Pakistan Army Sexually Abusing Minority Women - NGO

By PHP Staff
Monday, May 02, 2011

(Photo : Pakistan Army. In its annual survey on human rights the State)

New York,  (IANS) The Pakistani army is sexually assaulting minority women and using them as sex slaves, alleges the European Organization of Pakistani Minorities (EOPM), an NGO working for the rights of minorities in Pakistan.

In a prayer-cum-demonstration held at the UN, it said the Pakistani army is taking minority women away from their families, raping them and then using them as sex slaves.

Referring to the December attacks on Christians in Lahore, the organisation alleged that attacks on minorities in Pakistan were increasing.

Using a symbolic broken chair to highlight the plight of minorities in Pakistan, more than 100 women from different faiths lit candles at the prayer to highlight the plight of minority women allegedly being raped and killed by the Pakistani Army.

Expressing concern over the plight of women of Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan, the organisers said army officials are taking them to torture camps, raping them and then using them as sex slaves.

"One such case is of that Zarina Marri who is a 23-year-old school teacher from Quetta and is being used as a sex slave by the Pakistani Army," the EOPM said in a statement.

It said international observers and the media should be allowed free access to Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan to meet families whose women members have disappeared and yet no police cases have been registered.

The organisation demanded that the UN organise a special session on the plight of Pakistani women.

According to the EOPM, religious minorities constitute much more than five percent - as claimed in Pakistani census - of Pakistan's 160 million population.

However, the census intentionally keeps minority population low to deny them greater representation, it said.

Christians, Sikhs, Hindus and other minorities are constant targets of attacks in Pakistan, it said, citing Minority Rights Group International, a watchdog organisation, which ranked Pakistan last year as, "the world's top country for major increases in threats to minorities since 2007".

Pakistan has also been listed seventh among the 10 most dangerous countries for minorities, after Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Myanmar and Congo.

Pakistan's minorities gripped by fear and despair

By Azhar Fateh, NBC News
Saturday, March 05, 2011

LONDON - As a teenager in Karachi, the southern port city of Pakistan, much of my time was spent as a pedestrian. I absorbed the trends and culture of this diverse city, gathering sermons, dialects, laughter, aspirations, love and hatred during my walks.

With 18 million residents, Karachi is the world’s third most populous city by some counts. Residents include Muslims, Hindus, Christians and fire-worshipping Zoroastrians and it teems with different ethnicities, including Afghans, Bengalis, Burmese, Chinese, Sri Lankans, Filipinos and Iranians.

I was lucky enough to experience it first hand: I have watched Muslims running barefoot to mosques for prayers, Christians worshipping in the Baptist Central Church, and at school, Hindus studied alongside me.

It did not occur to me when I was a boy that behind their smiles and every-day routines, religious minorities of Pakistan live in constant fear of religious vendetta but as I grew older I realized that the situation was not as I had thought it to be.

But Wednesday, after the murder of Shahbaz Bhatti, the Christian minister for religious minorities, any remaining youthful illusions were finally dashed. His assassination is not the only one of his kind -- in early January Salman Taseer, the former governor of Punjab, was shot dead for criticizing Pakistan’s blasphemy law.

The Muslim politician who introduced cable television to Pakistan and encouraged the global consultancy firm KPMG to do business in the country, was assassinated for supporting the release of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman imprisoned for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad.

Bearing brunt of intolerance

Out of a population of 170 million, about 78 percent are Sunnis, 16 percent Shiites and 6 percent non-Muslims. The common perception is that everyone in the country regularly experiences the violence of the Taliban but the reality is that it’s mostly Muslims who get killed by their followers armed with suicide belts while non-Muslims have to face the brunt of ordinary Pakistanis armed with religious intolerance.

(Photo : Shahbaz Bhatti (R), chairman of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, speaks at a news conference in Islamabad in this August 11, 2002)

After the assassination of Taseer, a friend from Karachi who graduated from a university in the U.K., celebrated his death as a triumph.

“We need to set an example for those who want to insult our prophet,” he told me. “We have an emotional relationship with our prophet and once our emotions are infuriated, we need to retaliate.”

