I Stand with Shamim Masih
John R. Houk
© October 2, 2014
A very sad thing is occurring in Pakistan.
On September 29 I posted a report from Shamim Masih entitled, “CLAAS has nothing to do with Zafar Bhatti case, says Basharat Khokhar”. Shamim asserted a few thing in that report:
1) Mainstream Media reporting that the murder of Christian Pakistani Pastor Zafar Bhatti in prison awaiting execution for a conviction of Blasphemy was completely erroneous.
2) The Christian Civil Rights organization CLAAS in Pakistan was not representing Zafar as they claimed.
3) That CLAAS has done nothing materially for Zafar’s family nor has CLAAS performed any legal representation for Zafar.
4) AND Shamim gave the implication (but not a direct accusation) that CLAAS was using Zafar’s name to drum up donations deceptively with false claims of aid and legal representation.
It is my humble opinion that Shamim was indicating that Zafar Bhatti had made international news for the first time and hence CLAAS took the focus of international scrutiny to connect their organization with Zafar to make the push for Western donors would heap financial sympathy toward CLAAS’s way.
Just to add some fair-and-balance to the unfortunate disagreement between Shamim’s reporting and CLAAS’s claims, Shamim had appealed me to directly ask readers to send donations to Shamim to help with legal bills and to provide material support for Zafar’s family while the avoidance from execution was legally being parleyed on Zafar’s behalf. Thus Shamim also asked for donations. The difference being for me however, is that CLAAS used the international publicity as a photo-op while Shamim did not publicize himself with fanfare. Shamim simply asked.
I have to tell you that Shamim Masih has never led me astray in his reporting of Christian persecution ongoing in Pakistan. And so I was more than willing – and continue to be willing – to forward Shamim’s donation process to my readers.
[Which by the way the donation is for Zafar Bhatti’s family not Shamim; ergo here is that donation info for Americans and Westerners:
The best way to donate to Shamim Masih is via Western Union sending this LINK to a Western Union agent in Islamabad. Include Shamim’s phone - +92-300-642-4560. There are other ways hence I provide bank information underneath Shamim’s rebuttal to CLAAS.]
It is evident that Shamim’s report has given CLAAS the feeling of being impugned. Here is an excerpt of the Pakistan Christian Post report defending their version of the truth which reasserts their organization is personally involved in helping Zafar materially and legally (I usually edit Shamim’s postings but I am not doing so with the Pakistan Christian Post article):
Just to remind that the work which CLAAS doing is the commitment with the God to provide assistance to the persecuted, needy and poor Christians in Pakistan. We are honestly doing our job and CLAAS means to help persecuted without hesitation, to give assistance without expectation and to love community without limitations. We just trying to help or assist people as much as we can but, it is their own will if they want to go to other groups to ask help for their own satisfaction, as we cannot bind them to stay with CLAAS but when they again need help, they are welcomed to CLAAS.
Pakistani so called Christian organizations says that CLAAS use to do photo sessions of people, yes we do for our records. I would like to ask that is there any NGO who do not make photos?
In Zafar Bhatti case the family was mislead twice by few groups in Rawalpindi and after two three months they were again back to CLAAS and requested for financial support and assistance in the legal case of Zafar Bhatti. CLAAS did not denied and again providing food items, financial support monthly and the legal case of Zafar Bhatti.
CLAAS receive thanks letters from Zafar Bhatti he wrote from the prison and also taking care of his medicine and other basic need in the prison. CLAAS legal team and Mr. Joseph Francis personally going to attend court hearings of Zafar case regularly, as the case trial is in prison. After the attack on M. Asghar in Adiala Jail Rawalpindi, Basharat Khokher and Khalid Shehzad mislead the family and sent wrong report of Zafar Bhatti’s murder on international media. They also disturb the family to make them upset and confused by giving them the news of Zafar Bhatti’s killing and ask them to go to the hospitals to see him in the dead houses. They did not only disturbed an old age wife of Zafar Bhatti and also misreported the international media reporter in Islamabad which the news reporter has to rewrite and make correction in the report after taking the correct facts from CLAAS and Nawab Bibi that Zafar Bhatti was alive.
