Washington DC: December 17, 2010. (PCP) Dr. Nazir S Bhatti, President of Pakistan Christian Congress PCC said that it is not my Pakistan nor Pakistan of Mohammad Ali Jinnah but hijacked Pakistan by radical Muslim and undercover socialist Zulifiqar Ali Bhutto, Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party PPP who changed ideology of Pakistan and turned it into Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1973. He said that ZA Bhutto and his PPP set foundation of religious apartheid with 4th Amendment in constitution declaring Ahmadi community non-Muslims and paved way for Islamization of Pakistan. Nazir S Bhatti also demanded release of Asia Bibi and repeal of blasphemy law while speaking in a conference organized by Voice of The Copts to mark International Human Rights Day celebrations on December 16, 2010, at SVC Room Number 209-8, at Capital Hill, Washington DC.
Nazir Bhatti said that Benazir Bhutto had true sympathies with religious minorities and attempted to pull Christians in mainstream back but anti-Pakistan elements martyred her. Benazir Bhutto, promised enlightened Islam in Pakistan with International community in same Capital Hill building before returning to Pakistan after long exile during Parvez Musharraf regime.
Nazir Bhatti said “It is not that Pakistan for which All India Christian Association voted in Round Table Conferences in London in 1930-32, and it is not that Punjab which fell in lot of Pakistan on vote of Christians before Boundary Commission because 99% cases of blasphemy against Christians are registered in Punjab”
Nazir Bhatti presented details of case against Asia Bibi and condemned Lahore High Court orders to bar President of Pakistan to pardon death sentence of Christian mother, who was falsely implicated in blasphemy case.
“There is never an uproar by Islamic religious leaders when terrorists and corrupt Muslim leaders and officials are set free but protests against Asia Bibi are to pressurize higher courts” added Nazir Bhatti
Nazir Bhatti clarified that Christians were part of Pakistan Movement when Jamiat Ulma-e-Islam and Jamat Islami were against formation of Pakistan.
Sara N. Stern, Founder President EMET, delivered speech on “Iran the Right to Stone Women”, Kenneth Timmerman, a journalist, political writer and executive director of the Foundation of Democracy in Iran talked about situation of Christians in Iraq.
Dr. Ashraf Ramelah, Founder of Voice of The Copts, in his opening speech presented situation of Christians in Egypt and expressed concerns on not permitting construction of Churches by Mubarak regime. He also criticized permission of Mosque near Ground Zero in New York.
Pamela Geller, Editor and publisher of Atlas Shrugs and Executive Director of FDI, SIOA, warned America on influence of Islamic elements and conspiracy of Islamization of United States.
Tawfik Hamid, author of inside Jihad: Understanding and Confronting Radical Islam stressed need of democracy in the Middle East.
Faith MacDonnell, Director of Religious Liberty Program at the Institute on Religion and Democracy in DC, talked about Human Rights in the Middle East and her 14 years experience in advocacy.
Jordan Sekulow, Director of Policy and International Operation, spoke about defending the persecuted and legal assistance to persecuted Christians in Pakistan, Iraq, Palestine and Egypt and plight of ACLJ in defense of Christian Minorities.
Robert Spencer, a prominent scholar, Director of Jihad Watch and author of The Truth About Muhammad, lectured on Islamic Sharia and Islam.
Ali Aymai, Director of Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia revealed that Saudi have funded 100 million dollars for construction of Ground Zero mosque. He presented situation of human rights under the Saudi-Wahabi rule.
