Punjab soup kitchen forbidden to Christians
("AsiaNews," July 8, 2010)
Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan - In Toba Tek Singh in Punjab, the local
government forbids poor Christians from taking advantage of a meals service
because
of their faith. This is revealed by a survey Assist News Service, an agency
of the Protestant community.
Recently, the Punjab government decided to offer a free meal service called
"dastar Khwan" for the poor, inviting entrepreneurs and philanthropists of
every state to finance the project, built largely with public money. The
authorities have opened canteens in different areas and villages in the
province where every day from 13.00 to 15:00 lunch is served for poor people
at
a cost of only 9 cents. The initiative was a success all over the Punjab,
but not in the district of Toba TAK Singh where many Christians were
prevented from buying the meal token.
20 year old Christian Naqash Gill said: "I went to one of the stalls with
some friends for a meal. There were four of us and we paid for the meal
token. When food was being served, suddenly a security guard came out waving a
gun, shouting, 'Hey, you Christians, you have to leave here. The meals are
not for you'. " "We tried to speak to the manager, – he added - but the
gunman continued to point his weapon at us and ordered us to shut up".
Ashiqi Masih, a poor man who is well known among Muslims for his Christian
faith, decided instead to rebel against the discriminatory treatment. "I
argued with the manager of the kiosk – he said - stressing that the
government has never allowed discrimination against Christians. I said if this
was
their policy, why not put a sign on the stand saying: 'Only for Muslims ?".
These facts have led the Christian community to turn to politicians,
merchants, lawyers, journalists and Muslim religious leaders to resolve the
situation which could lead to tension among the population. Some local leaders,
including Labour Party of Pakistan member Tariq Mehmood and member of the
Punjab AssemblyMohammed Rafique, have condemned discrimination. They
explained the situation of the district administration, stressing that the
concerns of the Christian community are shared by moderate Muslims.
In response to the accusations, a district spokesman says the government
has no policy of discrimination toward Christians. "The citizens – he stated
- have to resolve problems among themselves. The government only has the
task of providing flour subsidies.”
Rasheed Jalal, head of minorities in the Pakistan Muslim League – PML says
that if the problem is not resolved peacefully, Christians have the right
to require the district to suspend the grants. "The subsidy - he says - is
paid with public money collected from all citizens and must be used for a
common goal".
Ch Muhammad Saeed, President of the District Council on Agriculture and a
member of Jamiat Islami, says he wants to build a free school meal service
open to all poor people and without discrimination based on religion,
ethnicity or caste. "Muslims - he says - will eat together with our Christian
brothers to foster peace and harmony in the district of Toba Tek Singh." The
news was generally welcomed by the Christian community that hopes to see the
actual implementation of these promises.
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Muslim Mob Kills Wife, Children of Christian in Pakistan
("Compass Direct News," July 8, 2010)
Islamabad, Pakistan - A Muslim mob in Jhelum, Pakistan murdered the wife
and four children of a Christian last month, but local authorities are too
afraid of the local Muslim leader to file charges, according to area Muslim
and Christian sources.
Jamshed Masih, a police officer who was transferred 50 kilometers (31
miles) from Gujrat to Jhelum, Punjab Province, said a mob led by Muslim
religious leader Maulana Mahfooz Khan killed his family on June 21 after Khan
called him to the local mosque and told him to leave the predominantly Muslim
colony. Jhelum is 85 kilometers (53 miles) south of Islamabad.
“You must leave with your family, no non-Muslim has ever been allowed to
live in this colony – we want to keep our colony safe from scum,” Khan told
Masih, the bereaved Christian told Compass.
Masih had moved to Mustafa Colony in Jhelum with his wife, two sons and two
daughters and were living in a rented house. Masih said that a Muslim
neighbor, Ali Murtaza, told him that area Muslims notified Khan, telling the
religious leader, “We cannot allow these non-Muslims to live here, they will
be a bad influence on our children.”
An anxious Masih told his wife Razia Jamshed about the local Muslim
response, and they decided to bring their concern to the pastor of a local
Presbyterian church, Saleem Mall.
“Pastor Saleem said, ‘I will also advise you to vacate the house, as it
can be dangerous living there – these people can harm your family,” Masih
said.
Masih’s neighbor, Murtaza, confirmed to Compass the response of the local
Muslims and related incidents that led up to the murders. Murtaza told
Compass that after Masih went to work at 7 a.m. on June 21, his children could
be heard singing hymns before breakfast.
“Razia sent their eldest son to buy a packet of Surf [detergent], and he
was singing a hymn on his way to buy the Surf,” Murtaza said.
Neighbors saw Masih’s s 11-year-old son come into the store, he said. The
shopkeeper asked him if he was a Christian; the child responded that he was.
“The shopkeeper refused to give him the packet of Surf and spoke very
harshly to him, ‘I don’t sell to any non-Muslim, you are not welcome here, don’
t you dare ever come to my shop again,’” Murtaza said.
The boy went home, upset, and told his mother about the encounter; she grew
worried and called her husband, saying, “Jamshed, please come home
quickly, the kids and I are very worried, we must leave this house today,”
Masih
said.
His neighbor, Murtaza, said that shortly afterward some area residents came
to the door with the Muslim religious leader, Khan.
“Your son has committed blasphemy against Muhammad, our beloved prophet –
we can’t allow him to live, he should be punished,” Khan told Razia Masih,
Murtaza said. “Razia got scared and said, ‘My son couldn’t do such a
thing, he is only 11 years old.’”
Khan became furious and said, “Are we lying to you? You call us liars, how
dare you insult us,” Murtaza said. “Someone from the crowd hit something
hard on her head, and she started bleeding. The children started crying and
shouted for help. Razia kept shouting for help, ‘Please have mercy on us,
please let my husband come, then we can talk.’”
Jamshed Masih said his daughter telephoned police as the mob attacked his
wife and children. He said he later learned that “the people kept shouting,
‘This family has committed blasphemy, they should be killed.”
Before police arrived, his family was murdered, he said.
Murtaza said Masih rushed home and was devastated to find the dead bodies
of his wife and four children.
When Masih tried to file a complaint against Khan for the murder, Station
House Officer (SHO) Ramzan Mumtaz refused to do so, according to Murtaza and
Mall, the Presbyterian clergyman.
“He said, ‘Khan is an influential man, and he said your son has committed
blasphemy – we cannot do anything against him,’” Mall said.
Murtaza added, “The SHO just said, ‘I am a poor man, I have a family, and
I was pressured by higher authorities not to register the FIR [First
Information Report] as Khan is a very influential man. I am sorry, I don’t
have
anything in my hands.’”
Contacted by Compass, SHO Mumtaz confirmed that he responded to the request
to file the complaint against Khan in these exact words.
Masih has filed a complaint with the chief minister of Punjab Province
begging him for justice, Mall told Compass.
“We condemn this brutal murder of innocent children in the name of Islam,”
Mall said. “This has to stop now. We appeal to the government to let us
live in peace.”
--
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