Edited by John R. Houk
Posted November 19, 2012
Recently I posted an article by Shamim Masih exposing Hector Aleem and probably his family of being perpetrators of hoaxes at the expense Pakistani Christians and Western Christians particularly living in the USA.
I was one of those that posted updates on Hector as if he was a persecuted Christian and have sent money occasionally. A few other American-Christians have questioned me if Shamim Masih was for real or just another trickster defaming the Aleems. And trust me; I have had comments that definitely surly and profane usually aimed at Hector’s primary spokesperson his daughter. I chalked up those comments to Islamic Supremacists that were displeased a Christian was supporting another Christian beyond the limits of Islamic Sharia Law.
Below are some Masih emails beginning with an email response to one of my queries after I first came across some of his investigative journalism pertaining to Hector Aleem. Keep in mind most of this correspondence was on the level of email brevity, which I felt needed a bit editing. I believe after you read these emails you will agree with me that Shamim Masih is a legitimate reporting journalist and that his conclusions are legitimate about Hector Aleem.
The issue of legitimacy is important because I did take some time to think before I posted the Aleem exposé and these emails. Hector’s daughter reads in a passionate supportive nature of her father on the facebook group Free Hector Aleem. I had to re-read Masih’s investigative facts and Hector’s daughter’s passion over a few times before I made the painstaking decision not to be supportive of Hector any longer.
I think that is enough said, continue on with Masih’s emails to decide for yourself if his fact finding is legitimate.
JRH 11/19/12
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RE: Hector Aleem Story: High Profile Hector Aleem Dragged Christian Families of Rawal Town Islamabad onto the Road
Shamim Masih
October 19, 2012 9:10 PM
Dear John Houk,
Greetings to you in the name of our soon coming Lord Christ Jesus.
I feel that you have kind heart and helping Christians in Pakistan, I am so grateful for this.... I am looking at these cases around Pakistan, and went everywhere in the corner of the country... I am a free lance journalist and social activist working for Christian’s rights.
My earnings are through working on assignments,
I worked on Asia Bibi, made documentary on Asia Bibi's case for BBC world, I broke out the Rimsha's news first time in Islamabad and raised a voice for her and local and international media picked it up, I have been very close to Rimsha's case.... etc etc
I am sorry, if I hurt you in any sense.
I know this case and its history and Hector's working which was never for the sake of Christians or for their rights but I didn't write on it... by any means. I remain quiet... anyway, a God fearing American lady Susan, asked me to go and solve the case. So I tried and went into its depth, it took five months and the facts are placed in front of you people.
There are many things, which I didn't write... journalism ethics.
I read the blog you mentioned, and if you observe, Mehwish is asking for money $300 or $400 like this... sorry to say it’s not a practice, lawyers don't charge every time. Once the fee is decided, lawyers don't charge on a daily basis... and for your kind information, Hector Aleem is discharged from blasphemy case; see the court order below:
"In 2009, under FIR No. 767, dated 28.11.2008 under sections 295-c/109 PPC, 25-D Telegraph act, Pakistani Additional Session Judge, Muhammad Sarfraz Akhter in Rawalpindi has acquitted the accused Hector Aleem, Basharat Khokhar and Robin Masih in the same kind of case.
The court stated in its order, “in nutshell on the basis of illegalities committed by investigating agency of the police and prosecution agency the prosecution has failed to prove the charge against all the said accused persons. They are therefore, hereby acquitted of the charge."
Now he is facing the human trafficking cases, he used to take money from the people for sending them abroad in "Peace Worldwide" name, and he used to send all Muslims to other countries not Christians...
Even then he can be released.
I have been in the same sector for the last decade and so on. I know each and everything; I can manage this issue on your part.
Be Blessed,
Shamim
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Life Threatened for Noble Work
Shamim Masih
10/23/2012 9:05 PM
I have seen Basharat Khokher (a police constable) protecting Rimsha’s lawyer Mr. Tahir Naveed Chaudhary during court proceeding in Islamabad. He went to receive Rimsha from the jail and took her to the safest place. He had also been working as a security guard for Dr. Paul Bhatti (Minister in-charge for National Harmony) and earlier for his brother (Late) Shahbaz Bhatti (Ex. Federal Minister).
