Faith in minorities as equals can only strengthen Pakistan: By Adnan Rehmat The primary function of a national constitution is to guarantee universal rights and to ensure all citizens of the state are dealt with equally in terms of these rights. The guarantees are supposed to be unambiguous.

Punjab: Impunity for rape, abduction and forced conversion of Christian and Hindu girls: Editor’s Note: For how long must our fellow Pakistanis be subjected to these horrors just because they don’t share the faith of the majority.  The right to practice one’s faith freely is the fundemental right in democracies and is

Pakistan: The Troubles Continue -by Sybil Daniel: In August 2009, a mob of religious bigots took seven lives in Gojra, Pakistan, which has a Christian minority, and the whole village was set ablaze. This violent act continued for five hours and busloads of people joined the

Attacked or driven out from their homes: the trampled rights of Christians in Punjab: Two Christian nurses were seized and beaten for nine hours by an official of the Muslim Fatima Hospital in Lahore (Punjab), a wealthy Muslim landowner, with a history in politics, usurped the land and the houses of two Christian

Human rights report: 2010 a ‘cataclysmic year’ for Pakistan, says Amnesty -by Saba Imtiaz: Unprecedented flooding, extrajudicial killings, terrorism and attacks on journalists in Pakistan are summarised in Amnesty International’s 2011 report ‘The State of the World’s Human Rights’, which was released on Friday. The report paints a grim picture of the state

Punjab: Christian student nurse forced to convert to marry Muslim man: Lahore – A 24-year Christian woman from southern Punjab was abducted by a Muslim man who, after forcing her to convert to Islam, also forced her to marry him. Although her family filed a formal report of kidnapping, the

Ten wounded: Attacks on Christians in Gujranwala: Lahore, April 30(ANI): At least ten people, including police officials, were wounded in attacks on houses of Christian community members in Lahore on Saturday. Demonstrators attacked the residences of members of the Christian religious community in Gujranwala, and also

Convert or go to hell: tablighis tell non-Muslim patients at govt hospitals – by Urooj Zia: KARACHI – Twenty-three-year-old Zain*, a Catholic Christian, was admitted to the emergency ward of the Civil Hospital Karachi after he was shot and wounded as a passer-by in a crossfire. While his worried parents and sister stood around waiting

The tragedy of Balochistan’s minorities -by Rahimullah Yusufzai: Related Article: Pakistani Hindu families seek political asylum in India Nine years and one month after her husband and former Balochistan minister Abadan Faridoun Abadan was kidnapped from his hometown Quetta, businesswoman Niloufar Abadan has met the same fate.

Pakistan: The land of the pure, for whom? – by Sybil Daniel: The “Land of the Pure” is once again being blackmailed by Zia’s vision. His creation, the Taliban and his laws that persecute minorities are at the forefront of all that is bad in Pakistan. The controversial laws are used

Religious persecution threat high in Punjab: Analysts and officials said Punjab’s extreme poverty, as well as lack of education, makes people in the region more vulnerable to the lure of militancy. The militants in Punjab had a good infrastructure on the ground, with many organizations

Lawmakers call for ensuring minority protection: The issue of minorities was raised through points of order, by PPP’s Nawab Moammad Yusuf Talpur and Ms Palwasha Khan, and PML-Q’s Akram Masih Gill particularly in the context of kidnappings for ransom in Sindh province and the resignation

International Minorities Conference III: International Minorities Alliance demands Pakistan to be run according to the vision of its founder. International Minorities’ Conference 2011 was organized by International Minorities Alliance on “Equal Citizenship, Equal Rights” at Avari Hotel, Lahore, Pakistan on Jan 23, 2011.

Salman Taseer’s assassination: religious minorities live in mounting fear: “Salman Taseer fought for the release of Asia Bibi and spoken out for the repeal of the blasphemy law. I think this was the main reason for his murder,” said Mgr Lawrence John Saldanha, archbishop of Lahore, president of

Pakistani Hindu families seek political asylum in India: According to the report published in various national ‘Dailies’ and in international media with regard to the Pakistani Hindu families seek asylum in India. The Times of India report says Kidnapping, killing force Pak Hindus to seek political asylum

Christians will observe Christmas as a ‘protest day’, Sandul prays for Aasia Bibi: President Asif Ali Zardari yesterday said that his government would not allow the blasphemy law to be used for the settling personal scores. “The government,” he insisted, “will take all appropriate measures, whether administrative, procedural or legislative to stop

WASHINGTON DIARY: We hypocritical Muslims —by Dr Manzur Ejaz: Aasia Bibi’s case does not make much sense. Having lived with many rural Christians — who are mostly very poor and are considered untouchables — I know that these poor souls are incapable of committing the crimes they are

Blasphemy laws, extremists’ reaction and life threatening comments: Related Articles: Now the whole world demands: repeal Pakistan’s blasphemy law Asia Bibi likely to be pardoned by President Asif Ali Zardari Shia physician charged with blasphemy in Hyderabad Sindh The impact of blasphemy laws on human rights It

Kiran’s foetus is malformed, the pregnant Christian girl who was raped: Related Article: Rape and murder of Christian girls The foetus suffers from a severe form of hydrocephalus; no higher or lower limbs are present. It is destined for certain death due to miscarriage, or, should it come to light,

‘President wants blasphemy law reviewed’: Related Articles: Now the whole world demands: repeal Pakistan’s blasphemy law Asia Bibi likely to be pardoned by President Asif Ali Zardari Shia physician charged with blasphemy in Hyderabad Sindh The impact of blasphemy laws on human rights KARACHI:

