Shafique Khokhar

The Sindh High Court has reviewed its judgment and wants to investigate the case. Their rethinking is the result of pressure from public opinion, Christian and Muslim, and the intervention of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, president of the Pakistani People's Party. A law against the marriage of minors, approved in the Senate, is at a standstill in parliament because it is "contrary to Sharia law and Islam". Pakistan ranks sixth in the world for the number of child brides.

The MWF makes some requests to the government, starting with the strict and impartial implementation of the law on the limitation of the marriage of underage girls belonging to religious minorities.

The High Court also ordered that no arrests take place. The girl had been kidnapped, converted to Islam and married to a 44-year-old man, Ali Azhar. The Commission for Justice and Peace in Pakistan also denounces the "many other incidents of this type that are not reported". Forced conversions have become the major tool of persecution against Christians and Hindus.

Demonstrations and protests over the kidnapping of a thirteen-year-old Christian girl by a 44-year-old Muslim who forced her to convert and marry him. The authorities must respect the laws that protect minorities.

No one has yet claimed responsibility for the terrorist act, which is similar to the attack at a local military school six years ago. The authorities are criticised for collusion with extremist groups. The massacre comes as peace talks are underway in Afghanistan between the government and the Taliban.

The 38-year-old Christian was sentenced to death in 2014. A Muslim friend accused him of insulting the Prophet Mohammed as part of an attempt to drive out Christians and take over their land. Activist tells AsiaNews that blasphemy laws are used for vendettas or to settle personal disputes.

He was hit by five bullets on his way home. Two people are suspected; he had had an argument with them over religion. Attacks against Ahmadis, Pakistan’s most discriminated minority, are up. The Ahmadi community calls for justice and protection. Others call for the removal of religious hatred from school textbooks.

The Archbishop organized a press conference which was also attended by religious leaders of different faiths. The Hindus of India are not ready to accept any minority and even the lower caste Hindus are not safe there. A commission should be organized which also includes the United Nations and the Pakistani consulate.

The National Commission for Justice and Peace of the Archdiocese of Karachi yesterday held a rally for Peace and a seminar dedicated to this year’s International Day of Peace. For Fr Saleh Diego, Pakistani society needs “tolerance and courage” to achieve peace.

The 25-year-old was arrested for possession and sale of drugs. In reality, the police want to eliminate him because he witnessed two murders committed by a group of policemen. The perpetrators of the killers also tried to bribe him by offering him a large sum. The Human Rights Focus Pakistan organization is defending it.

Card Coutts gives hope to the poor. As part of the EA-20/2020 emergency project, Caritas Pakistan Karachi handed out 10 shelter tents and plastic sheets to the families most affected by monsoon rain and flooding.

Civil society organisations demand that the government take concrete measures to defend women's rights and against a mindset that blames the victim.