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Let Rimsha live the life girls her age do
This is also my country. And it is of other minorities also, all of whom love this country as much as you.
The writer is an associate producer at Geo TV
I came back from the US on June 15, 2012 after spending a year there upon getting selected on a US State Department-funded Hubert H Humphrey Fellowship. I was blessed enough to represent my country in such a prestigious programme, both as a female journalist and as a Christian from Pakistan.
I still recall my first presentation at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications in Phoenix, Arizona, where I quoted an excerpt from Jinnah’s famous-but-censored speech of August 11, 1947: “You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place or worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the State.”
After my presentation, several of the listeners asked me about the condition of minorities living in Pakistan and I remember telling them that in Pakistan the minorities lived far better lives than minorities in India. I never introduced myself to anyone as a Christian but as a Pakistani unless someone asked me about my last name. I did this because I believe that my first identity is Pakistani. Not only that, I wrote a research paper at the University of California-Davis about the positive aspects of Pakistan.
On the way back, at Manchester Airport, waiting for my flight to Pakistan, I met other Pakistanis, all of whom asked me why I was returning to Pakistan. My answer to them was that I had made a commitment to implement what I had learned during the Humphrey fellowship. I told them that at my university, I was the only Christian girl in my class and the way my class-fellows would wish me on Christmas and Easter is still a sweet memory. They never made me feel that I was different from them as far as personal religious beliefs were concerned.
But something has happened, that has now compelled me to think that, is my Pakistan — the one I have been living in for years — vanishing? The arrest of 11-year-old Rimsha Masih on a charge of blasphemy is forcing me to reconsider my notions about my Pakistan. Reports claim that the girl has Down’s Syndrome although there are divergent views on this. But let’s suppose that even if the girl is not suffering from this disease, how can one justify keeping her in prison, especially when the charge against her could well be concocted?
Without going further into Rimsha’s case specifically, I am now forced to think about my own predicament. What if, one day, me and other Christians also become victims of blasphemy — just because someone doesn’t like our faces, or something like that? Isn’t it an easy way of getting rid of a person who is from a minority community? By spreading hatred against them based on an allegation that they committed an act of blasphemy? Because when that happens, it takes no time for a mob to gather, block a road and demand that the alleged blasphemer be arrested, or handed over to the mob!
So I have come to the conclusion — and it is this: this is not the Pakistan I have lived in for years and certainly this is not the Pakistan I told my foreign and American friends about during my recent stay in America. This is not the Pakistan that made me return from my US fellowship. This is not the Pakistan where minorities are treated in a positive manner; even children are being held in prison, for actions that they possibly cannot comprehend.
My Muslim brothers and sisters, please let Pakistan retain its original image in my mind. This is also my country. And it is of other minorities also, all of whom love this country as much as you.
Please let Rimsha live the life girls her age do.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 29th, 2012.
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Reader Comments (97)
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@ Author
“in Pakistan the minorities lived far better lives than minorities in India”
In your heart of hearts, you know that is not true is’nt it? You can bash India all you want, to endear yourself to your Sunni Muslim compatriots but at the end of the day you are a Christian … and when the mobs come for you… that is all that will matter.
Good luck.Recommend
Wish you hadn’t dragged India into this, but I feel your pain for Rimsha and thank you for your heartfelt appeal.
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Welcome back to real world. I’m glad you finally woke up and smelled the coffee.
Please see if they can extend you fellowship in US. If not, please apply for one in India and see how minorities are faring there before making such absurd statements, which actually hurt minorities in Pakistan as Pakistani Sunnis would really start believing they are ‘treating’ minorities well.Recommend
Having grown up with a lot a of Christen friends, I can tell for sure they are very decent and peace loving people who are as patriotic as any Muslim would be for Pak (just to clear the point, no differentiation intended). Its an extreme embarrassment that they are being subjected to prosecution like this.
If this continuous, I see a very bleak future for my country..
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“I remember telling them that in Pakistan the minorities lived far better lives than minorities in India.” Really?
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@ Lubna Thomas Benjamin
I am very angry and sad after reading your commentary.
Angry- because you claim that minorities in Pakistan are better looked after than India. It is a blatant lie. You want to be goody-goody with your Muslim friends. Christians and Muslims in India are thriving. In-fact most Christians benefit from reservations in Jobs and Schools and get paid a lot of money as scholarship. Hindu kids dont get these benefits.
Sad- at the real plight of Christians in Pakistan. Like Rimsha for example. So it is doubtful if the cir ever committed that so called sin.
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“Let Rimsha live the life the girls her age do”
How come it is possible when people (Adults) are mad and inhumane.. Every religion preaches PEACE among the human beings.. But what the moulvees are doing in contrary to that is disgusting and shameful..
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Thanks to Zia …. and lack of education and just common sense I presume. These Mullahs are saviours of the religion! The will settle property disputed, personal enmity and I hope Lubna all this ends …. before someone accuses you without proof and grab your property by force! Jinnah must be turning in his grave today with all the injustice we have been doing to our minorities!
