothers accused of writing a blasphemous pamphlet critical of the Prophet Mohammad were shot dead on Monday outside a court in eastern Pakistan, police and doctors said.

An unidentified youth shot dead pastor Rashid Emmanuel, 32, and his brother Sajjad, 30, and left their police escort critically wounded, as they left a court hearing in Faisalabad city, police official Amanullah Khan told AFP.

“Both brothers were rushed to hospital where they were pronounced dead,” Khan said.

An unidentified Muslim youth filed an complaint with the Faisalabad police claiming that when he was about to get onto a bus someone gave him a photocopy of a handwritten flyer.  The flyer contained derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad and the names and phone numbers of the two murdered brothers. The Muslim complainant demanded police to take action against the two brothers.

The brothers were arrested on July 2, with their supporters claiming the charges against them were trumped up. The police found that the hand writing of the two brothers did not match with the evidence provided by the complainant and found them innocent. When the case was presented to the court  the magistrate ordered the police to further investigate as there was no proof and witness of the accusations.

The Christian leaders Bishop Coutts, Bishop of Diocese of Faisalabad, Fr. Khalid Rashid Asi, Atif Jamil Pagaan, Fr. Aftab James Paul and many others tried to dialogue and resolve the issue peacefully. They also demanded the police authorities ensure the security of the two brothers.

James Aftab, a senior church official in Faisalabad said the men had been “implicated in a fake case” while Atif Jamil Pagaan, a spokesman for Pakistan Minorities Democratic Foundation, also said the men had been set up.

“The charges levied on them are false as no evidence has been brought and no witness was present,” he said, adding that the pamphlets were handwritten and photocopied, and anonymously distributed with the brothers’ contact details.

Earlier this month, about 400 demonstrators burnt tyres and held protests in the low-income Waris Pura neighbourhood of Faisalabad, a slum inhabited by nearly 100,000 Christians, demanding the death penalty for the accused.

Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy law carries the death penalty although no one has ever been sent to the gallows for the crime.

Human rights activists want the legislation repealed, saying it is exploited for personal enmity and encourages Islamist extremism.

Rashid was married and had been working with a Ministry from US. He had been continually supporting the victims of Gojra and Korian through aid work and other logistic support in which nine Christians and hundreds of houses were set to burn in July 2010. His younger brother Sajid was a student of Master in Business Administration.

[Sources include: NDTV]

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