The violent attacks on the Christian community are continuing while the government claims that it is providing equal rights to religious minorities, including Christians. These attacks are being conducted by the Muslim religious leaders who, at the behest of land-grabbers, deliver very provocative speeches against the Christian community, maligning them for disrespecting the last Prophet (peace be upon him) of Islam.
In a recent incident, on June 26, 2009, during Friday prayers, a Muslim cleric of the mosque in Maan Wala village in Kasur district, Punjab province, instigated the Muslims gathered there against the Christian settlement at the village of Bahmani Wala in the same district. The people were told that Christians are speaking out against the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him). He continued this campaign for some days on the platform of the mosque, and on June 30 the Muslims of the area attacked the houses at the village, damaging and destroying several houses and stealing some belongings of the Christian inhabitants.
The police have still not filed a case against anybody. In addition, the local people, among them Muslims also, complained about the provocative speeches of the Muslim cleric. It is said that the land around the Bahmani Wala village has now become prime land and some land grabbers want to occupy it through their connections in the Punjab provincial government. For that purpose they have hired the Muslim clerics of the province to lodge a communal movement against the Christian community.
The local authorities feel it is better to grab the land of Christians in the name of blasphemy. In another case, according to the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), which is a human rights body of the Catholic Church in Pakistan, a graveyard belonging to the Christian community in Okara district has been bulldozed by the local authorities in order to build a park there. The local Christians are demanding that the authorities stop the action but authorities do not want to leave the place. Ultimately, the park will be a commercial project. One pastors house was also attacked by the Muslim assailants. Compass Direct News reported on June 12 that the home of Pastor Riaz Masih (of Christ for All Nations Ministries) in Kila Sardar Shah, Sheikhupura district, was attacked on June 1, 2009.
In a violent attack on May 9, Ishtiaq Masih, a young Christian man from Macharrkay village, Punjab province, was beaten to death by Muslims. A tea stall owner, Ali, and his 14 employees, allegedly murdered him for using a cup which was designated for Muslims. He was beaten with iron rods, stones and clubs. Later on a case was registered by the police against the murderers.
In Pakistan there is a persistent campaign against the religious minorities in the name of blasphemy or for disrespecting the last prophet of Muslims. In the same province of Punjab, the Ahmedis, followers of an Islamic minority sect, remain the victims of the majority Muslims.
The government of Punjab is also organising events which provoke Muslims against religious minorities. Under the constitution of Pakistan and civilian laws the religious minorities have equal rights and opportunity, as well as a special quota for employment, but these have not been provided.
The Asian Human Rights Commission urges the government of Pakistan to enquire into the mistreatment of the religious minorities and to bring those perpetrators who are spreading hatred against the Christian community before the law and for dislodging them from their old settlements to grab the prime land. The government should also take action against Muslim clerics who are using mosques for their nefarious purposes.
