Killing of Rashid Emmanuel and Sajid Masih after blasphemy allegation in Faisalabad condemned, long term solution to abuse of blasphemy laws demanded. NCJP

Lahore, Pakistan: July 19, 2010, (PCTV Newsdesk)

Killing of Rashid Emmanuel and Sajid Masih after blasphemy allegation in Faisalabad condemned, long term solution to abuse of blasphemy laws demanded. NCJP

According to the local source two Christian accused Rashid and Sajid were attacked by fire arm on July 19, 2010 when they were coming out from a court in Faisalabad. The unidentified assailant reportedly fled the scene after injuring them fatally. A policeman Mohammad Hussain was also injured in his leg by firing. The accused were in custody for about two week allegedly after their names and pone numbers were found on a hand written pamphlet (photocopy) containing derogatory remarks. The pamphlet was supposedly distributed among commuters at a bus stop in Faisalabad on July 4^th, 2010.

National Commission for Justice and Peace, a human rights body of the Catholic Church has strongly condemned the killing of two Christian young men. According to the statistics collected by NCJP 35 Christians and Muslims have been killed extra judicially in connection with allegations involving blasphemy since 1992 moreover since 1987 at least 1035 men and women including Muslims, Ahmadis, Christians and Hindus have been accused though none of the allegations sustained or sentence was held by the higher judiciary of the country.

False allegations were used to loot and burn properties belonging to Christians in Shantinagar (1997) Sangla Hill (2005) Qasur, Korian, Gojra and Sialkot (2009) set dozens of Churches on fire and seven Christians were burnt alive (at Gojra in 2009).

Fr. Emmanuel Yousaf and Peter Jacob, the Director and Executive Secretary of NCJP said that the Christian community in Pakistan is deeply concerned over the apathy on part of the government about the abuse of blasphemy laws. The office bearers of the Commission demanded an immediate action to deal with situation. Besides punishing the people taking law into their hand by promoting religious hatred and killing innocent citizens, the government should immediately conduct a thorough review of the blasphemy laws and repeal them on account of their known disastrous effects on the society.

Peter Jacob