He is not alone and pressure on Pakistan’s minorities has been building for some time.

The judiciary often fails to protect Pakistan’s Hindus, 1.6% of Pakistan’s population, says Amarnath Motumal, a Pakistani Hindu and a council member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

“Every month, around 25 Hindu girls are kidnapped and forcefully converted to Islam. And the police only rarely register their case,” Motumal told Geo Television in August 2010.

The country’s Christians also suffer from persecution, according to Alexander John Malik, Anglican Bishop of Lahore.

Judges often don’t prosecute the Muslim abductors of Christian girls, he says. In fact, in the light of the victim’s conversion to Islam, judges completely ignore the fact that these girls were forced to change their religion. Instead they forbid the forcefully converted Muslim girls to live with their Christian parents because it is illegal for Muslim children to live with non-Muslim parents.

The roots of this discrimination are not only found in the country’s laws but also in how people interpret Islam’s dictates.

For an idea of the many hard-line Muslim politicians’ feelings about non-Muslims, one needs only to go to the head of Pakistan’s largest religious party.

“Should we praise Hindus when they have occupied the disputed land of Kashmir?” Farid Paracha of Jamaat-E-Islami told Express News in October 2010. “Should we praise Hindus when they are killing thousands and millions of people?”

In the run up to recent elections, Jamaat’s campaign featured anti-Jewish, anti-Hindu and anti-Christian chants and slogans.

 (Photo : Salman Taseer, right, Governor of Pakistani Punjab Province, talks to reporters after meeting with Pakistani Christian woman Asia Bibi, left, at a prison in Sheikhupura near Lahore, Pakistan, in a Nov. 20, 2010)

Another fact that makes it especially difficult for non-Muslims to live in Pakistan is the Shariah, or Islamic law. Although not a part of the Pakistani constitution, Shariah decrees that non-Muslims choose between paying a tax to live in a Muslim country, convert or migrate to a foreign land.

Another tenet of Shariah that is a part of the constitution is the blasphemy law, which dictates that anyone who insults the Prophet Mohammad should be sentenced to death. It is under this law that Bibi, the imprisoned Christian woman, was arrested.

Taseer was assassinated by his own security guard for lobbying a change in this law.

Glimmers of hope

There are still glimmers of hope for Pakistan’s minorities, and there are Pakistani Muslims who want to co-exist with other religions.

“Shariah law has got many controversial policies that require careful consideration before we implement them,” said Rana Khizer Hayat, a Sunni and former president of the influential National Union of Pakistani Students and Alumni [NUPSA]. “I would personally not support any law that treats non-Muslims in the country as unequal to us.”

NUPSA, an organization comprising of 25 college societies, has proposed to the Pakistan government that laws limiting the right of non-Muslim citizens to become the heads of state should be repealed.

Syed Zain Abid, a Shiite, goes further.

“We need to interpret our religion according to the environment of the 21st century and, in accordance, controversial policies of Shariah require re-consideration or complete desertion,” he says.

Shiite Muslims are often victims of attacks by the majority Sunni population. In January, two simultaneous suicide attacks took place on Shiites processions in Karachi and Lahore, killing 12 and injuring 79 people.

An old Hindu friend, who considers himself as much a citizen as anyone else in the country, holds out hope that the situation will improve.

“We, the Hindus, live the normal life and face the entirely same problems as other Pakistanis,” says Avenash Loughani. “The Taliban (is) killing everyone and it would be unfair for me to complain that minorities are being targeted.”

International Condemnation and PHP also strongly condemn assassistron of Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan

By Mohammad S.Solanki (Executive Editor)
Thursday, March 03, 2011

(Photo : Shahbaz Bhatti – Pakistan’s Minister for Minority Affairs, son of Jacob Bhatti, defender of minority rights and tolerance in Pakistan, and the only Christian Minister in the current cabinet – was gunned down by the enemies of Pakistan, the enemies of humanity, and enemies of all that is decent and right)

Karachi: March 2, 2011. Gopinath K.Rajput, Editor-in-chief of Pakistan Hindu Post (PHP) has strongly condemned broad daylight assassination of Federal Minority Minister Shahbaz Bhatti in capital city of Pakistan.

