In Faisalabad, two seminars focused on minority protection and social and religious discrimination. Young people need to be heard more in society. Action is needed against custodial torture, extrajudicial murders, and political victimisation.
The young couple are married with an interreligious rite and each maintain their own faith. However, the girl's relatives oppose the marriage and accuse the Christian of kidnapping. The couple is forced to live in a secret location. He faced trial and their marriage was declared legal.
The idea was inspired by the local archbishop’s Advent message to “keep your eyes open for the needs of the poor". The parents and their four-year-old daughter served the guests. The guests also received small gifts. The father is happy “that we are bringing up good Christian kids”.
Huma Younus went missing from her home on 10 October. She was taken 600 km from her home city. Her abjuration was recorded on the same day of her kidnapping. Justice and Peace Commission backs the family’s legal case.
The Archbishop of Karachi urges Catholics to pay attention to the needs of the poor, care for the basic rights of others and work for the prosperity of Pakistan. He calls for vigilance as we “prepare to welcome the mystery of the birth of Jesus.”
The heads of Pakistan’s Senate and National Assembly are behind the initiative. Over the years, several attempts to legislate in the matter have failed. Hundreds of Christian and Hindu girls and young women are abducted, raped, converted and forced to marry their tormentor. For Peter Jacob, conversion to Islam is a pretext.
The Catholic organisation led a peaceful rally in front of the Karachi Press Club. In Kristiansand, Norway, an anti-Muslim group burnt a copy of the Qurʼān. Pakistan’s religious leaders pray for world peace and harmony among faiths.
Gonila Gill is married to Husnain Jamil, a Muslim. Neither the man nor his family ever imposed her conversion to Islam. This is why everyone is persecuted. "I ask the government to protect mixed faith families like ours."
The police witnessed the demolition and did not intervene. The place of Christian worship was built in 2007 and stands on land donated by a Catholic. Muslims dispute the lack of necessary permits. Catechist: "They do not want the church to exist".
Prof. Mohammad Ismail was taken in broad daylight in Peshawar. The daughter Gulalai Ismail is a famous dissident activist, winner of the Anna Politkovskaya Award for campaigns against religious extremism in Pakistan. Man’s abduction is an act of "revenge". Detention "without trial is a violation of human rights".
Amir Masih found a bag containing a Bible and a Koran. He brought the sacred Islamic text to a shopkeeper he knew to prevent it from ending up as rubbish. Police concluded that the Christian man was not involved in the matter and convinced local imams to look for the real culprit.
Speaking before international bodies, Human Right Focus Pakistan president slammed violence done in the name of religion. Two officials visited the group president’s home, telling his wife that the family would face consequences if he did not stop smearing the country’s name. The association has been defending human rights since 1994 and will continue to do so.
Subscribe to the newsletter to receive verified news, analysis and insights from Asian countries every week.
Subscribeto the newsletter