Anyhow CLAAS is not answerable to the people like Khalid Shahzad who has bad politics and reporting that CLAAS is misleading families and use to do photo sessions with the families but there is only GOD we need to be afraid. We trust in God and believe that CLAAS is working in Pakistan just because the God’s will. The new arising Christian NGO’s doing work without vision and afraid from the firmed organization like CLAAS as they cannot get funds from the funding organizations without creating between donors for CLAAS.
If they work for good purpose, which is to provide justice and secure future to the suffering Christian brothers and sisters and assist them in their legal problems, why they highjack the victim’s families. Why they misreport on international and national media, why they using bad policies for the legs pulling of each others. They should sit down together and to clear the misunderstandings if they have any and to guide each other if someone is on mistake because we all are doing work on the same agenda to help people.
It is worth mentioned here that who is Basharat Khokher? A police constable in Islamabad Region Police. A member of APMA; he met CLAAS Director Joseph Francis during the case of Rimsha Bibi victim of blasphemy as he pretended a dispute with Khalid Gill of APMA and Paul Bhatti, APMA leader and brother of Shahbaz Bhatti (late) Minority Minister assassinated by an extremists group. Basharat Gill along with Paul Bhatti worked in Rimsha case but after her release he asked Mr. Bhatti to arrange his visa to Canada but remained fail. Then he asked Mr. Joseph Francis to get visa through any embassy in Islamabad as Mr. Francis asked Basharat that it is not easy to get visa for Canada, America or Europe. But he has been insisting Mr. Francis to help in getting visa from any embassy as Mr. Francis has good relations in foreign embassies in Islamabad. There is nothing than blackmailing Basharat Khokher doing with CLAAS and also Shamim Masih so called Christian journalist who also blackmailer.
Basharat claimed in the report published on “Global Christians Voice” That CLAAS do nothing with Zafar Bhatti case as Pervaiz Khan Advocate in Rawalpindi is his lawyer and they can prove with record/documents. We want to say very clearly that Mr. Tahir Bashir CLAAS Lawyer is Zafar Bhatti’s lawyer and attending every court hearing as Pervaiz Khan is Ghazala’s irregular lawyer (she is co accuse in blasphemy case with Zafar). Ghazala is on bail and she required to the court on each hearing but since last 3 hearings she was absent and on September 25, 2014 the learned Judge has issued arrest warrant against her and ordered the SHO to arrest her present in the court on the next hearing on October 01, 2014. Mr. Joseph Francis National Director CLAAS would be present in the court along with legal team.
CLAAS is providing free legal aid to Zafar Bhatti, monthly food and financial support to his family.
Today CLAAS arrange special visit of Nawab Bibi with Zafar Bhatti at Adiala Jail through one colleague from British High Commission Islamabad. Nawab Bibi was happy and satisfied to see Zafar Bhatti alive and thankful to CLAAS for arranging her special visit with Zafar Bhatti.
Gazal Khan Co-accused of Zafar Bhatti Blasphemy Case Reaches To LEAD For Legal Assistance.
Pakistani so called Christian organizations says that CLAAS use to do photo sessions of people, yes we do for our records. I would like to ask that is there any NGO who do not make photos?
In Zafar Bhatti case the family was mislead twice by few groups in Rawalpindi and after two three months they were again back to CLAAS and requested for financial support and assistance in the legal case of Zafar Bhatti. CLAAS did not denied and again providing food items, financial support monthly and the legal case of Zafar Bhatti.
CLAAS receive thanks letters from Zafar Bhatti he wrote from the prison and also taking care of his medicine and other basic need in the prison. CLAAS legal team and Mr. Joseph Francis personally going to attend court hearings of Zafar case regularly, as the case trial is in prison. After the attack on M. Asghar in Adiala Jail Rawalpindi, Basharat Khokher and Khalid Shehzad mislead the family and sent wrong report of Zafar Bhatti’s murder on international media. They also disturb the family to make them upset and confused by giving them the news of Zafar Bhatti’s killing and ask them to go to the hospitals to see him in the dead houses. They did not only disturbed an old age wife of Zafar Bhatti and also misreported the international media reporter in Islamabad which the news reporter has to rewrite and make correction in the report after taking the correct facts from CLAAS and Nawab Bibi that Zafar Bhatti was alive.
Anyhow CLAAS is not answerable to the people like Khalid Shahzad who has bad politics and reporting that CLAAS is misleading families and use to do photo sessions with the families but there is only GOD we need to be afraid. We trust in God and believe that CLAAS is working in Pakistan just because the God’s will. The new arising Christian NGO’s doing work without vision and afraid from the firmed organization like CLAAS as they cannot get funds from the funding organizations without creating between donors for CLAAS.
