Tag: Pakistan

Governor Taseer’s son accused of hate speech

January 3, 2017 Pakistan Apostasy, Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Christmas, Imran Khan, Mumtaz Qadri, Pakistan, Prophet Muhammad, Salmaan Taseer, Shaan Taseer

The son of a senior politician murdered six years ago for criticising Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy law has been accused of committing “hate speech” for echoing the criticism. Shaan Taseer, son of the former Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, said the law was “inhumane” during a filmed Christmas message shared via social . . . Read More

Pakistan bishops call for new census

November 28, 2016 Pakistan Catholics, Corruption, Marriage, Minorities, Pakistan, Protestants

Pakistani bishops have called for a new population census to help give a more accurate count of religious minorities, says . The last population census was in 1998. Up-to-date figures will help the government assign the right proportion of public service jobs to minorities – a provision designed to help . . . Read More

Anglicans raise ‘religious freedom’ with Muslims

November 7, 2016 Global News -- No Particular Country Abu Dhabi, Islamic extremism, Justin Welby, Pakistan, UK, United Arab Emirates

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has led a delegation of Anglican leaders to the “Muslim Council of Elders” at a meeting in Abu Dhabi, UAE, to discuss integration and religious freedom. According to Anglican Communion News Service (ACNS), a letter by Anglican Communion Secretary General Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon stressed . . . Read More

Two Pakistani Christian families escape blasphemy accusations

November 3, 2016 Pakistan Balochistan, Blasphemy, Bonded labourers, Islamic extremism, Pakistan, Quetta, Sheikhupura, Sweepers

Two blasphemy cases lodged against Pakistani Christians accused of desecrating Islamic scriptures have been dropped in the past week. The cases related to alleged offences under Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws and were registered in separate incidents, hundreds of miles apart. In both cases Christians were initially suspected of the crime . . . Read More

Muslim ‘had to kill sister’ for marrying Christian

October 7, 2016 Pakistan Islamic extremism, Lahore, Marriage, Pakistan, Women

A young Pakistani Muslim who killed his sister for marrying a Christian – even though her new husband had converted to Islam “out of love” – has said he had “no choice”. Mubeen Rajhu, 24, from Lahore, is the subject of the . He killed his sister, Tasleem, who was . . . Read More

Pakistan bishop praises reward for Muslim guards

October 6, 2016 Pakistan Pakistan, Peshawar, Taliban

A Pakistani bishop has thanked the army chief for rewarding two Muslim security guards who helped foil a Taliban attack on a Christian colony in Peshawar last month. A Christian cleaner, Samuel Masih, was killed, but two security guards helped fight off four suicide bombers, before the army arrived. General . . . Read More

Freedom of religion or belief ‘the defining issue of our time’

September 16, 2016 Global News -- No Particular Country Angela Merkel, Boko Haram, Canada, Copts, Egypt, India, Iraq, Islamic State, Jan Figel, Kandhamal, Myanmar, New York, North Korea, Norway, Pakistan, Religious freedom, Saudi Arabia, Shahzad Masih, Shama Bibi, Syria

Over 100 parliamentarians from 60 countries met this week in Berlin for a series of workshops and seminars under the title, “An Embattled Right: Protecting and Promoting Freedom of Religion of Belief”. The second conference of this size after last year’s meeting in New York, it was organised by the . . . Read More

Doctor has to leave Pakistan for treating Christian

August 4, 2016 Pakistan Islamic extremism, Minorities, Pakistan

A Muslim doctor in Pakistan who gave life-saving treatment to a Christian using medicine donated via zakaat (Islamic alms-giving) had to seek asylum in the US following death threats for his ‘misuse’ of the funds. The man whose life he saved arrived at the clinic seeking urgent dialysis, which the . . . Read More

Pakistan: father expects no justice for raped 16-year-old daughter

July 19, 2016 Pakistan Farooqabad, Imran Khan, Pakistan, Pakistan Muslim League, PTI, Sheikhupura, Women

The father of a 16-year-old girl allegedly raped by her neighbour believes she has little hope of justice because the accused is well-connected politically in the local area. Nasar Masih believes the police will ultimately favour the suspect, who he believes was able to rape his daughter in expectation of . . . Read More

Pakistan bans TV shows for discussing blasphemy

June 20, 2016 Pakistan Blasphemy, Islamic extremism, Pakistan, Prophet Muhammad, Ramadan, Sufi, Terrorism

Two TV shows in Pakistan were taken off air on Friday for discussing blasphemy laws, . The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) said in a statement “an immediate ban has been imposed on TV One’s programme Ishq-e-Ramazan, and Aaj News’ programme Ramazan Hamara Iman”. PEMRA said both channels had . . . Read More

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