Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the entire Christian community of Chak 44, Mandi Bahaudin, Punjab Province is at risk of being attacked by a charged Muslim mob, which is threatening to set houses belonging to Christians on fire. The fire of hatred that began as a disagreement between two friends has engulfed the entire community, resulting in restlessness and chaos.
According to local news reports, the Muslims have put three conditions before the Christians that convert to Islam if they want to continue living in the village, leave the village forever, or despicably, they have asked them to hand Imran over so they can burn him alive in front of the church. The police have done little to protect the community left at the mercy of a vengeful Muslim mass that has been incited by local clerics who have leveled unsubstantiated allegations of blasphemy.
CASE NARRATIVE:
The following information has been received from Christian True Spirit (CTS) and Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS) London.
The besieged of Christians started almost one month ago but the authorities remain silent spectators as if clerics and goons are serving the Islam. The boycott against Christians in the village continued for a number of days and the Committee formed by the clerics and goons have deputed a few young Muslim men to surveillance Sharif Masih’s house so if Imran is seen they can take hold of him and hand him over to them.
In a latest development, according to local news reports, the Muslims clerics and goons of the area have put three conditions before the Christians, in exchange for a pardon.
They have told them to convert to Islam if they want to continue living in the village, leave the village forever, or despicably, they have asked them to hand Imran over so they can burn him alive in front of the church.
The detail of the case is that Imran Masih, son of Sharif Masih, resident of Village Chak 44, Tehsil Phalyian, District Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, is a young Christian who is employed at a local Health Care Centre as a Janitor. As he was on good terms with all of us his co-workers, he was invited to attend the wedding ceremony of a colleague’s daughter. At the wedding, on April 16, 2016, Imran recorded a part of the wedding ceremony on his cell phone.
On Monday April 19, 2016, when he went back to work, his colleague asked him to show them the movie clip he recorded; he handed his cell phone to one of his colleagues and left to finish his work. When Imran came back he saw that Bilal, a local Muslim drug store owner, whose store is located adjacent to his workplace, was holding Imran’s phone and showing the provocative lectures of Pastor Sami Samson to other workers standing around him. When Imran asked Mohammad Bilal to return his phone, he refused to give him the mobile phone back. Bilal accused Imran of watching anti-Islamic lectures of Christian Pastors on YouTube.
Imran swore to Bilal and his angry co-workers that he had never browsed Pastor Sami Samson’s lectures, but they refused to let him go. After beating him severely, they locked him in an empty room; luckily Imran had another cell phone hidden in his pocket; he used that phone to call members of his Catholic Church Committee and informed them of his confinement in the Health Centre.
After receiving Imran’s phone call, Aamir Masih and Arif Masih, along with a few other Committee members, went to Imran’s work place to rescue him. They told the senior doctor at the Health Centre that the accusation is baseless as Imran is illiterate. He cannot operate a search engine on the cell phone. After much persuasion, the Committee members were successful in securing Imran’s release. However, three day after the incident, Imran found out that religious scholars from Sarghoda had pronounced a decree against him. He had been pronounced liable to be killed according to the decree. He was advised by his colleagues to escape.
Imran got extremely scared and did not return home that night. The next day Imran’s father Sharif Masih called the Health Centre to inquire about his son. The doctor on duty told him that Imran was not at work. After not receiving a satisfactory answer from the doctor, Sharif Masih took few Church Committee members and went to Imran’s work place, where he was informed that Imran had fled to save his life.
Meanwhile, the news spread about the incident of alleged blasphemy among the Muslims in the surrounding villages and that Imran Masih is liable to death. On April 29, 2016, during the Friday prayer, the local Muslim clerics made announcements on loudspeaker about the Fatwa against Imran Masih. The clerics encouraged the Muslim community to socially boycott all Christian residents of Chak 44. It was decided that no shopkeepers would sell anything to local Christians and that nothing would be purchased from them either.
To add fuel to the fire, a local Muslim businessman named Irshad Jhakar announced a prize of rupees one hundred thousand (USD $10,000) as a reward for the killing of Imran Masih. A few local Muslims (Inayat Mahajir, Mistri Bashir, and Saddique Arrayian) planned to attack Christians and to torch their houses and place of worship. Mohammad Riaz, member of a local committee, encouraging people to kill Imran Masih, as he was said to be liable to death.
The situation took a turn for the worse on May 6, 2016, after Friday prayer, when Muslim clerics called upon Muslim residents of Chak 44. It was alarming situation for Christians. Therefore, one of the local Christians, Aamir Masih, called a police helpline and informed the polie about the tense situation in the Village. According to Aamir Masih, within 20 minutes eight to ten policemen reached the spot dispersed the crowd and took all the Muslim Masjid (mosque) Committee members to one of the local resident Imran Ghuman’s living room.
