September 14
Holy Martyr Robert “Fanish”
Sialkot (AsiaNews) – The young Christian man who was arrested on 12 September in a village in Punjab accused of blasphemy was killed last night in prison. Police had Fanish, 20, remanded into their custody in order to continue their investigation. This morning prison guards in Sialkot district prison found the lifeless body of the young man with visible signs of injuries. For Nadeem Anthony, member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), his death was judicial murder. Condemning in the strongest terms the latest anti-Christian outrage, the activist told AsiaNews that for police the young committed suicide by hanging himself in jail, something that for him does not make sense. Instead, “it is a torture killing” because “we can see signs of torture on his body in the picture.”AsiaNews also received photos of the lifeless body. In it the type of injuries that can be seen appear unrelated to strangulation by hanging.
The body is at the disposal of the legal authority, which has ordered an autopsy at Sialkot’s Civil Hospital.
Fanish (pictured in prison) was arrested last Saturday after accusations of blasphemy were made against him. A day earlier a Muslim mob had gathered in front of the church in the village of Jaithikey, not far from the town of Samberial, in the district of Sialkot (Punjab), to teach the local Christian community a “lesson”.
Extremists damaged the building before setting it on fire. They also pillaged two homes near the church.
A relationship between the 20-year-old Christian man and a young Muslim woman appears to be the cause of the turn of events.
Fanish was accused of provoking the young woman and of throwing away a copy of the Qur‘an she had in her hands.
Fr Emmanuel Yousaf Mani, director of the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) of the Catholic Church, said that “Muslims cannot stand the idea that a Muslim woman might fall in love with a Christian.”
Yesterday the NCJP expressed “grave concern’ over the rising tide of violence against religious minorities, all in the name of the blasphemy law.
For Catholic activists, urgent government measures are need. It is increasingly clear that profanations of the Qur‘an are just excuses used to attack non-Muslims, who are increasingly victimised and persecuted by Islamic fundamentalists.
In another incident, also last Saturday but reported only today, a Christian settlement in Ghaziabad, a neighbourhood in Orangi Town, near Karachi (Sindh), was attacked by a mob of Muslims, enraged by blasphemy charges against a 40-year-old Christian man called Lawrence.
After repeatedly attacking the man’s house with stones and rocks, the mob attacked local Christians and tried to storm the local Catholic Church. Only a quick intervention by police prevented a blood bath. Still police arrested Lawrence’s nephew, Shahkeel. The accused man went into hiding.
Violence action by Pakistani Islamists is funded by foreign jihadist organisations. In fact, the Arab Herald recently reported that a Saudi charity gave 15 million dollars to a pro al-Qaeda militant organisation.
The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is said to be preparing to strike Punjab’s main cities.
In conjunction with the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), the TTP is also planning to attack Pakistani Shiites.
Sources told AsiaNews that the al-Qaeda-linked SSP was involved in the anti-Christian attacks in Gojra where several people were killed.
The Al-Haramain Foundation, an organisation banned by the UN Security Council for its links to al-Qaeda, reportedly funded the attacks.
Pakistani Christians suspect police murdered blasphemy-accused young man
By Dan Wooding and Sheraz Khurram Khan
Special to ASSIST News Service
Several Pakistani Christians, including clergymen, social workers and human rights activists, have alleged that 22-year-old Robert Masih, also known as Robert Danish, nicknamed “Fanish” or “Falish” by friends, a young Christian man who died in police custody on Tuesday, September 15, was murdered.
According to police, the deceased committed suicide in the police cell, whereas human rights activists have termed Christian man’s death as an “extrajudicial killing.”
Writing on the wall says 'blasphemers deserve death'.
The police said that the man accused of blasphemy had hung himself with the cord he pulled out from his Shalwar (clothing).
“They (the police) insisted that Robert committed suicide. His head was down and there was a noose around his neck while the other end of the cord was attached to the iron bar of the cell’s gate. He was about 5 inches above from the ground,” Pastor Maskeen Nisari, who visited the Sialkot District Jail, told ANS.