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this all goes back to CJP.
let one of such mobs be hanged and let people see that. this nation doesn’t understand the words of love
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@Author : Listen i appreciate your efforts but No one has right to act worst especially when it comes to a Religion and it`s rules. Rimsha cross all the marks by putting Noorani Qaida on fire.I am certainly amazed to think that a girl of 13 or 14 is enveloped with, fire which was burning around her core for Muslims.
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Why reading this article doesn’t make me empathize with the plight of minorities in Pakistan? The author seems to be more interested to show of her love and loyalty to Pakistan. Did she not feel the pain of minorities earlier before this incident when Ahmadies were persecuted, when Hindu girls were abducted and forcibly converted when Shia’s were taken out of buses and summarily shot. She feels only when a Christian Girl is tormented otherwise she was very happy that minorities in Pakistan were much better of than minorities in India. What a sweeping statement to make. She probably thought that the Americans were insane to believe such a baloney?Recommend
I will tell you a truth. Minorities in India are in a far better state compared to Pakistan. They can become President , Prime minister and can occupy higher posts. There are so many programs being run by govt. for welfare of minorities.
I am , although , surprised at the fact that you have not uttered a single word about other minorities like Hindus , Sikhs , Hazaras , Ahemedis ,Shias etc. This shows the bias of your mindset as you yourself are a christian. Can you specify , why population of Hindus has gone down to less than 1% from 15% in 1947 ? I will say that you had closed your eyes and ears when all this other incidences were happening like abduction , forced conversions , rape of other minorities.
I hope you will come with a better excuse next time.
In reality , since last 20 yrs or so from the time of Zia ul Haq , the degradation of mindset of majority has started and now it has come with so much power that no body is able to control it. You will have to admit that the mindset and thinking of majority has rusted completely.
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If she is really interested & keen the live the life of her age, then she is supposed to do things that the girls of her age are supposed to do; having fun, playing with dolls but NEVER ever let herself indulge in something as heinous as being a blasphemic. If she is that much insane so to speak, why on earth she didn’t mess up with Hindus or her Christian counterparts for that matter? Why every insane person always ends up being involved in blasphemy???Recommend
The current situation of minorities in Pakistan is not only difficult for the minorities themselves but it is also frustrating for many of the majority who understand that this is unfair treatment in the name of religion. Many people in Pakistan dont understand that the white part of our flag is there for a reason, it signifies minorities. Minorities who were promised equal rights and opportunities at the time of partition. Now we have not only turned from that promise but we have become excessively intolerant towards our minorities. We shouldn’t forget there was a time when we were in their place before 1947.
I ask a question from supporters of blasphemy law. How would you feel if your 11 year old son or daughter was jailed on charges of showing disrespect towards the Bible? Would you want them to be treated the same way that rimsha has been treated? Because law should be equal for all citizens of the state, right?
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Well said ,Bravo for such thoughts ..Recommend
Many Pakistanis dont know how to deal with this menace of growing extremism. In the absence of laws and good leaders the extremist elements feels obligated (wrongly) to sermonize and push their notion of piety (read extremism) on others. Sadly, the minorities get the worst treatment because their tormentors/ accusers believe that their faith is under threat and that by dealing with the minorities in such a harsh manner would win them favours with the Lord. Coming out and saying that it is not the right way to treat minorities will put you at odds with the Molvi sahib and automatically turns you into a pariah/ infidel worthy of the same fate that is planned for the minorities. Madrassas must be shut down immediately by the government if the state of Pakistan is to be salvaged.Recommend
Ones upon a time all lived well in Pakistan.The Majorities and also the Minorities .Now we all are suffering collectively as Pakistani ..If Little Rimsha is in trouble due to extreemism so is Little Gul Bano In Waziristan and Little Shazia in Lahore and Little Mahnoor in Azad and Occupied Kashmir . …The list goes on and on ..God has forsaken us because we are not sharing Gods Love ..Sad Sad Sad…Recommend
“in Pakistan the minorities lived far better lives than minorities in India”.
What is the basis for this absurd statement? In India people from minority communities have held the top civil positions including presidency. The bollywood is dominated by Khans. There is no discrimination in any govt or private jobs based on one’s religion. Sania Mirza is a national celebrity as is Sachin Tendulkar. Eid is a national holiday as is Deewali. What else one needs as proof that minorities live as good a life as majority community. The main reason muslims have not been able to make rapid progress in education, sports and other fields is that they are restrained by their own religion and beliefs rather than by the society.
The author has obviously not learnt from what’s happening to Ahmadis, Hindus and other minorities in Pakistan.Recommend
Mam,
It would have been great if you could provide
data to substantiate your assertion that minorities
in India are doing worse than the minorities in Land of pure.
Manmohan Singh is a Sikh and is PM :)
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Iqbal said “Sitaron se aage jahan aur bhi hain ” my Indian and Pakistani brothers for God sake think big . Stop feeling happy that your neighbor is last even though you are second last.Let anyone take GOLD SILVER and BRONZE i am happy that we beat Pakistan.” I remember telling them that in Pakistan the minorities lived far better lives than minorities in India” what a childish statement to make.Let us start competing with USA , UK, Europe, Japan & Singapore and not with each other think BIG
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How can you make a statement like minorities are living a better life in Pakistan than in India. Have you done any research on it?
