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> Advocacy for Christians in Pakistan

Posted On : August 20, 2009 10:59 AM | Posted By : Admin ACO
Related Categories: ACO - NIFCON  Pakistan

ACNS: http://www.aco.org/acns/news.cfm/2009/8/20/ACNS4647

Having listened to the concerns of Christian partners and correspondents
in Pakistan, NIFCON (the Network of Inter Faith Concerns for the
Anglican Communion) is one of the main sponsors of a petition being
drawn up asking the government of Pakistan to repeal the law against
blasphemy. In recent years the threat of this law has often been used in
unjust attacks upon the country's vulnerable Christian minority, and it
seems to have played a part in the recent incident in Gojra which led to
the death of a number of Christians.

The Chair of NIFCON's Management group, the Rt Revd Michael Jackson,
Bishop of Clogher, Ireland, who accompanied the Archbishop of Canterbury
on a visit to Pakistan in November 2005, commented: 'The advocacy of
structural change by people internationally signals an awareness of the
seriousness of injustice locally. It also expresses a personal
solidarity with those who suffer and recognizes publicly that their cry
is heard. I am glad to invite people of good will, especially Anglicans,
from all over the world to add their voices in support of our Christian
brothers and sisters in Pakistan.'

The petition is also supported by a number of leading Muslims, in
particular Dr Musharraf Hussein, of the Christian-Muslim Forum based in
England.

> The petition can be accessed here:
> http://pakistansignnow.petitionhost.com/

It is in the form of an open letter to the government and people of
Pakistan and states:

> Safety and respect for Christians in Pakistan

In the past weeks a number of Christians in Pakistan have been murdered
by violent mobs stirred up by extremists as part of a pattern of
violence that has been intensifying in recent years.

These killings have been very widely condemned by Christian and Muslim
religious leaders around the world and by the Government of Pakistan as
well as by many others.

The attacks have frequently been associated with false accusations of
blasphemy or desecration of the Qur'an which have been used to stir up
mob violence. The law on blasphemy has provided a ready excuse for those
who are motivated to use it for their own ends

The attacks on Christians, and on occasions also on Muslims, facilitated
as they are by the law on blasphemy, are very damaging to the reputation
of Pakistan and indeed to the reputation of Muslims which we wish to see
restored. Indeed we are convinced that living together peacefully for
the good of humanity is the heartfelt desire of people of faith.

We who sign this letter - Christians, Muslims and people of other
religions or none - from many countries including Pakistan, call upon
the political and religious leadership of Pakistan to unite in
condemning these attacks and murders in the strongest terms as an evil
and a crime.

We urge the Government of Pakistan to take all necessary measures to
restore confidence in the police and judiciary by ensuring that those at
risk from violence stirred up by extremists are fully protected.

We also urge Parliamentarians and democratic politicians to act
decisively to prevent any misuse of the present law to victimise
minorities. Muslims and Christians alike are urging the repeal of this
ill-advised law and particularly its sections 295 B and 295C, and its
replacement with legislation agreed by the consensus of all faiths which
will prevent incitement to religious hatred and the defaming of the
prophets and founders of the different faiths.

We commit ourselves to continue to work together for justice, peace and
reconciliation in our own communities.

The Rt Revd Michael Jackson

Chair, Network for Inter Faith Concerns of the Anglican Communion

Dr Musharraf Hussain

Chair, national Christian-Muslim Forum of England

For more information about the work of NIFCON contact Clare Amos,
Director of Theological Studies, at clare.amos@anglicancommunion.org or
Suminder Duggal, NIFCON Administrator at
suminder.duggal@anglicancommunion.org

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