Professor Anjum James Paul, Director of Social Harmony and Development of Women (SHADOW), who visited the native village of Robert on Friday, September, 18 along with Piyara Joseph and Zafar Iqbal Daniel, told ANS that the church that was attacked on September 12 had not yet been re-opened.
“I haven’t been able to go to Bible school which was being run by the church,” James quoted Siama Salamat, a Christian female student as saying. 
Mr. Paul told ANS that the church was locked and the police stood guard outside the church. He disclosed that Muslim women and children congregated in the school where Hina, the Muslim girl, who had a fling with Robert, studied.
In what professor termed as a detrimental trend for minorities, he said the women and children pelted stones at Christians’ houses, forcing the already scared Christians to shut themselves in their houses.
Asif Masih, the owner of “Bright Future Middle School,” told Professor Anjum that he had not re-opened his school, fearing further trouble from Muslims.
Talking to Professor Anjum James Paul, he alleged that the police guards murdered Robert. He said Robert’s photos reveal “barbarism by the police.” He went on to say, 
“There can be no improvement in society when the guardians of law become avengers.”
He recalled that some time back police allegedly had killed a Muslim blasphemy-accused who he said had converted to Christianity. He demanded that all those involved in the alleged murder of Robert should be handed capital punishment. “These people would continue to bring a bad name to country if they were not meted out punishments according to law,” he said. He said one could not imagine national unity until the culture of tolerance, peace and harmony took its roots in Pakistan. He urged the Ministry of Education of Pakistan to eliminate pejorative, hateful, biased and discriminatory content from Pakistani text books. “The textbooks instead should promote love, tolerance and human values,” he went on to say, adding that incidents of extreme injustice and intolerance against the minorities were “the outcome of biased and prejudiced content in the text books against minorities.”
Marks of injuries on Robert’s body.
Lieutenant Commander (retd) Frank Joseph and director of Bethania Christian Hospital in Sialkot told ANS that Robert was “murdered” while he was held in police custody. “Robert was wearing a shirt and trousers when he was arrested but he was wearing Shalwar Qameez (Pakistani dress) when he was found dead in his cell. This makes me suspect that he was murdered,” he said.
Catholic Priest, Fr. Nathanial Bhatti of the Order of Franciscans, said the photos of the deceased that he viewed revealed marks of injures that made him suspect that Robert was murdered. He urged Pakistani Christians to remain peaceful.
Pastor Ishaq Masih of of Presbyterian Church Sialkot termed the death of Robert as a “tragic incident.” He said the death of Robert reveals the low status minorities have got in Pakistan. “One can get true victory after going through trial and tribulations,” he said. “The Christians should stay firm in faith because Jesus had said you would be persecuted in My name.”
The minister of religion said the Christian community of Sialkot rallied after Christians were burnt alive in Gojra and demanded a repeal of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. “The killing of Robert reflects lawlessness in Pakistan,” he alleged.
“The guardians of law have killed Robert.” Pastor Maskeen Nisari of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Sialkot expressed concern on the soaring incidents of Christian persecution in Pakistan. He emphasized the need for repeal of Pakistan blasphemy laws. He said “no Christian would commit sacrilege of Quran or any other religious book.”
Humyun A. Gill, a former Councilor of Sialkot, alleged that Robert was murdered hence justice should be served to the Christians. Humyun Khalid, district Councilor of Sialkot said the killing of Robert was an “inhuman” act.
Piyari Joseph, a social worker of Sialkot said that rising persecution of Christians in Pakistan was “eroding values of harmony and tolerance.” The Christians had to undergo major persecution four times in last four months, he pointed out.
Fr. Francis Nadeem, The Chairman of the National Council for Inter-faith Dialogue, urged Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, to take ‘Suo Motto’ action regarding Robert’s death in police custody. He hailed the Governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer’s demand for repeal of Pakistan blasphemy laws. He said it was about time that the “infamous laws of the country were abolished.”
