Manan Ahmed (Sepoy @ Chapati Mystery)
1. According to the 1998 census, there are slightly more than 2 million Christians (1.59% of total population) distributed roughly equally across urban and rural areas. As a minority the Christian community in Pakistan is predominantly located in the province (state) of Punjab. Although sizable communities are found in the cities of Quetta, Karachi and Peshawar as well.
1a. The Objectives Resolution of 1949 stated that in the Republic of Pakistan “adequate provision shall be made for the minorities freely to profess and practise their religions and develop their cultures;” The Objectives Resolution was made the preamble in the 1973 Constitution. The word “freely” was removed.
2. The Church of Pakistan was amalgamated from Methodist, Presbyterian and Anglican churches in 1970.
3. The earliest recorded attack on Christian communities was in 1952, when a family of 7 were burned alive in the village of Matti. The criminals were caught, prosecuted and hanged.
4. During the first two decades of Pakistan, Christian communities were largely integrated. They had a political party and in the 1951 and 1954 elections, they won four seats (each) in the local Punjab Assembly.
5. The 1973 Constitution of Pakistan declared that “Islam shall be the state religion of Pakistan” and restricted minority participation in government and politics.
6. General Zia ul Haq took over the state through a military coup in 1977 and the hung the deposed Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1979. He also undertook a strict policy of “Islamization” through which laws and practices in the country were to brought in accordance with Islamic jurisprudence. Some of the most damaging new laws fell under the rubric of “Blasphemy”.
7. In 1980, he introduced Section 298-A under the Martial Law Ordinance which criminalized derogatory remarks against the earliest leaders in Muslim history, as well as the family and friends of the Prophet Muhammad. Section 298-B & C focused on disrespect to the holy book Qur’an as well as the declaration of apostasy towards the community of Ahmadis (a sect within Islam).
8. Section 298-A: Use of derogatory remarks etc. in respect of Holy Personages:
Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representations, or by any imputation, innuendo, directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of any wife or members of the family of the Holy Prophet or any of the righteous Caliphs or companions of the Holy Prophet shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine or with both
9. Section 295-B: Defiling etc. of copy of Holy Quran
Whoever willfully defiles, damages or desecrates a copy of the Holy Quran or of an extract therefrom or uses it in any derogatory manner or for unlawful purpose shall be punishable with imprisonment for life.
10. Section 295-C: Use of derogatory remarks, etc, in respect of the Holy Prophet.
Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representation, or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to fine.
11. Furthermore, in 1980, General Zia ul Haq by constitutional amendment created the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) through Article 203-D which had the following powers:
The Court may, either of its own motion or on the petition of a citizen of Pakistan or the Federal Government or a Provincial Government, examine and decide the question whether or not any law or provision of law is repugnant to the Injunctions of Islam, as laid down in the Holy Quran and Sunnah of the Holy Prophet, hereinafter referred to as the Injunction of Islam.
12. In 1990, the FSC concluded that the “imprisonment for life” under Section 295-B and 295-C was unjust punishment according to Islamic law. The Sections were amended so that the only penalty remained was the death penalty.
13. The Blasphemy laws have become the main vehicle of prosecution and persecution of non-Muslims since 1980s. And, of ”other non-Muslims.”
14. In Gujranwala, Punjab, in 1994, three men (including a minor) were accused of writing derogatory remarks against the Prophet. The three Christians, Rehmat Masih, Manzoor Masih and Salamat Masih were arrested. Manzoor Masih was murdered while awaiting trial. The others were acquitted after two years.
15. In Faisalabad, in 1998, Dr. Bishop John Joseph publicly committed suicide. He shot himself in front of the court room of Justice Rana Abdul Jabbar Dogar in protest of a death sentence that had been passed out against a Christian Ayub Masih for blasphemy on April 27th, 1998.
16. A series of terrorist attacks occurred in 2001 and 2002 against Christian establishments, perhaps as a result of Pakistani cooperation with United States in the war in Afghanistan: In October 29th, gunmen killed 16 Christians in the St. Dominic Roman Catholic Church near Multan. A grenade attack on International Presbyterian Church in Islamabad on March 17th, 2002 killed five and injured 40. Unknown assailants attacked Murree Christian School on August 5th, 2002 and killed six people. Unknown assailants attacked the Mission Hospital in Taxila on August 9th, 2002 and killed 4 nurses, injuring 21 others. Seven Christian workers of the charity “Idara Amn-o-Insaf” were killed on September 24th, 2002.
17. In November 2005, three churches, two schools and hostels and several houses of the Christian community were burned by a mob in the city of Sangla Hill. The mob had mobilized on the rumor that someone had blasphemed against the Prophet.
18. On September 27th, 2007 the missionary couple Rev. Arif Khan and Kathleen Khan were killed in their house in Islamabad on September 27th, 2007.
19. In August 2009, 60 Christian homes were burned in Gojra, 7 women and children were burnt alive. The accused were granted bail November 05, 2010.