In pakistan, a minority can’t be a president or prime minister. In India almost all the major political positions like president, vice president, chief justice, chief election officer are taken by minorities.
We have “real” freedom of religion and we don’t discriminate between any group (even Ahmadis are considered Muslim and not persecuted). The constitution of India is secular and gives equal opportunities to every group. There are no forced conversion through abduction of girls, no target killing of certain groups. How can you even make a comparison! There are lapses but we are working on it but our direction is correct.
But pakistan is in reverse gear. Look at the population of minorities! Its dwindling.. There are no laws which protect minorities from forced conversion, land grabbing. Hindus/Christians of Pakistan are migrating to other countries including India.
I agree with your conclusion~
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I am amazed how terrorists/criminals, skilled in deception, are often given protection and amnesty by the state or legislation but an 11 year old underprivileged girl is being persecuted for something she is totally oblivious of. A child of any religion/philosophical/political/cultural background can’t defame or offend any sacred writings, which are safeguarded by the Almighty himself. He has given the rights of children in our hands, we just can’t abuse this divine task by satisfying the hunger of a delusional mob
She should be only thinking about school, friends, fairy tales, cartoons, toys, dolls, cupcakes, cookies, education, dreams and future. Not being tormented in a confinement in impoverished conditions.
I want you to picture that the little girl is your daughter! She can be anyone, from any cast, creed or religion.
Please show your support for Ramisha Masih (The 11 Year Old Christian Girl Jailed for alleged Blasphemy) and for a Reform in Pakistan’s Blasphemy Laws. She is the future of Pakistan, don’t let it get tarnished by bigotry and iniquity. Let’s make the world Prejudice & Discrimination Free.Recommend
Rimsha and you both are as proudy Pakistanis as any other citizen, this is not my statement, this is what the Great Quaid said himself.
This is happening because fanatic moon-soon has struck the country temporarily and the Govt unfortunately surrendered to a few fanatics . (see the case of Mumtaz Qadri and the Coward retreat of the Govt)
I will not give you a list of arguments in support of my above statement but just see how much are opposing and condemning the arrest of Rimsha. The people who came out in support of her arrest were merely a hundred or so. But again one terrorist can make the whole city terrorize.
In short it is the so called liberal and secular PPP that is unfortunately miserably failed to implement writ of the government.
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Girls of her age do not go into the house of people looking for sacred books to burn.
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Concept of nation is abstract and perceptions drive reality, I consider myself fortunate enough to be born and raised in a much better time when religion had no significance when it came to matters of friendship, education, professional development and social settings. Regretfully, those memories are now part of a fantasy island, the country Jinnah helped creating has been hijacked by the same people who opposed its creation i.e., the religious fanatics. The case of a minor girl who comes from the poorest of the poor, a minority member and to top it off has no reading writing skills has been falsely accused of blasphemy and imprisoned in the worst prison of Pakistan. Do we know where we are today? Leave alone Muslims, this is totally inhuman society. For those who believe so strongly about blasphemy and are willing to lynch a minor girl, read the holy book for a change, it details how Allah destroyed the arrogant.Recommend
What evidence did you present?Killing of Salman taseer,Minister Bhatti,Rinkel Kumari?
Try to learn to tell unpleasanttruth.that is what journalsim is about.
And understand this,greetings for easter and christmas is far far removed from actual discrimination that is built into pakistan constitution and in the heart of silent majority who donot protest.Recommend
ET don’t censor my comments…………..
These pakistanis drag India to eveything..what do u know about India.U r country was made in the name of religion…………U r not Indians compare u self to Arabs………..spare us………….MUSLIMS IN india 8% at the time of Partition have grown to 20% now..
My fellow INDIANs they mention India to get maximum comments hence advertising…….The media behaves as if they are holy saints…………..Recommend
can the author provide basis of her vague comments on INDIA?Recommend
@ the author: As a Pakistani Christian I want to ask you, have you been to India. As a journalist I want to ask you, how can you make such a discriminating comment? As a Christian Pakistani and a journalist I want to say… you need to know what you are writing.
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@Mohammad Ali Gaad ” No one has right to act worst especially when it comes to a Religion and it`s rules. Rimsha cross all the marks by putting Noorani Qaida on fire.I am certainly amazed to think that a girl of 13 or 14 is enveloped with, fire which was burning around her core for Muslims. “
Were you there when it happened, Did you see her “do it” ? Maybe you are best candidate to execute this girl. A place in heaven in this life, and in many other lives are guaranteed for you.
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*”I remember telling them that in Pakistan the minorities lived far better lives than minorities in India.”*
Lubna, what is happening to Rimsha Masih now is the same as what happened to Aasia Bibi in 2009 and Shahbaz Bhatti in 2011. So for your statement that Pakistan you left 1 year ago is different from the one you returned to in June 2012 just beggars belief.