In a few minutes Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) reached the place along with his police squad. The DSP recorded statements of the Muslim Committee Members. After monitoring the situation for one day, the police left the place as they felt that there was no issue.
According to local Christians, residents of Chak 44, the police never spoke to any of them and never returned to patrol at night. They said up to date 75% of the Christians had fled from the Village; whoever remain fear for their lives; they have no food to eat as the local Muslims refuse to sell them anything. The situation is getting worse with each passing day. The Christians are living in constant fear that their houses may be set on fire by mob if the police does not provide them with round the clock security.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the authorities listed, calling upon them to take serious note of the situation of the Christians at Chak 44 District Mandi Bahauddin. The Christian community of Chak 44, in Tehsil Phaliyan, Mandi Bahaudin’s cordoning off by the Muslim clerics and their supporters in the area, must be immediately halted.
The government must ensure the security of Imran Masih and his family and for other and provide them alternative safe houses.
The state must proactively work towards encouraging interfaith harmony and prosecute perpetrators of violence in the name of religion without fail or delay.
The AHRC is writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the freedom of religion or belief calling for the Special Rapporteur’s intervention into this matter.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ___________,
PAKISTAN: Christian community threatened to convert to Islam or to vacate their homes
Name of victims:
1) Christian population of Chak 44, Tehsil Phalian, Mandi Bahaudin, Punjab
2) Imran Masih, son of Sharif Masih, resident of Chak Village 44, Tehsil Phalyian, District Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab province
Names of alleged perpetrators:
1. Mohammad Bilal,
2. Irshad Jhakar
3. Inayat Mahajir,
4. Mistri Bashir and
5. Saddique Arrayian
All are residents of Chak 44, Tehsil Phalyian, Mandi Bahaudin, Punjab.
Date of incident: April 19, 2016
Place of incident: Health Care Centre, Chak 44, Tehsil Phalyian, District Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab Province
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the life threats to the entire Christian community of Chak 44, Mandi Bahaudin, Punjab Province is at risk of being attacked by a charged Muslim mob, which is threatening to set houses belonging to Christians on fire. The fire of hatred that began as a disagreement between two friends has engulfed the entire community, resulting in restlessness and chaos.
I am shocked to know that as according to local news reports, the Muslims have put three conditions before the Christians that convert to Islam if they want to continue living in the village, leave the village forever, or despicably, they have asked them to hand Imran over so they can burn him alive in front of the church. The police have done little to protect the community left at the mercy of a vengeful Muslim mass that has been incited by local clerics who have leveled unsubstantiated allegations of blasphemy.
The information with detail I received is horrible which started with a small misunderstanding between the two friends, one Christian and other Muslim and which converted in to threat of killings of Christian population. The authorities remain silent to observe when the dispute catches
fire and becomes international event.
The detail of the case is that Imran Masih, son of Sharif Masih, resident of Village Chak 44, Tehsil Phalyian, District Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, is a young Christian who is employed at a local Health Care Centre as a Janitor. As he was on good terms with all of us his co-workers, he was invited to attend the wedding ceremony of a colleague’s daughter. At the wedding, on April 16, 2016, Imran recorded a part of the wedding ceremony on his cell phone.
On Monday April 19, 2016, when he went back to work, his colleague asked him to show them the movie clip he recorded; he handed his cell phone to one of his colleagues and left to finish his work. When Imran came back he saw that Bilal, a local Muslim drug store owner, whose store is located adjacent to his workplace, was holding Imran’s phone and showing the provocative lectures of Pastor Sami Samson to other workers standing around him. When Imran asked Mohammad Bilal to return his phone, he refused to give him the mobile phone back. Bilal accused Imran of watching anti-Islamic lectures of Christian Pastors on YouTube.
Imran swore to Bilal and his angry co-workers that he had never browsed Pastor Sami Samson’s lectures, but they refused to let him go. After beating him severely, they locked him in an empty room; luckily Imran had another cell phone hidden in his pocket; he used that phone to call members of his Catholic Church Committee and informed them of his confinement in the Health Centre.
After receiving Imran’s phone call, Aamir Masih and Arif Masih, along with a few other Committee members, went to Imran’s work place to rescue him. They told the senior doctor at the Health Centre that the accusation is baseless as Imran is illiterate. He cannot operate a search engine on the cell phone. After much persuasion, the Committee members were successful in securing Imran’s release. However, three day after the incident, Imran found out that religious scholars from Sarghoda had pronounced a decree against him. He had been pronounced liable to be killed according to the decree. He was advised by his colleagues to escape.
