Tag: Sweepers

Historic roots of treatment of Pakistan’s religious minorities as ‘second-class’

January 31, 2017 Pakistan Minorities, Sweepers

The problems for religious minorities in Pakistan date back to its formation. When the British left the Indian subcontinent, it was divided between Pakistan and India. Partition led to millions crossing borders: Muslims to Pakistan and Hindus and Sikhs crossing over to India. Hence, over time, India became thought of . . . Read More

Survey of schools for Pakistan’s Christian minority: 50% have no playground, 15% no notebooks

November 25, 2016 Pakistan Education, Islamabad, Karachi, Punjab, Sweepers

Anser Javed’s father was a sanitary worker in Karachi; his mother was a sweeper. When his father then died in a work accident, the Pakistani Christian boy was sent to an orphanage as his mother was too poor to care for him. Nevertheless, with support and personal determination, he eventually . . . Read More

Anser’s story

November 25, 2016 Pakistan Education, Gujranwala, Karachi, Sweepers

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

Lawyers ‘threatened’ in boy’s Kaaba ‘blasphemy’ case

October 11, 2016 Pakistan Blasphemy, Islamic extremism, Lahore, Nabeel Masih, Nadeem Masih, Sweepers

Nabeel Masih, 16, is alleged to have “defamed” the Kaaba in Mecca, the building at the centre of Islam’s most sacred mosque.Amalia Sari / Flickr / CC Lawyers representing a 16-year-old Pakistani Christian boy accused of blasphemy for ‘liking’ a photo posted on Facebook have reported being intimidated by . . . Read More

Funeral held for Pakistani Christian killed in Peshawar attack

September 6, 2016 Pakistan Peshawar, Sweepers, Warsak Dam

The main gate to the Warsak Dam Christian Colony, where Samuel Masih, 55, was killed.World Watch Monitor A funeral was held on Saturday (3 Sep.) for the Christian cleaner killed during the 2 Sep. attack on a Christian colony in Peshawar, north-western Pakistan. Four suicide bombers carrying automatic weapons were . . . Read More

Pakistan police deny Christian-Muslim tension after blasphemy allegation

May 19, 2016 Pakistan Barelvi, Blasphemy, Bonded labourers, Islamic extremism, Mandi Bahauddin, Pakistan Muslim League, Punjab, Sunni Tehreek, Sweepers

Imran Masih’s house in the remote village of Chak 44, Punjab, Pakistan.World Watch Monitor Conflicting reports have emerged over Christian-Muslim tensions in a remote Pakistani village, after an illiterate Christian cleaner was accused of blasphemy. However, international media reports of a Muslim mob attacking the local Christian minority are . . . Read More

Pakistan NGO tackles demeaning low-caste word for ‘Christians’

November 2, 2015 Pakistan Caste, Constitution, Dalits, Pakistan, Sweepers, Youhanabad

A program organised by Bargad, Pakistan’s biggest NGO for youth development, is attempting to tackle the social stigma Christians face from the word used in the Constitution for them. The Urdu “Isai” (derived from “Isa“, the Arabic word for “Jesus” used in the Qur’an) now carries strong overtones – from . . . Read More

Amidst political turmoil, continuing blasphemy charges for Pakistani Christians

October 2, 2014 Pakistan Blasphemy, Converts, Faisalabad, Islamic extremism, Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Punjab, Sweepers, Taliban

Naja Maish his wife and family with TVS TeamCourtesy of The Voice Society Christians have continued to be accused of blasphemy against Islam, in three separate recent cases in Pakistan. In one, a group of 35 was briefly accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammed before the charge was quickly . . . Read More

Autopsy raises questions whether Christian’s death was suicide

May 2, 2014 Pakistan Lahore, Punjab, Sweepers

Haroon HaidarWorld Watch Monitor The autopsy report on a Pakistani Christian killed by gunshots raises questions whether the death was a suicide, as the owner of the weapon has claimed. The Punjab state medical examiner’s report on the April 16 death of Haroon Haidar potentially indicates he suffered two . . . Read More

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