Long before these cases of blasphemy against Christians took the spotlight, there was the persecution of Ahmadis (since at least 1970s) and Hindus (since Partition). Perhaps they never bothered you as a Christian. You have never been to India or dealt first hand with its minorities. But based on your ‘insight’ from Pakistan Studies textbook you chose to make this statement which had no basis in fact and which no one believes.
This article disappoints for its lack of authenticity.Recommend
What a contrast; the quiet, calm and dignified views, indeed patriotism for Pakistan, of Lubna Benjamin and the horrid, sneering, closed-mind maulvi types who are now in the ascendancy in Pakistan. We Muslims of our country can learn so much from the Christians, yes also of our country; that we refuse to do so is one of the many tragedies of Pakistan.
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I don’t want to debate your comment “Minorities are better in Pakistan than India”
But I do want to discuss on the fact that you feel insecure suddenly as a minority in your country. Either the situation was already bad when you left for US and you were living within a bubble as the change can’t be so drastic that you have to eat your words within a year. Else there is not much wrong in Pakistan and the incident covered in your article is a discrete one and can be ignored and more or less minorities are really taken good care.Recommend
@Author
I dont know whether you’ve inserted that line to get more comments..But just small one advice
If someone asks “Are minorities treated well in your country?”
The expected answer should be either “Yes” or “No”,not comparing it with the neighboring country.
What you’re saying is like when your father asked your exam result,you say “I failed,but still I got more marks than my neighbor”
I know you apologist would point out the decade old Gujarat riots or the 2 decade old burning of Australian missionary or the 2 decade old demolition of the unused mosque for which there is a huge security issue every December 6th..
I never said that my country is an utopia..We have issues,but we are trying to resolve it peacefully and I’m happy that my country is going in the forward direction.
But please remember,your country cannot excel unless it removes the comparison with India…
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@Author: I have not commented regarding Rimsha earlier on ET and the reason for that is I feel hypocritical talking about a juvenile Christian girl when Ahmedis, Shias and Hindus are suffering much worse and losing their lives either through marriage or death.
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Since you mentioned India, I would urge you to come here and see for yourself. India has a vibrant Christian community and we are part and parcel of the Indian mainstream. In all my life, I have not faced discrimination even once in India. Catholics are well educated and above average economically. We can go to church for mass any day of the week and sing songs to our heart’s content. From Christmas to New Year, all Indians especially those in cities are in a celebratory mood. You may have seen the bonhomie between Indians of different faiths in Bollywood movies and trust me, most of it is real. Even a tiny community like the Parsis consider themselves part of the Indian mainstream. Indians do not care about somebody else’s faith but do frown on those who wear their religion on their sleeve.
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Regarding this article,I feel you would have achieved the same result even if you did not mention India.Recommend
@ Author: As a Pakistani Christian I would like to know how come you never felt this pain before when Asia Bibi was falsely accused for committing blasphemy, when so many other minority members were charged under this law, when young girls from Christian back ground were abducted raped and forcilby converted to Islam. Have you been hibernating somewhere, only when you came back after a year from the USA you realised this. Since the introdution of 295-B and C things have gone from worse to worst for minorities and you woke up now. It’s people like you who want to say that minorities have equal rights because you got to get a good job so every one is happy look around you minorities are suffering….as for
@ Pappu Shah and @ Mohammad Ali Gaad people like you are sick minded who don’t know what is sane and insane for you she did bad (even thoug she didn’t) by burning a Qaida which is not even Quran, how come you think she had haterad in such age but your Dr. Afia Siddiqui didn’t as an adult and you claim she is a handicapped woman….grow up and realize the reality…minorities cannot do such act…if it is true than how come there are more cases of blasphemy against Muslims… Recommend
“I remember telling them that in Pakistan the minorities lived far better lives than minorities in India.”
Joke of the century.Recommend
@author::Sorry Lubna I feel very unfortunate when I see that I have no words of solace for you.Despite the fact that I understand your feelings very well,all I can say is that I am sorry for what has happened and hope that things will take a turn for the better.The other day I saw on TV a press conference being held by Ulemas to discuss about the matter in question,I wished then that the meeting were held to eradicate evils that have been destroying our social fabric and the poor girl were set free.My sympathies are with the little girl-Particularly if she suffers from down syndrome-and her family membersRecommend
Sonia Gandhi is a practising Catholic ………………
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So everything a year ago was all going according to Quaid’s Aug 11 speech? The Ahmedi ‘place of worship’, not mosque was blown up when, when you were proving to your american friends how minority friendly your Quaid’s pa’astan is? ? when were ahmedi’s declared non Muslims? when you were in Manchester’s airport, telling everyone how your going to improve upon quaid’s vision? when did Gojra happen?.
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Lubna – People like you are an inspiration for us. All I can request is that don’t give up on Pakistan, if possible. We are in this fight together.
