Hundreds of people staged a protest demonstration on Thursday outside the Faisalabad Press Club against the killing of a Christian couple accused of blasphemy on Tuesday in Kot Radha Kishan.
The demonstrators urged the government to swiftly punish those held responsible for the incident to prevent the persecution of minorities in the country. They also asked the government to take comprehensive steps to put an end to misuse of criminal laws. The prosecutors said the state had an obligation to prevent the proliferation of provocative literature that promoted intolerance. The demonstrators also urged the government to regulate loudspeaker use to promote communal harmony and public order.
The protest demonstration was organised by the Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM), the Right to Expression, Assembly, Association and Thought (REAT) Network, the Peace and Human Development (PHD) Foundation, the National Minorities Alliance of Pakistan (NMAP), the South Asia Partnership-Pakistan (SAP-PK), and the Peace for Nation International and the Adara Samaji Behbood (ASB).
The demonstrators carried placards and banners inscribed with slogans against religious persecution. They also raised slogans against intolerance, misuse of laws and religious extremism.
Father Khalid Rasheed said that the state had failed to promote a culture of peace and understanding. He said the state had been unable to protect the life and property of minorities. Rasheed said laws were being misused to victimise minorities.
Awam Programme Director Naseem Anthony said the failure of the police to rescue the beleaguered couple represented the impotence of the state’s writ. He said justice should be meted out to those held responsible for the incident.
NMAP Chairman Robin Daniel said the incident was rooted in a dispute over wages and advance payments. He said no evidence was found regarding the alleged desecration of Holy Quran. Daniel said democracy would remain a chimera till the state managed to effectively protect the life and property of its citizens.
PHD Foundation Executive Director Suneel Malik strongly condemned the incident as ‘tragic, shocking and brutal.’ He said the government should ensure that such instances are not repeated. Former lawmaker George Clement said the government and the judiciary had never taken action against religious extremists. He said such elements had frequently conspired to compromise harmony and public order. Clement said the government must put an end to the misuse of laws.
Mian Abdul Qayyum, a union leader, said the blasphemy charges against the deceased were baseless. He said some people had conspired to kill them by giving a monetary dispute a religious colour. Rana Raheel, a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf activist stressed the need to revise the curriculum as it promoted intolerance. Arif Ayaz, an Awami Workers’ Party activist, said the present system was biased against the disposed. He said injustice should be eliminated by ensuring rule of law.
Najeeb Shah, a religious scholar, said a committee should be constituted to evaluate and prevent the misuse of the blasphemy law. Hashmat Barkat, an advocate, said a judicial commission should probe the incident and those held responsible for the incident must be swiftly punished. Pastor Irshad Parkash said the government must provide security to the family of the deceased. He said the state had a duty to safeguard the rights and privileges of minorities.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 7th, 2014.
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