Fr. Nasir Gulfam, also with the Franciscans, said that Robert’s death was a result of alleged torture. He said various parts of Robert’s body had injury marks including nails, arms, thighs, legs, palm and forehead. He demanded the government of Pakistan to make public the finding of the judicial inquiry into the death of the Christian man.
Referring to the police First Information Report no. 721, he said no action has been taken against the people who desecrated Bible and attacked a church in Jathikay on September 12. “The culprits responsible for attacking the church haven’t been arrested,” he regretted. He said the miscreants who misused the blasphemy laws should be meted out capital punishment Rana Asad Mehboob, a Minority Member of Provincial assembly of Pakistan (of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz), said that the incident of death of Robert should not have taken place. He told ANS that the Chief Minister Punjab, Mian Nawaz Sharif, had assured that the Christians would get justice.
Dr. Nelson Azeem, minority member of National Assembly of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz said that the Chief Minister said he would side with people who have been wronged.
Kamran Michael, the Provincial Minister for Minorities and Human Rights said that the Christians were being targeted in the country. He told ANS that a delegation of Christians, including Dr. Tariq of Bethania Christian Hospital, Sialkot, were meeting the Chief Minister Punjab after Eid, the Muslim festival that marks end of fasting month of Ramadan. He urged minority leaders to “rise above party politics and forge unity to raise minority issues.” You may republish this story with proper attribution.
ASSIST News Service (ANS) – PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Eight Christians have been killed in religious unrest in Pakistan’s central Punjab, after days of tension sparked by the rumoured desecration of a Koran.
The four women, a man and a child died as Muslim militants set fire to Christian houses in the town of Gojra. Two men died later of gunshot wounds.
TV footage showed burning houses and streets strewn with debris as people fired at each other from rooftops.
Officials said the rumours which led to the unrest were false.
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 Christians in Lahore responded to the attacks by holding a rally
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Six Christians have been killed in religious unrest in Pakistan’s central Punjab, after days of tension sparked by the rumoured desecration of a Koran.
Mr Bhatti accused police of negligence, saying he had himself visited Gojra on Friday and asked for protection for the Christians.
Pakistan’s small Christian minority has periodically been targeted since Pakistan became a US ally in the so-called War on Terror.
In May 2007, Christians in the north-west of the country sought government protection following threats of bomb attacks if they did not become Muslims.
Hate Engulfs Christian Minority in Pakistan
A Christian couple sat outside their destroyed home in Gojra on Sunday, a day after more than 100 Christian houses were burned and looted by a large mob.
GOJRA, Pakistan — The blistered black walls of the Hameed family’s bedroom tell of an unspeakable crime. Seven family members died here on Saturday, six of them burned to death by a mob that had broken into their house and shot the grandfather dead, just because they were Christian.
Women on Sunday mourned relatives killed in Gojra, Pakistan.
Attacks began in Gojra over a claim that a Koran had been defiled.
The family had huddled in the bedroom, talking in whispers with their backs pressed against the door, as the mob taunted them.
“They said, ‘If you come out, we’ll kill you,’ ” said Ikhlaq Hameed, 22, who escaped. Among the dead were two children, Musa, 6, and Umaya, 13.
The attack in this shabby town in central Pakistan — the culmination of several days of rioting over a claim that a Koran had been defiled — shows how precarious life is for the tiny Christian minority in Pakistan.
More than 100 Christian houses were burned and looted on Saturday in a rampage that lasted about eight hours by a crowd the authorities estimate was as large as 20,000 strong. In addition to the seven members of the Hameed family who were killed, about 20 people were wounded.
The authorities, who said the Koran accusation was spurious, filed criminal charges in the case late Sunday and apprehended at least 12 people. Officials said a banned Sunni militant group, Sipah-e-Sohaba, was among those responsible for the attacks, the third convulsion of anti-Christian mob violence in the region in the past four weeks.