If they work for good purpose, which is to provide justice and secure future to the suffering Christian brothers and sisters and assist them in their legal problems, why they highjack the victim’s families. Why they misreport on international and national media, why they using bad policies for the legs pulling of each others. They should sit down together and to clear the misunderstandings if they have any and to guide each other if someone is on mistake because we all are doing work on the same agenda to help people.
It is worth mentioned here that who is Basharat Khokher? A police constable in Islamabad Region Police. A member of APMA; he met CLAAS Director Joseph Francis during the case of Rimsha Bibi victim of blasphemy as he pretended a dispute with Khalid Gill of APMA and Paul Bhatti, APMA leader and brother of Shahbaz Bhatti (late) Minority Minister assassinated by an extremists group. Basharat Gill along with Paul Bhatti worked in Rimsha case but after her release he asked Mr. Bhatti to arrange his visa to Canada but remained fail. Then he asked Mr. Joseph Francis to get visa through any embassy in Islamabad as Mr. Francis asked Basharat that it is not easy to get visa for Canada, America or Europe. But he has been insisting Mr. Francis to help in getting visa from any embassy as Mr. Francis has good relations in foreign embassies in Islamabad. There is nothing than blackmailing Basharat Khokher doing with CLAAS and also Shamim Masih so called Christian journalist who also blackmailer.
Basharat claimed in the report published on “Global Christians Voice” That CLAAS do nothing with Zafar Bhatti case as Pervaiz Khan Advocate in Rawalpindi is his lawyer and they can prove with record/documents. We want to say very clearly that Mr. Tahir Bashir CLAAS Lawyer is Zafar Bhatti’s lawyer and attending every court hearing as Pervaiz Khan is Ghazala’s irregular lawyer (she is co accuse in blasphemy case with Zafar). Ghazala is on bail and she required to the court on each hearing but since last 3 hearings she was absent and on September 25, 2014 the learned Judge has issued arrest warrant against her and ordered the SHO to arrest her present in the court on the next hearing on October 01, 2014. Mr. Joseph Francis National Director CLAAS would be present in the court along with legal team.
CLAAS is providing free legal aid to Zafar Bhatti, monthly food and financial support to his family.
Today CLAAS arrange special visit of Nawab Bibi with Zafar Bhatti at Adiala Jail through one colleague from British High Commission Islamabad. Nawab Bibi was happy and satisfied to see Zafar Bhatti alive and thankful to CLAAS for arranging her special visit with Zafar Bhatti.
Gazal Khan Co-accused of Zafar Bhatti Blasphemy Case Reaches To LEAD For Legal Assistance.
… There is more but is some info on the co-accused Ms. “Gazal” Khan which is followed by Shamim Masih’s report in entirety (Who is supporting Zafar Bhatti in Jail? Christian Pakistan Post; 9/30/14)
As the Pakistan Christian Post reports and CLAAS concurs Gazala Khan is being represented by Legal Evangelical Association Development (LEAD).
JRH 10/2/14
****************************
Race to Take Credit
By Shamim Masih
Sent: 10/1/2014 12:49 PM
ISLAMABAD: Since Zafar Bhatti, accused of blasphemy case confined in central jail Adayla, Rawalpindi is being reported in main stream media, individuals and non-government organizations are in race to take the credit for representing his case.
Today the court adjourned the case hearing till October 15, 2014 due to the absence of his co-accused Ghazala Khan. Parvaiz Khan, legal representative of Zafar Bhatti and Ghazala Khan said that he presented the medical certificate of his client and the Additional Session Judge Muhammad Iqbal Chadhar adjourned the case hearing and fixed the next court hearing for 15th October, accepting her medical certificate and advised him to bring her in the court for next hearing.
According to the details major media outlets reported earlier that Zafar Bhatti and Muhammad Asghar were shot in the prison and one of them was killed and other was injured and was taken to the hospital. I said and reported that the earlier media reports were erroneous. Zafar Bhatti was not shot but only Asghar Ali, the shooting was not fatal and he was taken to the hospital and was in stable condition. From the Western point of view it shooting in Adayla Jail was worse because Muhammad Yousaf was a police constable and was supposed to be their Guard.