20. Just on November 15, 2010, a man accused of blasphemy, upon release on bail, was shot dead by unknown assailants.
The inhumane legal treatment of so-designated “minorities” in Pakistan is starkly repugnant.
Dr. Manan Ahmed blogs as Sepoy on Chapati Mystery where this post was first published.
@ ATP Administrator
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Unscrupulous attempt to take refuge behind Traditions without ascertaining their relation to the present incident or the context.
“”No non-Muslims is “”OPPRESSED” in Pakistan… neither is that blasphemer woman. She is an ADJUDGED CRIMINAL and liable to be punished~!
Such silly bullshit by wayward Muslims is only tantamount to malign their own faith and serve no logical or legal end as well.
If criminals are to be freed in midstream of trials , the norms will law and justice will go haywire! Consequently people will be pushed to exercise undesirable Dark Justice…
The judiciary is doing fine in Pakistan , let all sympathizers of the blasphemer go to courts and establish her innocence. If she is proved innocent those who accused her of the crime ought to get the same punishment as hers. Fair enough….
People must not try to eke out unfair ”special’ ways to defeat the ends of law and justice ….All ”special” options and pardons have an aura of unfairness and injustice around it!!
NRO is a prima facie example…
@Allahkabanda
OK, so lots of laws are being abused.
Lets start dismantling them then.
Lets start with the Blasphemy law and all others that abuse and malign Islam to impose mullahism in the name of Islam.
With me on that?
We can also dismantle all other unjust laws on the way and I will be with you on that.
@ banjara286
Tell me which law in Pakistan is not used to benefit vested interest?? Even the Constitution is being ridiculed. Consequently laws are not bad in itself it is who those violate it. This gives rise to the premises that a measure should be adopted to stop the misuse and abuse of the process of law or law rather than cussing the Law itself.
I salute the fact that so many Pakistanis are speaking up against these injustices. When good people start speaking up then bad times are bound to change for good.
Some comments from the ATP Facebook Page:
– “For God Sake be human first then you can be a Muslim, look at her daughters, why you people are still faking the people on the name of Islam and killing the others who are as much human as you are..”
– “all should be treated fairly women are not property if it werent for us you wouldnt be there”
– “takes 2 to make a man not one except in begining its future now dears”
– “Good post. We need to repeal this blasphemy law immediately.”
– “thankyou Pakistaniat for such a wonderful post. We need to repeal this law forever to save the minorities”
– “Muslims should justify with other people even if they are Non Muslims. Our beloved prophet (peace be upon him) said:
Bukhari :: Book 3 :: Volume 43 :: Hadith 628
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas:
The Prophet sent Mu’adh to Yemen (where People of Book, Jews and Christians used to live) and said, “Be afraid, from the curse of the oppressed as there is no screen between his invocation and Allah.”
He (peace be upon him) did not make any distinction between whether oppressed on is Muslim or Non Muslims.
May Allah guide Pakistani nation to justify and not to transgress the people rights.”
– “O you who believe! Take not as (your) Bitânah (advisors, consultants, protectors, helpers, friends, etc.) those outside your religion (pagans, Jews, Christians, and hypocrites) since they will not fail to do their best to corrupt you. They desire to harm you severely. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, but what their breasts conceal is far worse. Indeed We have made plain to you the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses) if you understand.3.18
We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve, because they joined others in worship with Allâh, for which He had sent no authority; their abode will be the Fire and how evil is the abode of the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers).3.51″
– ” thanks for all above comments for changing of blaspheming law….. as other Religion did with their prophet changed their name , made them like sons of God or start abusing or even start blaming that he ‘s mother was etc……
u r all looking like the players of the same lobby who wants to eliminate ISHQ Mohammad from our hearts…..
Dont you think after every 4 moths some body stood up from the minorities and start blaspheming and whole bloody media jumped to save on the name of human rights that first we are human then Muslims……
people who are dying in kashmir, iraq , bosnia, afghanistan, somalia and other muslim countries are not human being… please shake your mind… and think it is the same propengda like jewish did with christen
why u have feeling for the other humans not for our ( peace be upon him) as we are here because of him…..
We are Ashiq Rasool and will not bear any blaspheming…… now today they used this lady, may be next time any disable person… then again hypothesis will come see … disable person……
we dont want to kill anyone or hangup for the sake of joke but who ever will change our bleaves or touch our theory will be on sword….”
– “We need to repeal the Blasphemy law not to save minorities, but to save ourselves and to save Islam from the fanatics and barbarians who have taken control of it.”
– “There is NO concept of a Blasphemy law in Islam. This law is entirely unislamic. In fact it is ANTI-Islamic and only enemies of Islam can support it since it goes against the teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) an brings dishonor and a bad name to Allah and his religion.”
– “was zia ul haque then an enemy of islam ?”
– “YES. Zia ul Haq was an enemy of Islam. Amongst the worst enemies Islam has ever had. He messed up the true religion and created a generation of Jahils who continue to destroy my beautiful religion of Islam. Khuda gharat karey uss ko.”