When Shahbaz Bhatti received threats from militants then Khokher remain a target too. He went underground after the assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti. But when Rimsha’s incident happened, he became at the front foot in guarding his bosses. He is the person who went to Meharabadi people to take Rimsha’s family out of the town taking his own life at risk and took them into his custody and remains with them for APMA. Unfortunately, Dr. Paul Bhatti pulled him out from the bunch without realizing the work he has done for Rimsha’s release. When the court announced Rimsha’s release order, he went there, taking her from the jail and placed Rimsha in a safe place along with her family.
So extremist watched him handling all the matters gallantly, and now they are threatening him. He told me that he received life threats and thus he requested his high official to provide him life security. He showed me his application to high officials.
This is how the life of a person becomes miserable who work for the people who face blasphemy cases. I also found that he himself had faced a false blasphemy case and court set him free in 2009.
Below is the court decision:
Earlier in 2009, under FIR No. 767, dated 28.11.2008 under sections 295-c/109 PPC, 25-D Telegraph act, Pakistani Additional Session Judge, Muhammad Sarfraz Akhter in Rawalpindi has acquitted the accused Hector Aleem, Basharat Khokhar and Robin Masih in the same kind of case.
The court stated in its order, “in nutshell on the basis of illegalities committed by investigating agency of the police and prosecution agency the prosecution has failed to prove the charge against all the said accused persons. They are therefore, hereby acquitted of the charge.
Khokhar’s wife was admitted to the hospital for the last couple of months. He has to take care of her and kids at home as well. All Christians are requested to pray for safety of his life.
I urge the authorities in Pakistan to:
1. Carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the threats received by human rights defender Basharat Khokher, with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;
2. Take measures to ensure that government officials or other public figures refrain from making statements or declarations stigmatizing the legitimate work of human rights defenders;
3. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Pakistan are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.
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Be Blessed,
Shamim Masih
Christian Rights Activist
Freelance Journalist
Secretary General
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Chosen Vessel of Christ: Albert David
Looking for the unity among Pakistani Christians
Shamim Masih
Sent: 10/25/2012 7:51 PM
ISLAMABAD PAKISTAN, (SHAMIM MASIH): For years Pakistani Christians are passing through hardships in different situations. Since Bhutto’s regime, he nationalized all the Christian’s institutions and dragged them out of the main stream, making the constitution in 1973 according to his will.
He butchered the Christians in Rawalpindi near Punjab house on Aug 30, 1972, captured by force hundreds of Christian schools and colleges, confiscated church properties worth billions and got registered False, frivolous and fabricated cases against the writer of these lines and his 44 companions. We are living witnesses to this crucification (sic) of the Christians of Pakistan.
Gen. Zia-ul-Haq (the dictator) and his follower Mr. Nawaz Sharif stampeding his shoes and they killed many Christians with discriminatory laws 295- B, C and many other black laws Passed by them are hanging upon our heads like loaded pistols or naked swords.
Unfortunately many so called Christian leaders are still shaking their tails behind them, thus not knowingly they became the part of it. I have been writing for the need of unity among Christians of Pakistan. Years back I asked J. Salik (Ex. Federal Minister), Col. (R) S K Tressler (Ex. Federal Minister), and Prof. Mushataq Victor (late) (Ex. Federal Minister), to unite Pakistani Christians, but they have been playing their own cards for own sake.
Few months back, when Salma Peter asked me to see Albert David. It was a time when, I met a man, wearing shalwar Qameez (Pakistani dress), walking briskly towards me, he welcomed me with a smiling face and really seemed passionate. We had a short introduction session and became proverbial, like we knew each other for years.
Albert David had inherited politics from his father. In our first meeting he shared his ideas and his work as a social activist, which showed that his interest and arrival in politics was a well thought out and planned process. Albert has an International recognition for his cutting edge work on Forced marriages and has been conferred with MBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. He was the first Pakistani Christian to have received this honor.
As a social activist his focus has been on child rights, especially the right to education. He has a firm believe that the education is the key if Pakistani Christians are to break the vicious cycle of poverty and oppression. Since 2002, Albert and his team at SUPPORT CHILDREN have been able to support over 4000 children (directly and indirectly) towards their education. And all of this has been achieved through the financial contribution of the local people.