Blasphemy cases: False accusers escape punishment: Related Article: Shia physician charged with blasphemy in Hyderabad Sindh The impact of blasphemy laws on human rights LAHORE: A number of blasphemy cases continue to be registered against innocent people out of personal vendetta, yet routinely no action

“No one will let her live, the mullahs are saying they will kill her when she comes out”, a BBC report on Asia Bibi: “No one will let her live. The mullahs are saying they will kill her when she comes out.” And Chief Justice Justice Khwaja Sharif of the Lahore High Court barred the government from introducing any change in the blasphemy

In Pakistan, Christianity Earns a Death Sentence -by Omar Waraich: It all began a year and a half ago, with a quarrel over a bowl of water. A group of women farm workers were suffering in the heat near a village in Pakistans Punjab province. Aasia Noreen, an illiterate

Asia Bibi, lawyers working to expose the false testimonies: To expose the false witnesses, highlighting the “castle of liars” that accuses Asia Bibi; to demonstrate the failures of the police and the conditions suffered by the judge who in the first instance issued the death sentence. Lawyers of

Sherry Rehman submits bill in National Assembly for amendment to blasphemy laws: Pakistan People’s Party MNA Sherry Rehman, while lending support to blasphemy convict Aasia Bibi, on Monday called for urgent amendments to the country’s blasphemy laws. Sherry Rehman, the former minister of information and spokesman for the Pakistan People’s Party

Christian teen boy convicted of ‘blasphemy’ nearly stoned to death in prison: Pakistan has not yet executed anyone for blasphemy, but dozens are imprisoned on blasphemy charges, which many right activists and lawyers said are levelled to settle personal disputes. Pressure is growing on Pakistan to amend its blasphemy laws, but

Asia Bibi likely to be pardoned by President Asif Ali Zardari: LAHORE: Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer said he would take up Aasia Bibi’s case with President Asif Ali Zardari, who has the constitutional power to pardon her. “Inshallah her appeal will be accepted,” Taseer said, adding that he had studied

President Zardari stays execution of Asia Bibi: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday stayed the execution of a Christian woman who was sentenced to death on charges of blasphemy. The woman, Aasia Bibi, was given the death sentence by an additional sessions judge in Nankana Sahib

Time to repeal the blasphemy law -by Nasim Zehra: In June 2008, Asiya Bibi, a Pakistani farm worker and mother of five, fetched water for others working on the farm. Many refused the water because Asiya was Christian. The situation got ugly. Reports indicate Asiya was harassed because

PML-N leader and supporters bulldoze a Church:     Lahore:  Hundreds of Christians protestors block Raiwind-Lahore Road when staged protest in front of Chief Minister Punjab Farmhouse in Raiwind on bulldozing a Church was bulldozed by an influential Muslim[leagues] to grab Church land on November 15,

Now the whole world demands: repeal Pakistan’s blasphemy law: The whole world  is deeply shocked and concerned over Asia Bibi’s death sentence for blasphemy, issued by a local court in Pakistan. Concerned citizens and human rights activists say the case of Asia Bibi – the first woman to

Punjab Police stop mass in front of Gordon College chapel: Related Posts: Christians protest chapel violently taken over by Muslims; pastor says “The local parliamentarians of the PML-N do not want a church here.” Anti Minorities Campaign in Punjab Wake up Shabaz Sharif! Christians fearful and fleeing Punjab And

Hardliners call for deaths Ahmadiyya sect -by Jerome Taylor: Islamic extremists have started openly calling for the destruction of a controversial Muslim sect in a major escalation of sectarian conflict within British Islam, an investigation by The Independent has revealed. Members of the Ahmadiyya Community have seen a

Rape and murder of Christian girls: Islamabad – Brutal violence has been committed against two Christian girls: Lubna Masih, age 12, was raped and murdered by a group of Muslims in Rawalpindi and Kiran Nayyaz of Faisalabad, a 13-year-old Catholic, was raped by a Muslim

India is changing, we also need a cultural change: The candid photograph of a Hindu and a Muslim in Ayodhya having a quiet laugh is a snapshot of the way India’s citizenry reacted to the verdict. They may have their opinions, and sharp ones at that, but they

Wake up Shabaz Sharif! Christians fearful and fleeing Punjab -by Junaid Qaiser: Violence against minorities is on the increase-and religious minority groups in Pakistan remain vulnerable due to the continued misuse and abuse of blasphemy laws. According to the, Annual Report on Religious Minorities in Pakistan, presented by the Justice and

Anti Minorities Campaign in Punjab -by Junaid Qaiser: On May 28, 2010 Taliban extremists killed at least 93 members of the Ahmadi religious sect and injured around 100 others in attacks on two Ahmadi’s mosques during Friday prayer services in Lahore. According to local police, more than

Last Friday – by Munir Attaullah: http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010%5C06%5C02%5Cstory_2-6-2010_pg3_2 Is there any doubt that the Ahmedi community is the victim of state discrimination through specific legislation, and active persecution by fanatic religious elements that the authorities turn a blind eye to? Last Friday’s horrible act of senseless

Lahore terrorist attacks, military actions and future prospects – by Dr Omar Ali: Terrorists (Punjabi Taliban) simultaneously attacked two Ahmedi sect mosques in Lahore during Friday prayers and killed over 80 people. First thoughts on this evil attack: 1. The choice of target is easy to understand. Ahmedis are a persecuted and