According to media reports, the Minorities Minister was on his way to a cabinet meeting when gunmen broke into his vehicle and shot him.

He was rushed to Shifa Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Although no group has come forward to claim responsibility, there are reports that pamphlets issued by al-Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (the TTP) were found at the site of the attack.

Mr Bhatti was an outspoken critic of Pakistan's blasphemy laws, which make blaspheming against the Prophet Muhammad a crime punishable by death.

The blasphemy laws are misused by extremists to bring false charges against Christians and others Minorities to settle personal scores or acquire land or other property. Christians and Hindus charged with blasphemy have been murdered by extremists, even in cases where they were set free by court judges.

"I am shocked and stunned by the assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti. This is the second high profile killing of someone who supported change to the blasphemy laws. His death is a terrible blow to Pakistan's Christian community, Hindus and other religious minorities as he was a much valued advocate for Christians who worked tirelessly and courageously in pursuit of equality and freedom for all minorities, in spite of the clear risks to his own life.

"Mr Bhatti was killed simply for speaking in support of amendments to the blasphemy laws and we are left with the question now: who will be next?

“It is surprising that Shahbaz Bhatti was heading for Cabinet meeting without any security staff when it was responsibility of government to issue directives to security staff that Shahbaz Bhatti escort may be always present with him” added Gopinath.

Gopinath said that Shahbaz Bhatti is our martyr and will be ever remembered as martyr of Blasphemy law and we will keep on campaign for repeal of blasphemy law.

Islamabad March 3 : Mukesh Kumar (PHP Program Director) : Has strongly condemned assassination of Federal Minority Minster Shahbaz Bhatti. He said the Hindus and other minorities should be protected from terrorist (Talibans ) etc. Moreover, there should be no separate rule for minorities rather equal citizenship may be given to all Pakistani people.

Karachi: March 3, 2011. Dr. Nazir S Bhatti, President of Pakistan Christian Congress PCC have said that statement of Mr. Rehman Malik, Federal Interior Minister of Pakistan to blame slain Christians leader Shahbaz Bhatti to neglect his security is very surprising and heart breaking for millions of Pakistani Christian.

 (Photo : Hyderabad March 3, 2011. Christians hold a cross and a poster of slain Minister for Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan)

NOTE : Bhatti was shot at least eight times, police said, in a daylight attack in Islamabad that came two months after the slaying of the governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer.


US : March 3, 2011. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she was "shocked and outraged" by the slaying of Bhatti. "I was shocked and outraged by the assassination," Clinton told a Senate committee, adding it was also an attack on "the values of tolerance and respect."

Toronto: March 3, 2011. Prime Minister Stephen Harper in a condolence message to family and friends of slain Christian leader Shahbaz Bhatti have said “On behalf of our Government and Canadians across the country, I extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Minister Shahbaz Bhatti, and to the Pakistani people in the wake of his assassination. His death is a loss to the people of Pakistan and all those who shared his commitment to the promotion of tolerance and religious freedoms in that country.

UK : March 3, 2011. British Prime Minister David Cameron said the murder was "absolutely brutal and unacceptable"."It was absolutely shocking news," Cameron told the House of Commons. Cameron said the minister's murder was "absolutely brutal and unacceptable, and it shows what a huge problem we have in our world with intolerance".

EUROPEAN UNION : March 3, 2011. EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton urged Pakistan to ensure justice after gunmen assassinated Bhatti because he wanted to reform an anti-blasphemy law.

Expressing her "great sadness," English baroness Ashton said: "I strongly condemn the murder of a member of the government who was well known for his defence of the principles of equality and human rights which are enshrined in the constitution of Pakistan.

"I am also deeply concerned about the climate of intolerance and violence linked to the debate on the controversial blasphemy laws.

India : March 3, 2011. India joined the international community in condemning the assassination, calling it a "dastardly crime"."We convey our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, the people and the government of Pakistan on the tragic assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti," the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement."In this difficult hour, our prayers and thoughts are with the bereaved family and the people of Pakistan," the statement added.