Having developed a good understanding of the issues effecting the development of Pakistani Christians whether social or political, combined with his exposure to the national and International issues. Albert recently has decided to play a role in Pakistani politics. Though very clear about the political issues and the approach to deal with these issues, Albert has been emphasizing on the need and importance of unity among the Christians. During all interactions that I have had with him or the public events where I have had the opportunity to listen him speaking, one thing that has been consistence is his passion for unity. The conviction in his voice and the body language whilst he talks about unity clearly shows his determination and dedication for the cause. This is further supported by his communication skills; he knows his audience and delivers the message according to their intellectual needs. I have witnessed him speaking to different groups in English, Urdu, Punjabi and Pothohari with complete fluency.
I along with many other social and political activists have been desperately looking for someone who could conscientiously lead the Christian nation with conviction, determination and above all love and care. Albert apparently ticks all these boxes but will have to convince and prove through his actions only then he would be able to muster support for the new political initiative “PAKISTAN UNITED CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT (PUCM)” [SlantRight Editor: PUCM on Facebook] that he and his team have announced to launch.
PUCM is being officially launched on 10th November, 2012 invitation has been extended to Christians to join hands under this umbrella and to mushroom unity.
Albert calls this the beginning of a new era, the start of a change. May God bless you; Albert David.
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Be Blessed,
Shamim Masih
Christian Rights Activist
Freelance Journalist
Secretary General
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Three pastors from the home town of Rimsha perplexed about religious liberty
Shamim Masih
Sent: 11/2/2012 12:43 PM
ISLAMABAD PAKISTAN, (SHAMIM MASIH): A few weeks back I wrote an article about the root cause of the Rimsha case [SlantRight Editor: My last post on Rimsha Masih], when Qari Muhammad Khalid Chishti was released on bail against surety bond of worth Rs. 200,000/-
Let me remind you his statement on this issue printed in all English Papers of Islamabad on August 25, 2012, “Christian community had previously caused antagonism by playing music in services at their makeshift church during Muslim prayer time and said burning the pages was deliberate. “They committed this crime to insult us further. This happened because we did not stop their anti-Islam activities before,” he said. “Last Christmas, they played musical instruments and there was vulgarity in the streets during our prayer time. I warned them but they did not stop.”
During his sermon at Friday prayers, Chishti told worshipers it was “time for Muslims to wake up” and protect the Holy Quran. (The Express, Tribune 25th August, 2012)
Based on his perspicacity the whole case was planted, on August 16, when Muslim extremist raised their voice against the Christians Meharabadi, Pastor Arif Shalokh - Calvary Charismatic Church, Islamabad escaped taking his family at 2 in the night wondering in the streets of Islamabad.
According to Pastor Arif, he has been serving the Lord for the last 15 years, Rimsha and her family was the member of the same church. Pastor Arif was in rented house and has been using a hall for church service. In that vicinity more than 35 families were his church members. He said he used to visit Rimsha & family occasionally. We Christians are humble and peace loving people and can’t even imagine insulting others.
Answering to the question raised by Qari Muhammad Khalid Chishti he said Church services normally start at 10 am and finish till 12 o clock, so during these hours there is no Azan or Muslim’s prayer time, so how come Christian’s disturb them during their prayer. Thus this is baseless and as for as vulgarity is concerned we are the part of this culture, so we are aware of our ritual and rights. Qari Khalid belongs to extremists group and he has been blaming on Christians since he is inducted in the mosque.
After resettling there when they started there worship session on Sunday, 7th October, they were not allowed to worship during Sunday services, so they went to the administration and filed an application to DCO. Assistant commissioner (AC) Islamabad had marked their application to SHO police station Ramna G-11 for the investigation and to report her promptly. A month later we are still hanging on dates.
Pastor Yousaf Masih – International Gospel Assemblies (IGA) has been working among Christians for years and having more than 100 families in his congregation. 
Talking to BPCA representative in Pakistan, he said that since this incident happened most of the Christians families have left their houses on the same night. I have looking after them with the available resources, and once most of the families are back in the town, we arranged the Sunday Service in a house but our landlord didn’t allow us to worship even in our houses.
