Continuing Persecution of Pakistani Christians

The Arrest of Ashfaq Masih
World Watch Monitor is reporting that religious minorities are falling victim to militant attacks across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region.  On Aug. 08, gunmen opened fire on the Christian colony in the town of Mastung, killing a Pakistani Catholic and wounding several others.  Sadly, the Pakistani government is not only failing to take action against these attacks, but in truth, fueling the persecution with their ongoing blasphemy laws.  On July 04 of this year, 34-year-old bicycle repair shop owner Ashfaq Masih was sentenced to death for blasphemy after one of his customers, Muhammad Irfan, accused him of disrespecting the Prophet Muhammad.  In truth, Muhammad was demanding that Ashfaq not charge him for repairing his bicycle, & Ashfaq, refused.

This year, the United Nations officially observed Aug. 22 as the "International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religious Belief."  Sadly, this practice has become the norm in Pakistan.  A report published in Nov. of 21 the U.K.'s All Party Parliamentary Group on Freedom of Religion & Belief revealed over 1000 minority women in Pakistan have been abducted & forcibly converted to Islam.  Christians, Hindus, and Ahmadis are the most targeted groups for this ongoing atrocity.  


In most nations, the abduction and rape and abduction of women, particular girls who are minors, is a heinous crime.  However, the catch in Pakistan is that the abductor has already made arrangements to marry his victim, and the marriage involves a conversion of faith from Christianity or Hinduism to Islam.  Whenever a case like this ends up in court, it is very difficult to prove the marriage is unlawful as Sharia Law dominates Pakistan, which means that her abductor has the stronger legal standing in the court.  In addition, the abductors are experts and forging the victims registration to falsely show that their victim is at least 16.  Simply put, those who have the greater power within Pakistan's Islamic society already know how to manipulate an already biased and prejudicial system ever more in their favor.  

Ever since it's founding in 1947, Pakistan suffered from a mixture of societal & state-sanctioned persecution, and it only seems to be growing worse with every passing year.  Though efforts are being made to ensure that all of its citizens are afforded equal protection under the law, such a thing will never be obtained unless Pakistan's blasphemy laws are revoked.  Sadly, such an action would no doubt provoke a severe backlash from Pakistan's Islamist fundamentalists, which makes such an action unlikely to happen in the near future, if ever.  


Sources:

Ispahani, Farahnaz & Elaine Alam.  "Forced Conversions Continue to Plague Girls in Pakistan's Minority Communities."  Coptic Solidarity.  Sept. 01, 2022.  Accessed from https://www.copticsolidarity.org/2022/09/01/forced-conversions-continue-to-plague-girls-in-pakistans-minority-communities/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=faab2203-b61e-41a0-944c-389ebe31f1eb

World Watch Monitor.  "Pakistan: Christians Continue to Face Blasphemy Convictions & Violent Attacks."  Coptic Solidarity.  Aug. 23, 2022.  Accessed from https://www.copticsolidarity.org/2022/08/23/pakistan-christians-continue-to-face-blasphemy-convictions-and-violent-attacks/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=e108b46a-45eb-4f84-a27e-b49c0a34f46b

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Honor Killing in Chicago

Image
On Jan. 23rd, 2024, 63-year-old Palestinian-Muslim resident Maher Kassem was arrested by the police for murdering his wife Majeda Kassem as well as his three adult daughters.  Police report this to be a clear case of domestic violence while Maher is on record stating that he felt his family didn't appreciate him and treat him in the manner that he deserved to be treated.   "The defendant was recorded volunteering things about having just retired, and that 'She treats me like a [expletive] dog," said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Scott Clark. "'I worked 40 years.' and 'I worked all my life to give my family a better home, and they treat me like  [expletive].'"   A family member of Majeda Kassem said there was constant verbal abuse going on in the home - adding that Kassem's wife contemplated leaving, but stayed for the sake of her children. Maher Kassem Maher Kassem & His Three Daughters Muslim-American activists claim tha...
Read more

Apartheid in the Middle East

Image
THE MIDDLE EAST'S REAL APARTHEID By Efraim Karsh "Israel Apartheid Week his cities and campuses throughout the world.  This charge, of course, is not only completely false, but the inverse of the truth.  If apartheid is indeed a crime against humanity, Israel is actually the only apartheid-free state in the Middle East.  By contrast, apartheid has been an integral part of the Middle East for over a millennium, and the Arab Muslim nations continue to legally, politically, and socially enforce this discriminatory practice against their hapless minorities. Religious Intolerance:  Muslims historically viewed themselves as distinct from, and superior to, all non-Muslims.  Non-Muslims, known in history as "Dhimmis," never enjoyed equal rights under Islam.  Even non-ruling Muslim factions have been historically oppressed by their dominant co-religionists Ethnic inequality:  This legacy of intolerance extends beyond the religious sphere...
Read more

ISIS Terrorists Slaughter Christians in the Congo

Image
For years the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been a region of great instability & violence with a dozen armed groups and over 100 criminal gangs operating in the Eastern region of the DRC alone.  Among those groups is the Allied Democratic Forces, a Jihadists terrorist organization that pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2018.  During the month of June, the group claimed responsibility for attacks that killed over 150 Christian villagers, 38 killed on the 8th of June alone.  The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) recently released images posted by the Allied Democratic Forces on a Telegram account that detailed some of the recent horrific attacks.   Christian Villagers Slaughtered by the ADF Militants These Jihadists Militants, armed with guns & machetes, attacked soldiers and civilians alike.  Images revealed dozens of victims, some of whom were shot while others had their hands tied behind their backs & their throats slashed, clearl...
Read more