Christians, who make up less than 5 percent of the entire population, are often treated as second-class citizens in Pakistan, where Islam is the official religion. Non-Muslims are constitutionally barred from becoming president or prime minister.
While some Christians rise to become government officials or run businesses, the poorest work the country’s worst jobs, as toilet cleaners and street sweepers.
It was the poorest class who lived in Christian Colony, a small enclave of bare brick houses where the mob struck Saturday. Its residents work as day laborers and peddlers in the market, often earning far less than the minimum wage, $75 a month.
The Hameeds were having breakfast when the mob descended, wielding guns, hurling stones and shouting insults (“Dogs!” “American agents!”) through their window. The Hameeds did not appear to have been singled out but had the misfortune of living where the mob entered the neighborhood and happened to be home at the time.
When the grandfather, Hameed Pannun Khan, 75, a house painter, opened the door to see what was happening, he was shot in the temple and crumpled to the ground. The crowd then pushed inside, and the rest of the family — at least 10 people — fled to the back bedroom and locked themselves inside. They listened from behind the door as the mob looted the house, dragging away a refrigerator and a cupboard.
Then came the smoke, thick white plumes under the door.
“Everyone was shouting to escape,” said Umer Hameed, 18. “There was no oxygen.”
They waited as long as they could, until they thought it was safe, and then made a run for it, but not everybody made it. Three women, the two children and a man were trapped when the roof collapsed in flames.
As he ran, Ikhlaq Hameed glanced back and saw his aunt. “She tried to come out, but the fire caught her,” he said. “The fire was on her face.”
The rampage began Thursday in a nearby village when Christians at a wedding party were accused of burning a Koran. Few here believed that, and state and federal officials who looked into the case said it was false. Still, local mullahs seized on the news, filing a blasphemy case against the Christian family.
“We were afraid because the clerics had been railing against us in the mosques,” said Riaz Masih, a Christian and retired math teacher whose house was gutted. “They said, ‘Let’s teach them a lesson.’ ”
Pakistan’s blasphemy law has been criticized as too broad, and many legal experts say it has been badly misused since its introduction in the 1980s by the military dictator Gen. Muhammad Zia ul-Haq. Anyone can file a charge, which is then often used to stir hatred and to justify sectarian violence.
“The blasphemy law is being used to terrorize minorities in Pakistan,” said Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan’s minister of minority affairs, in an interview in Gojra on Sunday.
The attackers here left a singed trail of destruction in their wake. The Hameeds’ house was a charred shell, its central room a heap of twisted fans, bicycles, children’s toys and a collapsed cage that had kept pet parrots. The kitchen was empty except for a teapot and a half-burned English dictionary open to the word “immoral.”
Their neighbor, a grain seller, Iqbal Masih (whose surname means “a follower of Jesus”), stood looking dazed, his dried corn spilled on the heap of twisted metal wheels that had been his sales cart. A chest for his daughter’s dowry had been destroyed.
Typical of such attacks, the police, overwhelmed by the mob, did little to stand in its way.
Christians here protested all day on Sunday, blocking the roads and refusing to bury the Hameeds until the authorities filed a criminal case. Late Sunday the authorities did, and the bodies were buried. That was little comfort to the Hameeds.
“Everything is gone now,” said Ikhlaq, his hand and arm blistered. “Our family. Our house. We don’t want to live here anymore.”
Waqar Gillani contributed reporting.
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[...] Martyr Robert “Fanish” Sialkot (AsiaNews) – The young Christian man who was arrested on 12 September in a village in Punjab accused of blasphemy was killed last night in prison. Police had Fanish, 20, remanded into their custody in order to continue their investigation. This morning prison guards in Sialkot district prison found the lifeless body of the young man with visible signs of injuries. For Nadeem Anthony, member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), his death was judicial murder. Condemning in the strongest terms the latest anti-Christian outrage, the activist told AsiaNews that for police the young committed suicide by hanging himself in jail, something that for him does not make sense. Instead, “it is a torture killing” because “we can see signs of torture on his body in the picture.” [...]