Full contents of speech of Nazir Bhatti:
I was born and raised as a Christian in that “Pakistan” a land of beautiful high mountains, green valleys, five rivers, meadows, plains, deserts where worshipers filled Mosques, Cathedrals, Temples, Gurdwaras and Shrines presenting a model tolerant society. The Christians voted for formations of that country in Roundtable Conference in London in 1930-1932, and played positive role in Pakistan Movement. The All India Christian Association leaders SP Singha and Ralia Ram voted in favor of All India Muslim League to divide Punjab before Boundary Commission. If Christians had not voted in favor of Muslims, the Punjab province would have not fallen in lot of Pakistan. The Christians won four seats in first legislative assembly of Pakistan when house was of 48 seats in 1948. The Christians had equal basic democratic rights in constitutions adopted in 1956 and 1962, which were “Constitution of Pakistan”. The Christians had 5% job quota in government and semi-government departments and enjoyed monopoly in education and health departments. There were “Christ The King” processions on roads, there were peace religious processions of “Muharram” of Shias in cities, there were celebrations of “Diwali” festivals, there were large gatherings in Shrines, there were open sittings of poets, there were dialogues among intellectuals, there were loud recitations of Quran, there were “Eid Milan” parties, there were “Christmas Dinners” and there were Qualis of Sufi poets which were equally enjoyed by Muslims, Hindus, Christians and Sikhs. There were Christian Air Vice Marshals, Generals, Ambassadors, Secretaries, District Inspector General of Police, Justices and Chairman of Corporations
Is it same Pakistan? Where Christian women are abducted, gang raped, enforcedly converted to become mistresses of Muslims, Where Christian homes are attacked and destroyed, Where Churches are vandalized and Holy Bibles are desecrated, Where Pastors are gunned down, Where Christian worshipers are martyred with hand grenades, Where bullets are sprayed on innocent Christians, Where Muslim mob turns violent against Christians on pretext to blasphemy and Where Christians are burnt alive but culprits walk free. No, it is not that Pakistan!!!! Which meant “Pure” It is not that Punjab which we secured as part of Pakistan.
The Christmas is on head but Asia Bibi who is in Sheikhupura jail, in Punjab province of Pakistan, will not be with her children and husband to welcome carol parties in her home, will not be able to participate in mid-night services nor will say “Merry Christmas” to her friends and relatives but she will be scared in her jail cell. Asia Bibi, a Christian mother of five, was sentenced to death on accusation of blasphemy law Section 295 B and C PPC on November 8, 2010.
According to fact finding mission of PCC, Asia Bibi had some argument with her Muslim neighbor woman on her goat entering their home. After a week, when Asia Bibi was working in farm with Muslim women, on touching drinking water container, her neighbor raised objection that touching water by infidel Christian Asia Bibi, water has turn polluted. Asia Bibi said “Christianity is religion of God also” on which Muslim woman shouted that she have defiled Islam by comparing Christianity with Islam and attacked her. Asia Bibi ran to her home but Muslim women and men working on farms followed her, dragged her out of home and tortured her and her children. Some one called police who took Asia Bibi to Saddar Police Station to safe her life but after two days First Information Report FIR was lodged against her under Section 295 B and C PPC, on complain of local mosque Imam on June 19, 2009. She is waiting for her appeal against death sentence in Lahore High Court.
The President of Pakistan is empowered to pardon any sentence under Article: 45 of Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan of 1973, ‘The President shall have power to grant pardon, reprieve and respite, and to remit, suspend or commute any sentence passed by any court, tribunal or other authority” The clemency appeal was submitted by Asia Bibi to President of Pakistan but fundamental religious groups and Islamic political parties in Pakistan launched campaigns against pardon to blasphemer. The one Islamic cleric in Peshawar announced reward of half a million Pakistani Rupees for any one who will kill Asia Bibi which have created potential threat to her life. The Islamic political parties have staged a massive rally in Islamabad and other major cities of Pakistan to pressure higher court to maintain death sentence of Christian woman.
We must remember Ruqqyia Bibi also in our prayers who is in Multan jail of Punjab province, sentence to 25 years imprisonment on touching Holy Quran with unwashed hands during her housemaid job in home of influential Muslim in district Kasur.
We have grave concern on safety of life of Asia Bibi in jail because on November 18, 2010, Latif Masih aged 22, was granted bail after five months of imprisonment for "blasphemy" for allegedly burning pages of the Qur'an, was shot dead in Punjab. The Islamic extremists are taking law in their hands and murdering Christians falsely accused in blasphemy in broad day light to win heaven for them. It is on record that radical elements gunned downed Pastor Emmanuel and his brother Sajjid in compound of District Courts Faisalabad, when brought in police escort for hearing in blasphemy case on July 19, 2010. On July 30, 2009, hundreds of members of banned Muslim organizations, torched Christian homes and burned alive seven Christian women and children in Gojra City in Punjab province of Pakistan. The Muslim mob set on fire hundreds of homes and vandalized Churches in village Korian Bahminwali in Punjab on pretext to blasphemy. On September 16, 2009, Robert Danish, a Christian youth was killed in Sialkot Central Jail in a security cell waiting for trial in a blasphemy case.
Moreover, the Islamic militants gunned down Justice Arif Iqbal Hussain Bhatti of Lahore High Court on October 19, 1997, in his office on acquitting two people who were accused of blasphemy.