We ask the administration where is our religious liberty, on August 11, 1947 address of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, to the members of the Pakistan Constituent Assembly, to the status of a national covenant. That it has taken more than 50 years to reach such a conclusion is indeed most intriguing. In that address the Quaid said, among other things, the following:
“You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed — that has nothing to do with the business of the State... We are starting with this fundamental principle that we are all citizens and equal citizens of one State... I think we should keep that in front of us as our ideal and you will find that in due course Hindus would cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense, because that is the personal faith of each individual, but in the political sense as citizens of the State.”
Where is our right, we are Pakistani and have sacrificed for the country, why these fundamentalist are imposing Islamic culture on us.
Pastor Shahid Gill – Living Branch Church Islamabad working in Mehrabadi for the last 3 and half years. He is having more than fifty families in his church. Talking about the religious freedom he said that we ask our landlord to construct the church building and we had paid him 5 years advance but since the incident happened, our landlord Malik Parvaiz had back out from the agreement and told us to leave the house. He has not even paid of[f] our advance so far. When we are not allowed to worship freely, how can we survive there?
It is clearly seen that there are some people in the country who claim the ownership, while they forget that people from other religion are Pakistani too. All Pakistanis have the right to perform their religious duties according to their religion, under the light of Quaid-e-Azam speech on 11 August [SlantRight Editor: Here is reference to the speech].
We all request to UN to intercede into the matter and ask Pakistani government to give us religious freedom.
Pictures: Pastor Arif, Pastor Yousaf, & Pastor Shahid Gill
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Update about Rimsha case
Islamabad High Court reserves verdict on plea seeking to Rismsha’s case dismissal
Shamim Masih
Sent: 11/14/2012 4:02 AM
ISLAMABAD PAKISTAN (SHAMIM MASIH): Islamabad High Court (IHC) reserved its verdict on an application from Rimsha council Abdul Hameed Rana seeking to dismiss the Rimsha case on Wednesday 14 November 2012.
Abdul Hameed Rana (Rimsha’s lawyer) appeared before the chief justice IHC Mr. Iqbal Hameed Rehman taking his plea for Rimsha. He said that the honorable court has seen all the evidences and it’s been proven that the case was totally fabricated against the Christian girl of 14, Rimsha. Nothing has been proven so far so he requested the court to dismiss the case.
The opponent council Ch. Abdul Aziz has also given his arguments in the court today.
After hearing an hour discussion, the chief justice high court has reserved it verdict on an application seeking to dismiss the Rimsha case.
Rimsha, a 14 years Christian girl, was arrested from a suburb of Islamabad in blasphemy case on August 16 and after three weeks she was released on bail on 8th September, 2012. Rimsha and her family, who have been in fear for their lives since the blasphemy allegations, were placed to an undisclosed location after her release on bail on September 8.
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Pictures: Shamim talking to the council of Rimsha Abdul Hameed Rana today in the IHC
Be Blessed,
Shamim Masih
Christian Rights Activist
Freelance Journalist
Secretary General
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There is slight editing by John R. Houk with the attempt to preserve the English-Pakistan accent. I pray the changes do not change the original intent of Shamim Masih.
skin up to the apex court. I am an eye witness and have seen him in or outside the Islamabad courts running in rain or sun. Although I knew him before but since then we came close to each other and working together for the rights of Christians. Rimsha was held in jail before getting bail, but the cleric was later accused of fabricating evidence and the case against the girl was dropped. Later Rimsha and her family found refuge in Canada. But this man is still under threat and facing threatening calls on routine basis. Yes, he is Basharat Masih Khokhar, a police official, who had been serving as a security guard with Shahbaz Bhatti, a slain Federal Minister for minorities in Islamabad.
skin up to the apex court. I am an eye witness and have seen him in or outside the Islamabad courts running in rain or sun. Although I knew him before but since then we came close to each other and working together for the rights of Christians. Rimsha was held in jail before getting bail, but the cleric was later accused of fabricating evidence and the case against the girl was dropped. Later Rimsha and her family found refuge in Canada. But this man is still under threat and facing threatening calls on routine basis. Yes, he is Basharat Masih Khokhar, a police official, who had been serving as a security guard with Shahbaz Bhatti, a slain Federal Minister for minorities in Islamabad.