United Nations human rights : March 3, 2011. Chief Navi Pillay said that Pakistan was poisoned by extremism and urged the country to reform its blasphemy laws."These murders are a tragedy for Pakistan and those who envision a future for the country centred on human rights," a statement from the South African former International Criminal Court judge said.

"I hope the government of Pakistan will not only hold the killers to account, but reflect on how it can more effectively confront the extremism which is poisoning Pakistani society,"she said.


The PHP Team

International Minorities Alliance demands Pakistan to be run according to the vision of its founder, Pakistan

By Amarnath R. (PHP Lahore)
Monday, January 31, 2011

(Photo : International Minorities Conference III in Lahore, Pakistan)

Islamabad : International Minorities’ Conference 2011 was organized by International Minorities Alliance on “Equal Citizenship, Equal Rights” at Avari Hotel, Lahore, Pakistan on Jan 23, 2011.

The historical Conference was presided over by a renowned poet and intellectual Mr. Nazir Qaiser while Ms. Shakila Rashid Khanam, former Federal Minister, ambassador to the Norway and member of the Central Executive Committee of Pakistan Peoples Party and Chairman of NPCIH Allama Syed Ayaz Zahir Hashmi were the Chief Guests.Delegates representing different religions i.e Christians, Sikhs, Zorasters, Hindus, Bahai’s and Muslims participated from all the four provinces of Pakistan and abroad.

Call to speed up Pakistan’s interfaith dialogue:

National Peace Committee for Interfaith Harmony(NPCIH) Chairman Allama Syed Ayaz Zaheer Hashmi, Nazir Qaiser(Chairman International Minorities Alliance), Shakeela Khanum Rasheed(MNA, PPP) , The Bishop of Karachi Dr Ijaz Inayat, Dr Hizkiul Sarosh, Bishop Ibrahim Daniel, Dr. Badar Munir Saifi(President Ulma Mashaik Wing PPP,Lhr), Martan Javed Martan, Ilyas A Khan, Om Parkash Narayan, Dr. Mastaan Singh, Muhammad Safdar(General Secretary Liberal Forum,Lhr), Ilyas A Khan(President Pakistan Minorities Foundation)Raja Abbas(President Civil Society Organization), Rafiq Kazim Paseen(Sr Vice President PPP, Kot Radhakishan), Dr Manohar Chand( President Pakistan Balmik Sabha), Dr Maipal Singh and Dr Khalid Javed Jan expressed these views while addressing an international minority conference held under the auspices of International Minority Alliance at a local hotel on Sunday (January 23).

The speakers urged to launch a campaign at grass root level to reform the thinking and attitude of various segments of the society in a bid to promote peace and harmony between the majority and minority of the country.

They said minorities had played key role in creating Pakistan shoulder-to-shoulder with their Muslim brethren but it was astonishing that there was acknowledgement to these efforts at present and minorities suffer from discrimination and marginalisation.

They said that the persons who raised their voice for the minorities were silenced and it was high time to get united at a single platform to protect the rights of the minorities with the message of love, peace and tranquillity. The speakers while appreciating the role of the prime minister and president for carrying out efforts to promote interfaith dialogue, they stressed the need for further speeding up the process in order to counter the insane voices to bring complete peace in the country.

Alleging some groups without naming them for killing innocent people, they warned that it would be tantamount to set a dangerous trend if it was not stopped at this moment.

Syed Allama Ayaz Zaheer Hashmi, PM’s advisor on National Committee for Peace and Harmony said that it was responsibility of Ulema, intellectuals and the media to support the concept of interfaith dialogue which opens doors for presenting the message of Islam to the non-Muslims communities. Allama also elaborated his plans to promote interfaith harmony through educated force from the universities and civil society.

Speaking on the occasion, NPCIH Chairman Allama Syed Ayaz Zaheer Hashmi, the chief Guest said that PPP came to power at a difficult time but it is trying its best to pull the country out of present crisis under the sagious leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari.


Allama also said, “ The address of the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah that he delivered in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on August 11, 1947 must be included as a part of the constitution of Pakistan and the biased Objective Resolution which was passed in 1949 must be excluded from the constitution. State affairs must be run according to the vision of its founder which provides equal opportunity to all Pakistanis without any distinction of religion, caste or creed. Pakistan must be run according to the vision of the father of the nation.