On June 5, 1994, a blasphemy accused Manzoor Masih died on the spot in front of Lahore High Court when Islamic elements attacked him. It is also for record that Bantu Masih, 80, and Mukhtar Masih, 50, were arrested on the allegation of committing blasphemy and stabbed to death in Police Station in city of Lahore. Tahir Iqbal facing sentence in blasphemy was killed in Lahore District Jail on July 7, 1991. A Christian teacher Niamat Ahmar was also killed by Islamic extremists on accusation of blasphemy law.
It must be noted that Christians have been acquitted from higher courts but complainants in blasphemy cases were never booked and punished by authorities under Section 153 A of PPC, on filing false complains, when Section 153 A PPC reads as “by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representations or otherwise, promotes or incites, or attempts to promote or incite, on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste or community or any other ground whatsoever, disharmony or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities” shall be fined and punished with imprisonment for a term that may extend to five years.
The ideology of My Pakistan was changed, when a so-called socialist ZA Bhutto, Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party PPP, and first civilian Martial Law Administrator, legislated constitution of “Islamic Republic of Pakistan” in 1973. He nationalized our missionary schools, colleges and hospitals and opened fire on peaceful protest procession of Christians in Rawalpindi against nationalization, killing James Masih and Nawaz Masih, our first martyrs. He introduced Objective Resolution as Preamble of constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, promising Sharia law in Pakistan within next 20 years. Late ZA Bhutto, made 4th Amendment in Constitution declaring Ahmadi Muslim to be non-Muslim but he turned religious minorities to be second class citizens with legislation of Article 2, saying “Islam shall be the State religion of Pakistan”
He blocked entry of minority individuals on commanding ranks in Pakistan Armed Forces and on key posts in all other establishments through executive orders. He imposed Joint Electorate System for minorities on six seats reserved for Christians to select persons of his own choice in National Assembly of Pakistan, instead of Christians elections on franchise vote.
Military dictator, General Zia-ul-Haq, issued Presidential Ordinances to introduce Islamic laws, like Haddod Ordinance, Law of Evidence and Compensation and Section 302 which became part of constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan with 8th Amendment in 1986. The blasphemy law which was inherited by Indian Act of 1935, under Section 298, subject to three months imprisonment and fine was added with Section 295 B PPC. Under Section 295 C PPC, any person guilty of defiling the name of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has made liable to suffer life imprisonment or death. Later, in 1991, instead of life imprisonment, capital punishment was inducted under the direction of the Federal Shariat Court of Pakistan.
When we celebrate Universal Human Rights Day, we reaffirm our confidence in equal rights for human beings around world irrespective of religion, color or creed. I must submit on this occasion that Islamic Republic of Pakistan is signatory of Declaration of Universal Human Rights doctrine being a member state of United Nations but fails to guarantee equal basic democratic rights under UDHR to religious minorities in its territory.
Who will voice for voiceless Pakistani Christians?
Pakistani Christians are 13% of population of Pakistan but denied due share in power and resources of Federation of Pakistan. For instance, Christians had 4 seats in first legislative Assembly of Pakistan when House was of 48 seats in 1947. It must be noteworthy that in national general elections of 2008, there are 342 total seats in National Assembly of Pakistan but Christians seats are still 4.
There is selection on Christian seats under imposed Joint Electorate system: Muslim political groups select Christian parliamentarians on 4 reserved seats who speak on their masters voice, if they were elected by votes, they might have raised voice for Asia Bibi and other victims of blasphemy law. We urge International community to press upon government of Pakistan to allocate Election instead of Selection on Christian reserved seats and to make our representation proportional to our population. Then our elected representatives will fearlessly speak for Christians and become voice for voiceless.
On this Day, marking Declaration of Universal Human Right Day celebration, we Pakistani Christian appeal to US administration to press upon government of Pakistan to repeal controversial blasphemy law which is being used against religious minorities to settle business rivalries and personal petty disputes.
We also appeal US administration to condition aid to Pakistan with religious freedom and human rights that every citizen of Pakistan may enjoy equal basic democratic and human rights.
We invite attention of UN General Assembly member states and their representatives in United Nations Human Right Council UNHRC to re-consider their stance on “Defamation of Religion” resolution, presented by Pakistan on behalf of OIC, prepared by Egypt and seconded by USA, in present situation of religious minorities in Islamic states because Pakistan wants to globalize Blasphemy law.