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Laws have their own usefulness. If there was no blasphemy law then the enraged people would resort to punishing the perpetrators in the streets which will be very unfortunate. Good or bad , laws are enacted for their strict observance. When there is a blasphemy law in this country and the people know that they can be legally punished for blasphemy then why do they indulge in blasphemous acts? Why have we started questioning the law? Why don’t we question those who break the law? Why don’t we question those who show total disregard to the religious feelings of their fellow Pakistanis. Fighting against the law and not educating the people to be law abiding and civilized citizen will never solve this problem. This law has come to stay as it had been enacted in accordance with the wishes of the large majority of the people of Pakistan. It should also be appreciated that the law is not minorities specific. It is equally applicable to the Pakistani Muslims. In fact till this day no one from the minorities has been punished under this law. All those who had been arrested or tried in the past had been set free by the appealet courts. I have no doubt that like any other man made law this law may also be having certain short comings which can be removed with the passage of time. For example in order to prevent its misuse by unscrupulous elements, the should also lay down severe punishment for those who are found to have falsely implicated an innocent individual. Instead of using this incident as a propaganda ploy to malign Islam and Pakistan we should appeal all our Pakistani brothers to be law abiding.
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Welcome to PAK with a rude awakening!
It is the same PAK you left a year ago only now your conscience is awaken.
The Hubert Humprey fellowship did a good thing in you. Perhaps you should also learn about Humprey from historical documents.
He was a man from Minnesota, had his views on the world shaped by his Norwegian Christian mother who taught him the “Protestant work ethic” and it changed his outlook in life. He thought outside of his box, became a young mayor of Minneapolis, and then on to become the first democratic senator from Minnesota. He was an outspoken critic of segregation prevalent at that time in America, spoke for the minority rights vehemently, and a key player in the passage of civil rights bill, which changed America forever.
Humprey was the first civil rights leader in US, even before Martin Luther King. The fellowship has done it part, if only you speak against all minority rights equally.
Remember, “injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere” and ” justice is happiness and it is more profitable than injustice”.
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Keep up the good work Lubna !!
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to Palistanis, is the religion you practice really Islam? I did not know that your creed is so fragile that it is threatened by children. A religion based on hatred and murder can not be called a religion. Go read your holy book. Is this what it teaches? Does the holy book turn you into fanatic murderers of any body you disagree with? Like all holy books, Quran should be respected but the creed that makes you burn people deserves to be destroyed.
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@S K Afridi: Almost everything you have said is patently false. The law has led to the misery of hundreds of people who have languished in jails for years on spurious charges, regardless of their age, mental condition, class or religion. And no, having the law there does NOT prevent people from taking the law into their own hands – since Zia and the Federal Shariat Court modified the law to include life imprisonment and death penalty, based on completely ill-founded precepts, thousands of people have been unfairly victimized under it, as opposed to less than 10 blasphemy cases in the decades before that. Since the death penalty was introduced, more than 40 people (all already accused by the law) have been killed by rampaging mobs. The blasphemy law ENCOURAGES not PREVENTS people to perform mob violence. It ignites unnecessary passions that should never be ignited.
Don’t hide your prejudices spurious support for the ‘rule of law’, Mr. Afridi. This law is blatantly unfair, not based on any religious precept and a crude smear on the face of all Muslims in this country. Watch this and learn if your heart can manage to see beyond your hate: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTFF9eNst9c
@Author: Thank you for writing this. As a Muslim, I can only hang my head in shame at the actions of my supposed co-religionists. I truly hope this suffering of innocents stops soon and will do everything to help it end.
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Weldone Lubna.
Love and blessings.
The Editor Express Tribune, please sent it to the enlightened Chief Justice of Pakistan.
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>The arrest of 11-year-old Rimsha Masih on a charge of blasphemy is forcing me to reconsider my notions about my Pakistan.
Slow learner, aren’t we?Recommend
Can’t we get out of this binary thinking: to love Pakistan, we have to hate India? There was no need for the author to mention the ‘plight’ of minorities in India. Is there any statistics or a fact-sheet that Pakistan is a better place for people other than Sunni Muslims than India is for people other than Hindus?
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Lubna, all Pakistanis are proud of you, which tells us that Pakistanis don’t discriminate based on religion. The eleven-year old blasphemer’s case is a little different because it is a matter of God and His commands. Other than that you are like any other Pakistani.
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Well said Luna. We need to claim Pakistan back. For everyone’s sake. An god bless u an rimsha. Inshallah we will.
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Do you really think Christian in Pakistan are having equal rights,perhaps you don’t realise what Christian are going through,how long we can keep our eyes close to all the true facts,just be real.
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This is your country just as much as any Muslim neighbor of yours! You have a spot of the country’s flag and no one can take this right from you! Your rights in this country are the same as anyone else’s. I hope for a day when every citizen of this beautiful land can feel equally respected and cared for. I hope for a day when people will be judged upon their character, and not the Church of God they attend.
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India is the final benchmark for Pakistan. They can derive immense satisfaction by saying they are better than India without any supporting evidence or mostly out of ignorance. But after coming back from US, the wisdom dawns, the author sees what happens around and claims this is not the pakistan that was, before she left for US. What a pathetic article. The incidence of blasphemy against one christian child has opened the eyes of this author. The rest of the sectarian violence, distorted history teaching, elimination of hindus right from independence, anti ahmedi laws from Bhutto era (resulting in, funnily, having the grave of “First Nobel laureate” in Pakistan), bangladesh war etc etc can take a hike. I suggest she read the article on blasphemy laws in India and Pakistan in this very same newspaper and the comments following that before she puts pen on the paper again.
