PAKISTAN:Govt urged to punish killers of Christian couple although Chief Minister of Punjab Province Mian Shehbaz Sahrif have taken urgent actions to ensure justice takes place but I would request the prime minister of Pakistan as well as the present parliament and the senate, please stop the misuse and abuse of the blasphemy law with the help of proper legislation..the rights of minorities have been assured and ensured by Islam with practical examples of the last prophet of Islam p.b.u.h and the Khulpha e Rashidin r.a.t.a KAC Civil society activists affiliated with Pakistan Awami Workers Party and Pakistan Bhatta Mazdoor Union on Thursday dismissed the media reports claiming accused brick-kiln owner Yousaf Gujjar has been arrested and called on the government to ensure punishment for all perpetrators in the Kot Radha Kishan attack. Talking to journalists, General Secretary of Pakistan Awami Workers Party Farooq Tariq said local media reports were wrong in claiming Gujjar had been captured by the authorities. Tariq said the brick-kiln owner, who allegedly conspired against deceased Shahzad Masih and Shama Bibi, is a fugitive and has escaped punishment. The activist said it was an unfortunate fact and the PML-N government has a history of supporting brick-kiln owners and feudal landlords at the cost of those exploited. A three-day strike will be held in all Punjab’s brick-kilns against the incident, he added. The Awami Workers Party leader said a climate of religious intolerance is being fostered in the country. The lawyer of Shama Bibi and Shahzad Masih in Kasur, Ch Imtiaz, said the family had not been made an aggrieved party as a low-ranking police officer has been made the complainant. Imtiaz said this would have a negative impact on the investigations of the inquiry committee being constituted by Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif and the family of the deceased Shama Bibi is in a better place to provide evidence of the brutality. He added a post-mortem examination of the remains of the bodies has not been carried out by the police and Shama Bibi’s family had buried her due to police inaction. The human rights lawyer said the attack is being given a religious label and this disregards the reality of the situation on ground. Ch Imtiaz said the incident occurred over a financial dispute and false allegations were hurled at the innocent couple. He alleged that brick-kiln owners across Punjab have a reputation of lodging FIRs against their workers over baseless allegations due to failure to pay advance money. Secretary of Centre for Peace and Secular Studies, Diep Syeda, expressed her disappointment with law enforcement authorities and said all Pakistanis irrespective of their religion should be concerned with the rising tide of extremism in the country. Syeda said all civil society organisations should unite and put pressure on the government to protect religious minorities. She demanded a judicial commission led by a Lahore High Court judge be constituted by the government to probe into the incident. Representing Pakistan Medical Association, Ashraf Nizami said his community of medical professionals is united with human rights groups in protesting mob violence against minorities and exploitation of labourers. Supreme Court Advocate, Salman Akram Raja said the incident is condemnable beyond words. Head of South Asia Partnership Network, Irfan Mufti said previous governments in Pakistan and the current PML-N government are responsible for such incidents. He said all Pakistanis are also answerable to the killed Shahzad Masih and Shama Bibi for their silence in the face of oppression. Mufti said it was not enough for Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to take notice of this incident in Kot Radha Kishan and provide the deceased family with monetary compensation. Secretary General of Bonded Labour Liberation Front, Syeda Ghulam Fatima said the incident highlights the cruelty endured by brick-kiln workers across the country. She informed those present that a group of female brick kiln workers in the province have threatened to strip themselves in public in case of government inaction. Fatima alleged that the police were protecting Yousaf Gujjar and other brick-kiln owners on the behest of the government. Later, a protest demonstration was led by Pakistan Awami Workers Party and Pakistan Bhatta Mazdoor Union outside the press club. A three-day strike to be observed in all Punjab’s brick kilns on Friday (today). MYC: Milli Yakjehti Council (MYC) president Sahibzada Abul Khair Zubair and Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Liaqat Baloch have condemned the killing of a Christian couple at Kot Radha Kishan and called for a high level enquiry into the incident. In a joint statement on Thursday, they stressed there should be an impartial and transparent probe into the incident. They said like Muslims non-Muslims were also permanent and trustworthy citizens of Pakistan and respect for each others’ religious sentiments was the duty of both. They said if certain elements wanted to settle their personal score or gain personal interest under the garb of religion, stringent action must be taken against them. They said an enquiry committee of MYC would examine Kot Radha Kishan tragedy in detail. They appealed to all religious parties and Christian community to revive an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Nov 2014 10:52:05 +0000
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