We Need to Continue our Prayer for Hector Aleem

John R. Houk

© May 17, 2011

Mehwish Aleem is the daughter of persecuted Pakistani-Christian Hector Aleem. Hector was accused of breaking Islamic blasphemy laws which has been dragging on forever. If I have it straight, Hector has not been able to complete the blasphemy trial because of unending hold ups which might be largely influenced out of fear of the Islamist group Sunni Tehreek. After using the old search engine on Sunni Tehreek I discovered that the organization appears to be a political wing of the Barelvi Movement which though Islamic conservative considered Islamic groups (which we in the West call radical Islam) such as the Deobandi, Taliban and al-Qaeda as reform movements that have moved away from Islamic orthodoxy. Barelvis originated on the Indian Subcontinent in the 1880’s. The Barelvis evidently migrated part of their movement to Pakistan after the Hindi-Muslim separation of India into two independent nations in 1947.

Sunni Tehreek came into existence in Pakistan in the 1990’s as the political wing of Barelvis. Sunni Tareek has been considered what Westerners would call moderate Islam because of their stand against the violence of Islamic terrorist organizations in Pakistan.

Here is an indicator the West should be wary of moderate Islam. Sunni Tehreek is the political wing of the Barelvi Movement which came into existence as an anti-terrorist wing of Islam in Pakistan. It is still a conservative Islamic organization that wishes the institution of Sharia Law and is a big promoter of Pakistan’s cruel Blasphemy Laws which lately are aimed as a persecution instrument under the Pakistani legal system. This is important to note because the so-called moderate Sunni Tehreek uses deception within the legal system to frame Christians with breaking Blasphemy Laws with an agenda to acquire Christian property or to impugn Christians that might have a legal stand against a Muslim particularly of the Sunni Tehreek-kind.

Check out this quote about another Christian persecuted under Pakistan’s Blasphemy Laws that included Sunni Tehreek sanctions:

Even Sufi-religious orders such as Sunni Tehreek, often touted as a more liberal antidote to the Taliban and its Wahabi supporters in Pakistan, have called for Bibi to be killed and the existing blasphemy law to remain in force. (Religious lobby is running riot in Pakistan; by Mustafa Qadri; Guardian, 12/9/10)

   

Recently Hector was convicted on trumped up charges that had nothing to do with the blasphemy charge. That conviction was awaiting appeal in the Pakistan Justice System but the documentation from the Court or the Prosecutor (I am not clear which) were being mysteriously held up preventing Hector’s lawyer from his due diligence to file the appeal.

Below is a brief but heartfelt update on Hector Aleem which includes continued funding for Hector’s lawyer. The update is from Hector’s daughter Mehwish Aleem which I have edited for clarity.

JRH 5/17/11

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Hector Aleem Update

Sent from Mehwish Aleem

Sent: May 16, 2011 at 12:49 AM

Sent to: Friends of Hector Aleem

Greetings dear friends,

Saturday was daddy's hearing for the last argument. The judge had studied our case very well because he was the new judge for the case. Then our lawyer started the argument because the plaintiff's lawyer was not available. Our lawyer did his arguments but was interrupted from completing because the judge raised some legal points which the plaintiff's lawyer had to answer. So the judge gave another date which is the 19 of May. We have reached here just because of you guys and we still need your prayers and if possible financial help. do pray for us we need them.

Please donate here: http://tinyurl.com/hectoraleem

regards

Mehwish Aleem