Shamim Mahmood – Christian
human rights activist – writes about the disparity between Pakistan
minorities and the majority Sunni Muslim population. Shamim focuses on the
Christian minority which lately has been the victims of horrific acts of
Islamic Supremacism.
JRH 8/30/16
*****************
Double Standard
By Shamim Mahmood
Sent 8/30/2016 1:31
AM
Islamabad: Former
Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Chaudhry Abdul Majeed said that Pakistan policy regarding
Kashmir seems to have failed miserably. Talking in a seminar held under International Lobbying Group Youth for
Kashmir, Kashmir’s leadership unanimous call that the parliament
should form a national policy of Kashmir, which the government cannot alter and
the chairmanship of Kashmir Committee should be withdrawn from Maulana Fazalur Rehman. “We
don’t accept a Kashmir Committee, which does not include a Kashmiri,” they
added. On the other hand, Foreign Office said that Pakistan has always raised
the issue of Jammu and Kashmir at the UN. There is no doubt that Pakistan has
always raised India’s human rights violation in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK)
at all levels and said that it is not India’s internal issue but international
issue.
Let me give you a clear picture of human rights violation in
Pakistan. Christians and minorities in Islamic Republic of Pakistan are often
targeted, hated, mistreated, prosecuted all the way from the workplace, in
schools, playgrounds, in communities and all the way in the system right
to the top. My main concern is about Christians, so they are ignored not only
in Pakistan but forgotten worldwide as they are often refused by Western
countries and rejected their asylum. For example, tens of thousands Syrian,
Afghan, Pakistani and Egyptian Muslims got refugee status in Canada, Australia
and European countries but how often do you see Christian refugees from the
same countries. Thousands are leading a miserable life and looking for their
future in Thailand, but UNHCR and so called international human rights
defenders, are silent about their status. Where is Germany the current
Chancellor Angela Markel and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and even
Pope Francis, who asked Catholics to accommodate one Muslim refugee
family each?
If Muslims are unsafe in their own countries, how can one
consider that Christians are safe in a Sunni Muslim dominated country,
Pakistan? Blasphemy laws are the “official hanging sword” and
often misused to kill minorities in Pakistan. According to the National Commission for Justice and Peace
(NCJP) an estimated number has gone to 1,470; those have been charged under the
stringent blasphemy laws of Pakistan, until 2015 and 1,116 are recorded in
Punjab province alone. NCJP sources added that around 12 are facing death
sentences including Asia Bibi, Sawan Masih, Zafar, Anjam Naz and Javed Naz (ALL
Christians). More than fifty people accused of blasphemy were murdered during
their judicial trials. Governor Punjab, Salman Taseer and Minorities Minister
Shahbaz Bhatti were killed for talking about this law and its misuse.
In the recent past, churches and Christians’ colonies have
been attacked and set ablaze. A Christian couple was burnt alive accused of
blasphemy. Christian girls are routinely kidnapped, raped and forcefully
converted to Islam. The government failed to protect lives and properties of
Minorities. Government usually lauds about protection and rights given to
minorities but practically have done nothing. When government representatives
raise a voice about the human rights violation in Kashmir, [it might be] better
to think about the human rights violations in Pakistan first.
Minorities are not given a right to choose their
representative through secret belt [perhaps ballot]
vote. It is a violation of basic human right. There is no minister to protect
for minorities rights at the federal level. A five percent quota is announced
by the previous government but not implemented, most recently; during the
recent Islamabad Capital Territory
(ICT) Police Rapid Response Force recruitment; IG Islamabad totally ignored
this quota. Religious Minister and Minister for Interfaith Harmony at the
Federal level are both Muslim. To fulfill the GSP plus status
requirement, the government appointed a retired judge from the same faith as the
Chairman of the Human Rights Commission. Later in political interest, the government
appointed a Christian person as a Federal Minister for Human Rights. Taking the
oath as a chairman Evacuee Trust Property Board
(EPTB), Mr. Saddique-ul-Farooq, -- PML-N leader -- assured all Hindu and Sikh
Communities of the world of protection of their properties
through impeccable measures. If the government is really interested to serve
these minorities group, why don’t they appoint any minority person who can look
after their inheritance and can even serve better its communities? [Of interest in relation to minority property
in Pakistan: HERE and HERE]
A human rights activist, Kashif Nawab, Director (SATH [See Also Facebook]) rejected the
measures taken by the present government and said that the government should
take minorities in confidence while appointing heads of the institutions like
chairman ETPB. He demanded the government to replace Minister for Interfaith
Harmony, Peer Amin ul Hasnat and appoint any minority person as well as
chairman ETPB. The government should ensure to implement 5 percent quota at all
levels. [Perhaps] the government wants minorities to fight for their rights
like Kashmiris, he added.
Be Blessed,
email. shamimpakistan@gmail.com
Journalist, Blogger and Social Reformer
http://oiwerk.blogspot.com/
http://oiwerk.blogspot.com/
+92-300-642-4560
_______________________
Edited by John R. Houk
All links and any text enclosed by brackets are by the
Editor.
SUPPORT Shamim’s Christian advocacy in Pakistan. First contact
Shamim in case he has found an easy way to donate. I like to use
Western Union sending money with this LINK
to the destination of Islamabad (Contact Shamim in case he has changed cities). Shamim’s email is shamimpakistan@gmail.com,
Western Union may ask for Shamim’s phone - +92-300-642-4560
© Shamim Mahmood
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