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@S K Afridi: God is great and nothing that we humans do or dont do will make a iota of difference in his greatness. The order that there is in the universe from the level of the galaxies down to the particles within the atom might give some idea of his greatness.Please get out the misconception that any acts or man made laws can in any way affect his greatness. We pray (beg) him for his mercy and blessings please come down to our level forget about trying in any way to enhance his greatness.Our actions have no effect on him other than influencing his decision as to what he should do with us on judgement day, even when i am sure he will be more merciful than we are to each other.
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@ Author: in Pakistan the minorities lived far better lives than minorities in India.
- A lie – Pakistan is an Islamic state, India is secular -by definition.Recommend
“Let Rimsha live the life the girls her age do”
- What about the mob, are they not allowed their bit of fun?
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lubnaq,do u know Rimshaw is not first minorty child acused and arrested by police.Ahmadi children in south punjab were arested before her.Really are u working in media.?Recommend
…in Pakistan the minorities lived far better lives than minorities in India…
Where should I apply for immigration to Pakistan?
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“I remember telling them that in Pakistan the minorities lived far better lives than minorities in India.”
There lies the reason for her return to Pakistan. She probably did not make the grade and was thrown out from the university. Here in US you are given a limited time to complete your graduation. If you cannot do it you are thrown out of the university.
On another note, I am tired of hearing everyone quoting only one speech from Jinnah. His speech of August 11, 1947: “You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place or worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the State.”
Can anyone quote any other such speech or any other line from the same speech or even examples from his way of life to support his secular credentials ? In any case, most Indians, Muslims of India included, love Jinnah for creating Pakistan.
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I am a Pakistani-Goan-Portugues Catholic and lived most of my life in Karachi Pakistan, I agree with the writer we minorities are treated better than Catholic minorities in India.
When India invaded Portuguese Goa in 1969 they have allowed corruption and filth to enter this beautiful paradise. The Indian goverment has allowed chain hotels to destroy the beautifu; coastline and Goa is now infested with Indian tourist that degrade the beauty of the beaches & holy place & treat the locals with insults and have no respect of the seniors. **
**
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@Linda D’souza: Where do u live now ?
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@Linda D’souza: What a senseless argument?goa is most educated state of india(more than 90% educated).Goa is the only state in india where famale population is more than male.Now enjoy living in forest.
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@Prakash: That was a good one
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@Linda D’souza
First of all, you need to get your identity straight. You say you are Pakistani-Goan-Portugues Catholic.
So, are you a Pakistani, Goan or Portuguese?
Second, what you have written has got nothing to do with minority persecution. In you emotional, hollow outburst, you didn’t even pause to think if you are talking about the persecution of Catholics or the ruining of a town.
Third, you say you live in Karachi, then how do you know what is happening in Goa now? How long did you live in Goa? When did u move to Karachi? If it was after independence, why would you move to Karachi? If it was before independence, how do you know what happened in 1969 or afterwards?
Your comments are so illogical, I find them funny rather than offensive.
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Lubna Thomas Benjamin
Go and check your ancestory who knows you people might have got converted in 1947 to save from death..and all the talking about ‘minorties are treated better in Pakistan than India’..you said that because you have studied in Pakistan and lived in Pakistan and that is the material you get to read in Pakistan…I’ve seen many Pakistani go to US to study even then there preception about India remains the same..
I remember reading Benazir Bhutto autobiography where she said that she could’nt beleive that Pakistani army was doing so many atrocities in eastern Pakistan on Hindus (thanks to Time magazine) and talking about Christians in India…Sonia Maino Gandhi heads the goverment of India and today when our PM is in Iran (who is a Sikh one of the smallest minority) the second in command is A.K Antony ..still talking about minority in India..
Lubna said all that in a speech in Arizona …I can well imagine what preception the Americans would have of India..although she is or will not be the last Pakistani to say that about India..
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Very well said, bless uRecommend
Like all other members of the minority communities who feel obliged to be loyal to Pakistan, the author suffers from “Stockholm syndrome”.
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well written Lubna .. great thoughts ,presence of people like you in this country is extremly important to keep it a pleurlistic country. hatts off to you. and @Zaid Hamid go jump in a lake
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@Ammar:
It is wrong to say that hundreds of people are languishing in jails on account of blasphemy law. Hundreds of people are languishing in jails for a variety of crimes due to our sluggish legal system. In fact in many cases like Gojra incident and Salman Taseer’s murder people have tried to settle the issue in an extra judicial manner which needs to condemned. People responsible for such acts must be awarded befitting punishment because when our country has Blasphemy laws then they have no right to settle the issues in the streets. It is not the blasphemy law alone as a matter of fact any law can be misused. . For example in a murder case usually the aggrieved party instead of getting the case registered only against the actual murderer would implicate all the near relatives along with the actual murderer. After the inclusion of names in the FIR, all these individuals who are otherwise innocent are arrested and they have to stay behind the bars for several years before they are proved innocent. There are hundreds of such cases registered in our rural areas every year but these are not publicized. For this reason alone we cannot strike of the law for the trial of murderers.Please read my earlier comments carefully and see the amendment I have suggested. More over Pakistan is not the only country which has the blasphemy law. This law is there in most of the western countries, in all most all the muslim countries and also in some of the states in US. The need of the time is to improve the law to prevent its misuse.
