ASSIST News Service (ANS)
www.assistnews.net
September 12, 2009
Pakistan Church set on fire over blasphemy accusation
SIALKOT, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- Angry Muslim residents of a village in the Punjab province of Pakistan set to fire a Church building on Friday, September 11, 2009, after a Christian boy was accused of desecrating the Muslim holy book, the Quran.
The Church of Pakistan building in Jataykay village near Sambrial, received partial damage as a result of the fire.
ANS has discovered that the problem arose after Robert, the Christian boy accused of blasphemy, allegedly had a love affair with a Muslim girl in the village.
Blasphemy accusations were allegedly slapped on Robert after his fling with the Muslim girl became known. Some fifty Christian families live in the Jataykay village.
Police have arrested the Christian boy but have stopped short from registering blasphemy case against him at the time of writing this report.
Heavy contingents of police arrived in the village on Friday to avert any possible further trouble.
Pir Sabir Shah, a local hardliner Muslim, who aggravated the situation by fomenting religious hatred, has been arrested.
Pakistani Muslim clerics have a reputation of making capital of blasphemy-related issues.
Dr. Nelson Azeem, a Christian member of National Assembly, chaired a National Assembly Standing Committee on Minorities Affair's meeting on Saturday, September 12, to discuss the situation.
ANS has learnt that the Deputy Inspector General of Police, the District Police Officer and the District Coordination Officer, would be dispatched notices from the National Assembly Secretariat Islamabad on Monday with instructions to probe the recent attack on the church.
"A certain militant group seems to be behind the latest attack on a church. The same group appears to be involved in the recent incidents of violence against Christians in Bhamniwala, Korian and Gojra," the Chairman of Pakistan Minorities Teachers Association (PMTA), Professor Anjum James Paul, quoted Dr. Nelson Azeem as saying.
Condemning the attack on the Church, Mr. Anjum called upon Pakistan government to take strict action against the culprits.
He expressed serious concerns on widespread misuse of blasphemy laws, saying that miscreants and extremists are vitiating inter-religious relations between Christians and Muslims.
He termed attacks on Christians and their places of worship as a "disappointment of miscreant and extremist elements."
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
"Minorities Quota in Punjab" published in the Daily Frontier Post
The daily Frontier Post
September 10, 2009
http://www.thefrontierpost.com
Minorities Quota in Punjab
Prof. Anjum James Paul Faisalabad
The Federal Government has already issued five per cent quota for minorities in the civil services of Pakistan but government of Punjab is hesitating to issue the notification in this regard. Pakistan Minorities Teachers’ Association (PMTA) has grave concerns on this issue as there have already been recruitments in different departments ignoring 5% quota for the religious minorities. Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Quaid of Pakistan Muslim League (N) announced 5 % quota on a Christmas programme in December 2008. It is astonishing that in the presence of PML (N) regime in Punjab there has been no implementation of this quota yet which is not a good symbol. Due to this there is utmost disappointment in the minorities’ youth. They are already frustrated due to the recent tragic incidents of Bahminiwala, Korian and Gojra. The Government should make all her efforts to comfort them and issue notification without any further delay. There must be considerations that the minorities may not be deprived of their fundamental right. Punjab government is requested to follow the notification of Federal government. I was assured last week on a telephone call by Mr. Kamran Michael, Minister of Human Rights and Minorities Affairs that notification of 5% quota for minorities will be issued in the next three or four days but there has not been action on it yet.
September 10, 2009
http://www.thefrontierpost.com
Minorities Quota in Punjab
Prof. Anjum James Paul Faisalabad
The Federal Government has already issued five per cent quota for minorities in the civil services of Pakistan but government of Punjab is hesitating to issue the notification in this regard. Pakistan Minorities Teachers’ Association (PMTA) has grave concerns on this issue as there have already been recruitments in different departments ignoring 5% quota for the religious minorities. Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Quaid of Pakistan Muslim League (N) announced 5 % quota on a Christmas programme in December 2008. It is astonishing that in the presence of PML (N) regime in Punjab there has been no implementation of this quota yet which is not a good symbol. Due to this there is utmost disappointment in the minorities’ youth. They are already frustrated due to the recent tragic incidents of Bahminiwala, Korian and Gojra. The Government should make all her efforts to comfort them and issue notification without any further delay. There must be considerations that the minorities may not be deprived of their fundamental right. Punjab government is requested to follow the notification of Federal government. I was assured last week on a telephone call by Mr. Kamran Michael, Minister of Human Rights and Minorities Affairs that notification of 5% quota for minorities will be issued in the next three or four days but there has not been action on it yet.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Christmas program held at Catholic Church Samundri on December 22,2004
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| Professor Firdous Anjum is addressing the audience |
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| Professor Anjum James Paul is addressing the audience |
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| Father Tahir Rauf is addressing the audience |
Burning alive of Christians in Gojra Pakistan on August 1,2009
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| Sister Densilla James Paul HF engaged in the rehabilitation work |
.JPG)
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| Ms. Firdous Anjum is assisting the victims of Gojra incident |
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