Imran got extremely scared and did not return home that night. The next day Imran’s father Sharif Masih called the Health Centre to inquire about his son. The doctor on duty told him that Imran was not at work. After not receiving a satisfactory answer from the doctor, Sharif Masih took few Church Committee members and went to Imran’s work place, where he was informed that Imran had fled to save his life.
Meanwhile, the news spread about the incident of alleged blasphemy among the Muslims in the surrounding villages and that Imran Masih is liable to death. On April 29, 2016, during the Friday prayer, the local Muslim clerics made announcements on loudspeaker about the Fatwa against Imran Masih. The clerics encouraged the Muslim community to socially boycott all Christian residents of Chak 44. It was decided that no shopkeepers would sell anything to local Christians and that nothing would be purchased from them either.
To add fuel to the fire, a local Muslim businessman named Irshad Jhakar announced a prize of rupees one hundred thousand (USD $10,000) as a reward for the killing of Imran Masih. A few local Muslims (Inayat Mahajir, Mistri Bashir, and Saddique Arrayian) planned to attack Christians and to torch their houses and place of worship. Mohammad Riaz, member of a local committee, encouraging people to kill Imran Masih, as he was said to be liable to death.
The situation took a turn for the worse on May 6, 2016, after Friday prayer, when Muslim clerics called upon Muslim residents of Chak 44. It was alarming situation for Christians. Therefore, one of the local Christians, Aamir Masih, called a police helpline and informed the polie about the tense situation in the Village. According to Aamir Masih, within 20 minutes eight to ten policemen reached the spot dispersed the crowd and took all the Muslim Masjid (mosque) Committee members to one of the local resident Imran Ghuman’s living room.
In a few minutes Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) reached the place along with his police squad. The DSP recorded statements of the Muslim Committee Members. After monitoring the situation for one day, the police left the place as they felt that there was no issue.
According to local Christians, residents of Chak 44, the police never spoke to any of them and never returned to patrol at night. They said up to date 75% of the Christians had fled from the Village; whoever remain fear for their lives; they have no food to eat as the local Muslims refuse to sell them anything. The situation is getting worse with each passing day. The Christians are living in constant fear that their houses may be set on fire by mob if the police does not provide them with round the clock security.
I am depressed to know that the besieged of Christians started almost one month ago but the authorities remain silent spectators as if clerics and goons are serving the Islam. The boycott against Christians in the village continued for a number of days and the Committee formed by the clerics and goons have deputed a few young Muslim men to surveillance Sharif Masih’s house so if Imran is seen they can take hold of him and hand him over to them.
In a latest development, according to local news reports, the Muslims clerics and goons of the area have put three conditions before the Christians, in exchange for a pardon.
They have told them to convert to Islam if they want to continue living in the village, leave the village forever, or despicably, they have asked them to hand Imran over so they can burn him alive in front of the church.
I therefore urge upon you to take serious note of the situation of the Christian community of Chak 44, in Tehsil Phaliyan, Mandi Bahaudin’s who are being cordoned off by the Muslim clerics and their supporters in the area, which actions must be immediately halted.
The government must ensure the security of Imran Masih and his family and for other and provide them alternative safe houses.
The state must proactively work towards encouraging interfaith harmony and prosecute perpetrators of violence in the name of religion without fail or delay.
Yours Sincerely,
……………….
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1.Mr. Mian Nawaz Sharif
Prime Minister
Prime Minister House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 1596
Tel: +92 51 920 6111
E-mail: secretary@cabinet.gov.pk or pspm@pmsectt.gov.pk
2.Federal Minister of Law and Human Rights
Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights
Old US Aid building
Ata Turk Avenue
G-5, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 9204108
Email: contact@molaw.gov.pk
3.Mr. Rafiq Rajwana
Governor of Punjab
Governor House
Mall Road
Lahore, Punjab
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 42 99203044
Email: governor.sectt@punjab.gov.pk
4.Mr. Chief Justice of Punjab Province
Lahore High Court
Shahra-e-Quaid-e-Azam, Lahore
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 42 99212951-66
Fax: +92 42 99212279
Email: webmasterlhc@lhc.gov.pk
5.Mr. Shahbaz Sharif
Chief Minister
Government of Punjab
Province Chief Minister
Secretariat 5-Club Road
GOR-I, Lahore, Punjab
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 42 99205065
Email: cmcomplaintcell@cmpunjab.gov.pk
6.Mr. Justice Tahir Shahbaz
Registrar of the Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 9213452
Email: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk
7.Mr. Rana Sana Ullah Khan
Minister of Law
Government of Punjab
Punjab Secretariat
Ravi Road
Lahore, Punjab
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 42 99212004
E-mail: law@punjab.gov.pk
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