Basharat Khokhar, human rights activist said he had engaged a lawyer Parvaiz Khan for the case that had been hijacked by Joseph Francis. He claimed that Parvaiz Khan is his lawyer.
I roughly reported that CLAAS is doing squat for Zafar Bhatti. As there are many reports that many so called rights champions and non-government organizations in Pakistan pitching for donations deceptively and then using the funds to line personal pockets. As soon as this report was printed in different Western media outlets, Joseph Francis, chief of CLAAS threatened me and declared me “so called journalist and black mailer” and his mercenaries also abused me and said that if I write something against CLAAS, then will face dire consequences.
Today both claimed that they were in the court and other party was absent. I am posting both powers of attorney, one is from Parvaiz Khan, which is duly singed by Zafar Bhatti and attested by the Deputy Superintendent Jail and the other one is from Tahir Bashir lawyer of CLAAS, which seems fake, with forged sign and without legal stamp by the jail authorities.
This is the attitude of the human rights champion Joseph Francis and his non-government organization CLAAS towards the reporters and its work, who write and report when you use these sort of case to “mint more money” instead service to the community.
Be Blessed,
Shamim Masih
______________________
Somebody’s Lying in Pakistan
John R. Houk
© October 2, 2014
____________________
Race to Take Credit
Edited by John R. Houk
© Shamim Masih
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Western Union to Pakistan Shamim Support Info:
For Americans especially, I have discovered the best way to donate to Shamim Masih is via Western Union sending this LINK to a Western Union agent in Islamabad. Include Shamim’s phone - +92-300-642-4560
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MORE Shamim Masih’s Donate/Support info:
FOR USD TRANSFER.
Intermediary Bank: MASHREQ BANK, NEW YORK
Intermediary Bank SWIFT BIC: MSHQUS33
Beneficiary Bank: JS BANK LIMITED
Beneficiary Bank SWIFT BIC: JSBLPKKA
Bank A/c # at Intermediary bank: 70008227
Title Of a/c Shamim Masih
Beneficiary Account Number: 405527
Intermediary Bank: MASHREQ BANK, NEW YORK
Intermediary Bank SWIFT BIC: MSHQUS33
Beneficiary Bank: JS BANK LIMITED
Beneficiary Bank SWIFT BIC: JSBLPKKA
Bank A/c # at Intermediary bank: 70008227
Title Of a/c Shamim Masih
Beneficiary Account Number: 405527
IBAN # pk80jsbl9530000000405227
FOR GBP TRANSFER.
Intermediary Bank: MASHREQ BANK, LONDON
Intermediary Bank SWIFT BIC: MSHQGB2L
Beneficiary Bank: JS BANK LIMITED
Beneficiary Bank SWIFT BIC: JSBLPKKA
Bank A/c # at Intermediary bank: 00010855
Title Of a/c Shamim Masih
Beneficiary Account Number: 405527
IBAN # pk80jsbl9530000000405227
FOR EURO TRANSFER.
Intermediary Bank: MASHREQ BANK, LONDON
Intermediary Bank SWIFT BIC: MSHQGB2L
Beneficiary Bank: JS BANK LIMITED
Beneficiary Bank SWIFT BIC: JSBLPKKA
Bank A/c # at Intermediary bank: 10847
Title Of a/c Shamim Masih
Beneficiary Account Number: 405527
IBAN # pk80jsbl9530000000405227
FOR GBP TRANSFER.
Intermediary Bank: MASHREQ BANK, LONDON
Intermediary Bank SWIFT BIC: MSHQGB2L
Beneficiary Bank: JS BANK LIMITED
Beneficiary Bank SWIFT BIC: JSBLPKKA
Bank A/c # at Intermediary bank: 00010855
Title Of a/c Shamim Masih
Beneficiary Account Number: 405527
IBAN # pk80jsbl9530000000405227
FOR EURO TRANSFER.
Intermediary Bank: MASHREQ BANK, LONDON
Intermediary Bank SWIFT BIC: MSHQGB2L
Beneficiary Bank: JS BANK LIMITED
Beneficiary Bank SWIFT BIC: JSBLPKKA
Bank A/c # at Intermediary bank: 10847
Title Of a/c Shamim Masih
Beneficiary Account Number: 405527
IBAN # pk80jsbl9530000000405227
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