Category: Pakistan

Petition to Abolish the “Law on Blasphemy”

Christians in Pakistan are working against the controversial law on blasphemy. The Justice and Peace Commission of the Pakistani Bishops’ Conference, has called for the signing of a petition to be presented to the government, calling for an abolition of the law. Specifically speaking, they refer to Articles 295 (b) and (c) and 298 (a), (b), and (c) of the Pakistani Penal Code, which have to do with the laws over blasphemy which are often used against religious minorities like Christians and Ahmadi. The Code condemns “any, who with words or writings, gestures, or visible manifestations, direct or indirect insinuations, insult the sacred name of the Prophet.” The punishment for violating the law is life in prison or the death penalty.

Pakistan

Talibans Terrorize Karachi Christians

There is a fear that Taliban violence will increase, as a result of weakness being shown on the part of the government, police, and civil institutions. The Christian families of the city of Karachi, who suffered attacks from armed members of the Taliban, are terrorized and living locked-up in their own homes. This is what Fr. Mario Rodriguez, Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Pakistan, said in expressing his concern and alarm at the spread of violence of groups of Islamic militants in the country, not only in the Province of the North-West Frontier Province, but also in Pakistan’s largest cities.

Pakistan

Bhutto’s Murder Rekindles Ethnic Suspicions

The assassination of Benazir Bhutto, leader of the powerful Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and twice prime minister, has pushed to the brink a country already known for regionalism and ethnic suspicion. Bhutto was widely acknowledged as the only leader who enjoyed popularity in the four ethnically distinct provinces of the country, Punjab, Baluchistan and the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) besides her own Sindh.

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