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@Author: I find it hard to believe that you did not lose some credibility with your US audience when you said that minorities in Pakistan live better lives than in India, that you only now realized how precarious the circumstances of minorities are in Pakistan. I find it easy to believe that you included the India comment in your article just to get more hits and more comments. But since that’s what you want, here it goes.
Minority Presidents of India: Zakir Hussain, Muhammad Hidayatullah, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, Zail Singh, APJ Abdul Kalam
Minority Vice-Presidents of India: Zakir Hussain, Muhammad Hidayatullah, Mohammad Hamid Ansari
Minority Prime Ministers of India: Manmohan Singh
Minorities (partial list) among Famous Indian Film Stars: Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, Rehman, Waheeda Rehman, Mehmood, Feroz Khan, Mammootty, Shah Rukh Khan, Amir Khan, Salman Khan, Nargis, Shabana Azmi, Saira Banu, Tabu
3rd Richest Indian: Azim Premji (also awarded Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award in India)
In addition there have been too many minority chief ministers (heads of government of various states), governors (heads of state of various states), top personnel in Civil Service, and the Military to name here.
This is not to say that religious discrimination does not happen in India, but it is not State-sanctioned policy. That, dear author, is why your comparison is not apt.
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@ Linda D’souza
Well before people give blatant statements one should consider the facts of the case. People in pakistan have a very wrong understanding of right wing political parties as they tend to think that the parties of the said ideology in pakistan mirror those elsewhere. Shiv Sena is castigated despite the fact that its a regional political party wedded to the notion of sons-of-the-soil rather than purely a notion of hindutva. In India parties have matured over long time and in absence of any “deep state” they have evolved to a level that is probably difficult for people across borders to understand.
By the way Goa is currently ruled by BJP and there were 7 catholic candidates fielded by BJP. All won and this significant catholic shift was crucial in sweeping BJP to power. People might balk as such an alliance but it helps the minorities through direct empowerment and softens the core of most parties bringing them close to the centrist paradigm. And seriously you are talking about the Karachi where sectarian violence is a daily issue, local body elections long overdue, organised crime rampant etc etc. Goa is full of tourists both domestic and foreign and though there is damage to the beauty as you describe it, I can assure you all the beaches will put Clifton to shame any day …………
PS please try and visit to get a first hand information ………..
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“After my presentation, several of the listeners asked me about the condition of minorities living in Pakistan and I remember telling them that in Pakistan the minorities lived far better lives than minorities in India”
This socalled journalist is, unconsciously, admitting that India is indeed the benchmark for everything that Pakistanis do — Indians know that very well. Indians would never compare themselves to Pakistan because they wish to compare themselves to something better. I have yet to hear a politician, businessman, sportsman or an actor saying that India is better than Pakisan. That, dear author, is the assumption of every Indian.
I also find the comment distasteful and a blatant lie that the conditions of minorities in Pakistan are better than in India. I wonder which country in the world — forget Pakistan with its fascist ideology and minority persecution policies — allows minorities to climb to the highest office in the country. India has had four Muslim Presidents, several Muslim ministers, highly successful businesspeople and sportsmen and, not to forget, the ubiquitous presence of successful Muslim actors in Bollywood. .
Having said this, I would like to appeal to all civilized people (including the author to care for little Rimsha who is only a child and should be released from the clutches of fanatic mullahs and their violent mobs. That is not the behaviour consistent with that of civilized people. Another heart-wrenching tale we read in the USA was that of a 14 year old Pakistani Hindu girl (again, a child!) who was abducted by fanatics, forcibly converted into Islam and married to a much older man who could have been her grandfather.Recommend
Name one Christian movie star or minister(except for minorities portfolio) or model or sportstar or scientist or chief justice or president or prime minister or police commissioner or……… being Patriotic is one thing, being a fool is another.
Are you thinking of not returning? ….. like anyone in Pakistan will give a rat’s bottom, and mullah probably will welcome if an intellectual kaffir stays out of their way of supreme Islamic state.
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Pakistanis are talking but meanwhile an 11 year old mentally challenged girl is sitting alone in a Prison…you have no sense of doing the right thing? this could be anyone’s daughter…she should be freed immediately into the custody of her parents…shame is on Islam because of this injustice…
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@Author: You seem to be Hurt? Do you care how hurt a Muslim feels when the Sacred Quran is burned? Just because a Christian is in jail, you feel bad, but how does other muslims when Dr Aafia & her children have been jailed?Recommend
@ author…….
“A fter my presentation, several of the listeners asked me about the condition of minorities living in Pakistan and I remember telling them that in Pakistan the minorities lived far better lives than minorities in India.”
Young lady..do me a favour..cross your heart and ask yourself if this is true..
thanks
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This law needs to be fixed,
By the way I am a bearded Sunni Muslim
and sincerely believe that this law is in contradiction with our beliefs.