“On the behalf of the prime minister,I want to assure you of my government’s full support to the rights of all religious minorities in Pakistan” he added.

Christians raise money for Hindu flood victims in Pakistan

By Dr.Radhe Shyam Kumar (PHP senior editor)
Friday, November 12, 2010

UK :  Christian doctors have raised over £25,000 in one week to supply free food, clothing and medical care to people displaced by the Pakistan floods.

The Christian Medical Fellowship, who organised the appeal, have sent the money directly through two Christian hospitals in badly affected remote rural areas, with whom they have strong links.

Pennell Memorial Christian Hospital (PMCH), Bannu, on the Afghanistan border, is providing food and medical care for 200 Christian and Hindu families in a nearby camp for internally displaced people (IDPs). Medical Superintendent, Dr Nadeem Hidayat, said 'Many NGOs are afraid to work in these areas. Due to security issues, it's difficult for me to leave the hospital so I am visiting flood victims with a van full of army guards. The former Medical Superintendent was kidnapped by the Taliban. But by the grace of God we are safe. We treat many war wounded Taliban in our hospital so we have a good reputation in this area.'

Kunhar Christian Hospital (KCH), in the Himalayas en route to China, is giving free hospital treatment to those affected by the flood, and distributing food and clothing to the community. Founder Dr Haroon Lal Din reported, ‘Most of our patients are Muslims from the surrounding mountains and valleys. KCH was one of the few buildings in the area still standing after the Kashmir earthquake of 2005. Amazingly, once again after the recent floods, KCH is the only hospital in the area with electricity, able to provide emergency obstetric care.’
Last week was the end of Ramadan and both hospitals distributed Eid gifts, including New Testaments, to the Muslim communities around them. The staff at PMCH each contributed two days’ wages to make this possible. As it was also the anniversary of 9/11, tension was high in both areas. A church not far from Bannu was bombed and destroyed but thankfully the hospital teams were kept safe.
Dr Vicky Lavy, CMF’s Head of International Ministries said, ‘CMF is not an aid agency, but we wanted to do something to help. Being part of a worldwide fellowship of Christian doctors puts us in the unique position of being in direct contact during health crises with Christian doctors on the ground. Once we had communicated the need, CMF members quickly rose to the challenge and within a week just over 100 UK doctors had given over £25,000 which we were able to send immediately to those serving on the frontline. It has been a wonderful privilege to be able to stand with our Pakistani Christian colleagues in this way, and through them to help some of those who have suffered from this tragedy.’

Last year CMF members gave £38,000 to equip Christian medical teams treating cholera victims in Zimbabwe and £115,000 in 2005 to equip two hospitals (Kunhar and Bach) providing relief and medical care for the Kashmir earthquake victims. Part of that latter gift enabled Kunhar to establish a satellite communications system which has kept them in contact with the outside world in the present situation when all other telecommunications have been destroyed in the flood.
ENDS
Notes for editors:
Pennell Memorial Christian Hospital (PMCH), Bannu, is an 80 bedded hospital on the edge of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas bordering Afghanistan. There are 2,000 families in a nearby camp for internally displaced people (IDPs). Christians and Hindus are minority groups and the poorest section of the population. PMCH is caring for 200 of these families, providing food and medical care.
Kunhar Christian Hospital (KCH) is a 20 bedded hospital founded in 2000 by Dr Haroon Lal Din, a local doctor who has been working in this northern district of Pakistan since 1988. The hospital is just off the new highway cutting through the Himalayas linking Pakistan with China.
Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) was founded in 1949 and is an interdenominational organisation with over 4,000 British doctor members in all branches of medicine. A registered charity, it is linked to about 65 sister organisations in other countries throughout the world.
The CMF exists to unite Christian doctors to pursue the highest ethical standards in Christian and professional life and to increase faith in Christ and acceptance of his ethical teaching.
For further information:
Dr Vicky Lavy (CMF Head of International Ministries 020 7234 9660
Dr Andrew Fergusson (CMF Head of Communications) 020 7234 9675

Pakistan - Killing in the name of blasphmey

By Krishna Jaipal (PHP Lahore)
Friday, July 30, 2010

Dear friends,

Greetings!

