Pakistan Militant Islamists Call for Elimination, Public Hanging of Christian
Islamist extremists in Pakistan called for the elimination of Christians and the public hanging of a Christian accused of blasphemy earlier this month, according to recent reports.
Islamist extremists in Pakistan called for the elimination of Christians and the public hanging of a Christian accused of blasphemy earlier this month, according to recent reports.
About 3,000 Muslims gathered for Friday prayer at the Jamia Mosque in Sangla Hill on Dec. 2, using loudspeakers to urge Muslims to rise up and eliminate Christians, reported Christians Solidarity Worldwide (CSW). The mass also demanded that Yousaf Masih, a Christian accused of desecrating the Koran, be publicly hanged. The Catholic Church’s National Commission for Justice and Peace in a report on Dec. 2 added that the speakers called for the unconditional release of the 88 Muslims who have been detained by the Pakistani authorities and accused of the Nov. 12 attack on Sangla Hill.
"Sangla Hill is a test case for the Government as far as putting an end to religious extremism and terrorism is concerned," reported Group Captain (Rtd) Cecil Chaudhry, Executive Secretary of All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) and one of Pakistan's most prominent human rights activists.
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Chaudhry demanded that the people who misused the loud speakers of mosques to instigate attacks "be immediately arrested as they had violated the laws legislated by this very government," according to CSW.
In Sangla Hill three weeks earlier, three churches, a school, a convent and Christian homes were attacked resulting in Pakistan’s worst outbreak of anti-Christian violence since 2002.
CSW reported that the Muslims again met on Dec. 9, with more than 2,500 gathered, to repeat their demands for violence and release of those accused of attacking Christians during their Friday prayer.
In between the two massive Muslim gathering, the national Commission for Justice and Peace organized a National Consultation meeting on “Ending Religious Intolerance,” on Dec. 4 in Lahore. The meeting brought together religious and civil society leaders from around the country, including representatives of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), the Christian Study Center, the Commission for Peace and Human Development and the Center of Legal Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS).
The conclusion of the consultation – which described the Sangla Hill violence as "merely one manifestation of the alarming level of religious intolerance prevailing in the country, being fuelled by hate speech and discriminatory laws” – was to urge the Government to bring the perpetrators of the Sangla Hill to justice “without any delay,” release innocent blasphemy prisoners such as Yousaf Masih, and repeal the Blasphemy laws and other discriminatory laws.
"The situation in Pakistan is becoming increasingly tense,” said Stuart Windsor, National Director of U.K.-based CSW. “We urge the Pakistani Government to bring the perpetrators of violence to justice, and to be bold and repeal the notorious Blasphemy Laws which are the cause of so much inter-religious strife."
Conference participants also agreed that the Pakistani authorities have "done nothing to defuse the tension" and of "failing to repair the situation.” Moreover, the resolution claimed the government was "not admitting the facts and is rather protecting the instigators of mob violence."