You guys might like to read a book “Muhammad” by Karen Morgan
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Truth aside. I am just ‘loving’ the responses of my Indian brothers and sisters. Who really cares about what really happens. Its all about out ability to project an image. “Incredible India”
Not lets get into some math here. Lets count the numbers of minorities killed in India vs. in Pakistan after 1947. I believe the number in India is in thousands if not in hundreds of thousands. Kashmir. Babri Masjid. Massacre of Sikhs. Assam. Gujrat. The numbers in Pakistan are pale, significantly pale compared to India.
Does not mean Pakistan does not have its own issues, but my dear neighbors. Data does not lie. data never lies. Marketing, projecting an image and saying something over and over again does not make that the truth!
Oh yeah you will certainly bring-up Bangladesh in 1971. No denial that was wrong and brutal. But they were not minorities and without your tacit support it would not have happened.
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My dear sister, I completely agree. I hang my head in shame at the shameful way minorities are being treated here. I stand with you and ALL my Hindu, Ahmedi, Shia brothers and sisters.
Hats off !!!
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@Noor who writes “The numbers in Pakistan are pale, significantly pale compared to India.”
Hehehe. 1971 – 3,000,000 killed. Yes my dear sister, pale, very pale.
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@Author
Keep writing. Good job done my dear.
It has been well read and responded, the bigots will keep putting their foul comments, dont worry
Love and blessings
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For what it’s worth to the ones not liking the Indian minority reference, considering nobody brought India up, they probably ended up wanting to say “that’s still not an answer to the question” but instead the drop of her credibility decided to not bother with it. If they wanted to know about India’s minority condition, they would probably ask an Indian.
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Agree with Author! Let her live! As majority we all are peace loving people.
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Well Done Lubna!!! Majority of Pakistanis are very loving and caring people.
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@Rajeev Kumar:
lets not forget the Mutilated bodies of Muslims ,Christians which litter the streets of India …every other year …Both nations are at fault ..but India more so because it is rich and has no War on its frontier ..
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Thanks lubna for your fight for better Pakistan & don’t give it up until we achieve our goal.
Problem with Ordinary Pakistanis is they don’t know Islam. Most of them blindly follow local mosque imams and nearly all of these local mosque imam are bred in madrassa of extremists. In case of Rimsha local mosque imam is to blame to invoked religious sentiments and led the mob.
If we look at Saudi Arabia which is also considered as role model in terms of religion, Saudi authorities are controlling and dictating their sermons and they are not allowed to address public without prior consent of local gov. If some-one doesn’t follow, you will not find him next day and i have seen example.
I hope Rimsha will be freed soon & live a normal life
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I stand with you and all my Hindu and Christian brothers and sisters…
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Lubna, Your letter just breaks my heat. You’re right, we are a nation of degrades who just stand by and clap when the underprivileged are victimized. Sad – I which I could do something before sharing your article on Facebook, or writing to a paper – but given where we are, how low we have fallen, none of that will help. Escape if you can. There is no home for the lone muslim liberals. Recommend
Pakistan has never had a stable demoncracy and its record for protecting minorities has always been nothing short of terrible. It was bad in the 60′s, it was worse under General Zia in the 80′s and it has become even worse since then. You may recall entire villages being burnt in the 90′s by angry mobs. Rimsha’s case is nothing new. There are many such cases which do not receive press attention. India has its fair shair of problems but it is light-years ahead of Pakistan in terms of the rule of law and protection of minorities.
Zimran Samuel, Barrister, Manchester, UK
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@Noor:
I usually hate doing this but thought it was important, but please ponderover these points before you build your perception:
1) Number of muslims from India trying to immigrate to pakistan vs Number of Hindus from pakistan trying to immigrate to India
2) Growth in the minority population in India vs Pakistan since independence
3) Minorities holding high positions in Government in India vs pakistan
4) Persecution of minorities through law in India vs pakistan
5) Celebration of minorities in India vs pakistan
6) Content in school textbooks about minorities in India vs pakistan
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Indians here seem to forget Assam, Bihar, Orissa, Golden Temple, Gujarat, Kashmir and countless other massacres of minorities. These people are delusional
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If some one want to know the life of minorities in India, he should ask the question like…
1) What happened to more than 2000 Muslims in Indian Gujarat under indian state rule. They were burned alive and killed brutally.
2) What happened to more than 100,000 Kashmiri Muslims in Indian occupied Kashmir. Who killed them?
3) Why Christians were burnt alive in their own churches in India.
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@Noor:
our liberation struggle was more of a racial issue whereas the incidents mentioned in India are religious riots sponsored by the state herself.
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It appears Tribune is the favourite Pakistani news-site for Indians. Thumbs up, Tribune team!
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aww :( hope she gets the justice she deserves.. and for all those saying that minorities arent treated well in pakistan, for me I am a muslim and I treat my friends from other religion with even more respect than my muslim friends cuz i dont want any of my action to offend them!!! :)
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@maliha: To be a good flower of any religion you must first be a good human , you are a good human being
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