Christians mourn the death of relatives at All Saints Church in Peshawar on September 24, 2013. PHOTO: AFP
Survivors of last year’s Peshawar church bomb attack are finding it difficult to get treatment for their injuries, the Supreme Court was informed on Monday.
Representatives of the Christians injured in the attack said they were forcibly discharged from hospitals and since then many have had to seek private medical treatment. The twin blasts at All Saints Church in September 2013 left 81 people dead and scores injured.
Even four and a half months after the attack, the federal and provincial authorities have not paid the victims any financial compensation, compounding their woes.
The apex court took suo motu notice of the case following an application by Saleem Michael. A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani has directed the Attorney General for Pakistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa advocate general to inquire after compensation owed to the families of victims of the attack. This is the first suo motu notice taken by the apex court in 2014.
The bench also requested a report from the K-P government about the number of injured people and details of their medical and financial aid as disbursed by the provincial government.
On Monday, the court asked all provincial governments to supply information about the number of worship places for minority groups and security arrangements for them.
Abduction
The bench also summoned the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) to submit a reply on the abduction of a Hindu girl from Sanghar district. AGP Salman Aslam Butt said a young Hindu woman Pooja Baani has willfully converted to Islam and is currently studying in the Jamia Binoria in Karachi. The woman has filed a writ petition in the Sindh High Court regarding the matter and a hearing is scheduled for the 19th. “Since this matter is sub judice, we will not hear it at this time,” the CJ told the Pakistan Hindu Council’s representative Dr Hamaish Kumar.
Registration of marriages
The bench also took notice of the non-registration of minority groups’ marriages.
Dr Kumar said marriage certificates for the Hindu community need to be registered with the Pakistan Hindu Council before registration at the Union Council and members of the community based across Pakistan are facing difficulties as the Hindu Council is only based in Karachi. The bench asked representatives of the community to submit in writing if they chose to register marriages through the Hindu Council or directly to the union council. “We will direct the government to register marriages of minorities through the secretary of the Union Council,” the CJ said.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 11th, 2014.
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Only to be expected. The despicable and discriminatory treatment accorded to Non Muslims in Pakistan is the inevitable consequence of Pakistan identifying herself as an “Ideological Muslim State” formed to provide a “Safe Haven” for the Muslims of the Indian Sub-Continent. That self-identification naturally means that Muslim religious law, namely Shariah, needs to be followed in one (disguised?) form or the other in Pakistan. The subordinate Dhimmi status accorded to Non-Muslims vis a vis Muslims under Islamic Shariah law means it is inevitable that they will be discriminated in Pakistan even while being subjected to the (well meaning?) litany of the so called “Liberal” Pakistani’s that Pakistan’s founder Mr. M.A. Jinnah was the most liberal of persons who gave nary a thought to the Muslim religion notwithstanding the fact he tore apart India using the Muslim religion as the pretext.
Few months ago, when a group of 50 - 100 formed a human chain to protect a church, Pakistani muslims were praising it and I called it an eye wash. Many Pakistani readers of ET criticized me and called me names. Now those can see the truth I was saying. Let me see if even one comes here to comment on this news.
Regarding the hindu girl who was converted, her age is not given and also it is not mentioned if she married a muslim man. However, she is in an islamic institution. If she has married a muslim man I would say that other muslim woman may be guarding her in the islamic institution and facilitating her rape. Chief Justice of Pakistan is showing reluctance and will come up with a convenient story with the help of the Attorney General of Pakistan who has already said that the woman converted willfully. As I said earlier also, in India, rapes are committed by criminals and perverts in secluded places and streets whereas in Pakistan it is committed by pious and religious muslims right within their homes under the guidance and assistance of their entire family. This hindu girl will not be allowed to meet her hindu family for sure and nothing would be heard of her in the future, same as many other girls, including Rinkle, Asha and Latha. Muslims say Islam is spread through peace, others say it is spread through the sword. It could well be something else as far as Pakistan is concerned. Why is the CJ not asking for a detailed report on the current status of at least few hundreds of the hindu girls who were converted in the last 10 years? Are these girls still married to the man for whom they converted and are they still living with the same muslim family they moved into? Where are they now? All records are readily available in the Government's own NADRA records. Why everyone is avoiding this. I have not read even one comment from any muslim in Pakistan asking the government to probe NADRA records. The reason is that every muslim knows what happens to these girls in a few months after their conversion.