Islamabad : Just yesterday a mob killed two young Christian brothers who were under charges of writing and distributing a pamphlet containing some blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), which was proved wrong and it was likely that these brothers will be set free in next hearing of the courts.

It is really a discouraging element, that these characterless ( I am sorry for this word, but I have to use it) fundamentalists are eager to take any step causing destruction, blood, and/or anarchy; and calling themselves devoted Muslims.

now the question is not whether these brothers were guilty or not; but the question remains that are Muslims peaceful or not? Are they following Islamic teachings, or they themselves have abrogated the Quran'ic teachings for their own benefits and pleasure. on one hand Qur'an very clearly directs,

And do not follow (blindly) any information of which you have no (direct) knowledge. (Using your faculties of perception and conception, you must verify it for yourself. (In the Court of your Lord,) you will be held accountable for your hearing, sight, and the faculty of reasoning."[17:36]

on the other hand Muslims are not ready to follow the Quranic teachings, and determin their own ways, may it follows Islamic principles or not.

at this stage I am quite sure that the person who shot these brothers did not investigate personally to find out whether they were guilty or not? we are quite sure that this person was not even a true believer becuase he fully acted against Qur'an when it states, one who kills one person, kill the humanity. But the irony is that this act has been conducted in the name of Islam. its an attempt to save honor and dignity of the Prophet (pbuh). by law, it is necessary to write Peace Be Upon Him when ever we write Prophet Muhammad's name. But in reality is there any peace from Muslims for non-Muslims after commiting such an act. its not the only incident of kilings. there have been several killings of religious minorities through Blasphemy law and still Muslims urging to retain Blasphemy law. whereas it is quite clear that such culprits, themselves are committing blasphemy. but who's going to charge them for this act? and who is going to ask them the benefits of having such a law?

at the same time its really shocking to note that majority of Muslims have now closed their mouths instead of speaking against this henious act, they are of the view that the blasphemous should be killed. Such a biased attitude divides the entire nation in religious quarters and thus work being done by people like us becomes more difficult and carries several questions.

Furthermore, it urges non-Muslims to think is it meaningful to remain in one's homeland, where they are not safe at all. or migrate to other countries. interestingly, not only non-Muslims but a large number of Muslims will also avail the oppertunity and will flee from the country.

My request to you and other learned scholars is to kindly come out and please issue press statements against such actions and people, who bring only hatred for Muslims around the world. Even we who are working for peace, human rights and dialgoue, don't find many words when talking with people from our own community.

Please do something effective.

Haroon Nasir
    M.Th (UK); Fulbright Alumni
Director
GULSHAN - Centre for Study of Islam & Christianity
Mansehra
O) +92-997-301209
C) +92-344-5185193

Forced Conversions and Racial Discrimination in Pak: Sikhs protest UN inaction

By Purostam Sign, NYC
Tuesday, July 6, 2010

(PHOTO : Pakistani Sikh cadet in army)

PATIALA : Sikhs held protests, against United Nations’ inaction to stop continued forced conversion of minorities to Islam and grave abuse of human rights of minorities and women in Pakistan, to coincide with International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination, at Patiala near Dukhniwaran and Singh Sabha Gurudwaras, Monday.

Dr. Manjit Singh Randhawa, President of Sikh Nation Organisation, said that Sikhs appealed to the international community to prevail upon Pakistan to repeal the 'Nizam-e-Adl 2009 Regulation' that has “legitimized and legalized tyranny” by ‘Taliban’, in complete disregard to its international commitments under various UN Conventions, to safeguard Human Rights of its citizens within international borders of Pakistan.

He maintained that without repealing the Regulation it was impossible to save lives, property and Shrines of Minority Sikh and Hindu Communities in Swat Valley and North West Frontier Province in Pakistan that has been placed under ‘Taliban Rule’ by repealing all Pak Laws to maintain law and order.

The Regulation has taken away Human Rights of Women and female Children, whose freedom of conscience has been put to unreasonable restrictions and are subjected to honour killings, whipping, torture, degrading treatment and punishment in Swat Valley and adjoining province, in a country signatory to U.N. Conventions on Human Rights, he added.

Sikhs also appealed the international community to support their demand for ‘Vatican’ like status to ‘Nanakana’ Sahib along with eighteen thousand acres property of the shrine, to develop a “fear free abode for humanity”, without which “personal freedom” and “dignified survival” of Sikhs, Hindus, Christian and other Minority Communities seemed impossible.

They shamed United Nations Human Rights system for its "observed silence" on systematic and undeterred persecution of minorities that stood reduced to negligible level in Pakistan, as a result of “forced conversions, killings and migration” in the Islamic country that is signatory to various U.N. Conventions on Human and Minority Rights and Conservation of diverse Cultural and Religious World Heritage of Humanity.

Pakistani Minorities form Working Group for Human Rights Issues

By Dr. Radhe Shyam Kumar (PHP Managing Editor)
Sunday, June 20, 2010

(Photo : Pakistani Hindu during festival time in Sindh and according to Pakistan Hindu Council, there are about Five million Hindus in Pakistan. Nearly 4.5 million of them live in Sindh province. Most are from the low caste Dalit community. )

KARACHI : The representatives of Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Bahai, Ahmedi and Zoroastrian communities of Sindh formed on Saturday a working group on ‘Right of Communities Vulnerable Because of Their Belief’ during a meeting at a local hotel. The Human Right Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) would support the group.

The group will highlight human rights violations through fact finding reports, researches, issuing public statements and arranging press briefings and also to analyse the laws, practices and policies, which are discriminatory and would provide recommendations. The meeting also decided that the group will conduct capacity building programmes of the members of vulnerable communities and a mechanism of early warning signs to determine the tension involving minorities and would recommend appropriate actions.

During the meeting, the participants discussed the agenda of the newly formed group including the status of commission of minorities, countering advocacy of hatred based religious beliefs, discrimination being faced by the communities in services, education, family and property laws, constant threats and fear, blasphemy laws and property related issues. During the meeting the participants decided that the newly formed group would meet once in six months.

Addressing the meeting HRCP Director I A Rehman said that the group would address all the issues being faced by the communities and deal with the rights of these communities.

“Since the last several years, the living conditions of minorities has worsened and the communities have become extremely vulnerable as extremists and militants are inciting hatred,” he said, Amar Guriro

HRCP forms working group on Minorities, Pakistan

Source Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)
Monday, June 14, 2010

 (PHOTO : New Logo of HRCP)

KARACHI : In the backdrop of increasing attacks on communities across the country, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has constituted a working group on the rights of ‘Communities Vulnerable Because Of Their Belief’.

During a three-hour long meeting at a local hotel on Friday, the working group was formed which comprises HRCP members along with representatives of various minority communities, including Hindu, Christian, Zoroastrian, Ahmedi, Bahai and Sikh communities.

Presiding over the meeting, HRCP Sindh Chapter’s Vice President Ghazi Salauddin said that the group would not only highlight the problems being faced by vulnerable communities but also pave way for resolving the issues faced by them.

Speaking on the occasion, Director, HRCP, I.A.Rehman said that the extremists were inciting hatred due to which communities were being persecuted and discriminated against. “The militants do not tolerate those who do not share their beliefs and are sowing the seeds of sectarian violence.”

During the meeting, participants touched upon various issues and agenda which were laid by the commission including discrimination in services and education, family and personal law, property-related issues, role of the media while reporting on minorities, consideration of the status of the Commission for Minorities and preaching of hate messages. Meanwhile, it was decided that the group will meet at least once every six months whereas members are welcome to submit their complaints, suggestions and recommendations when the need arises.

Introduction : The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (Urdu: تنظیم حقوق انسانی پاکستان), or HRCP, is an independent, non-profit organization, founded in 1987, which is not associated or affiliated with the government or any political party. It is committed to act with impartiality and objectivity in all matters. Among its main aims are spreading awareness of human rights among the people, mobilising public opinion, collecting information and disseminating knowledge about human rights abuses, and to monitor and defend human rights in Pakistan.