Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 122 | Wed 24 Aug 2011

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PAKISTAN: LEGAL PREJUDICE & IMPUNITY FUEL PERSECUTION
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By Elizabeth Kendal

Sharia Law prohibits Christians testifying against Muslims in court.
Consequently, in an Islamic state Muslims are essentially guaranteed
impunity for crimes committed against Christians. As would be expected,
impunity and legal discrimination then fuels further persecution. The
resulting profound insecurity is doubtless the most devastating aspect of
dhimmitude (subjugation under Islam). Furthermore, as Islamic
fundamentalism rises in constitutionally secular Muslim-majority states,
Sharia provisions are increasingly being enforced to appease politically
powerful hardline Islamists, even though these provisions conflict with
the law of the land. Weak and fearful governments are increasingly opting
for ‘reconciliation’ and ‘harmony’ over justice. As the Human Rights
Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) recently noted, ‘Legal discrimination
against religious minorities and the failure of Pakistan’s federal and
provincial governments to address religious persecution by Islamist
groups, effectively enables atrocities against these groups and others who
are vulnerable.’

The police are now seeking to whitewash the 2 March 2011 assassination of
Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti (a Christian) by shifting the blame
from those who claimed responsibility — militants linked to the Tehrik-i-
Taliban — to Bhatti’s Christian relatives. Bhatti died because he was
defending Asia Bibi, a Christian woman jailed in June 2009 on a charge of
blasphemy. Asia has been languishing on death row since her conviction in
November 2010. Her refusal to convert to Islam had earned the hatred of
her Muslim co-labourers. One day they refused to drink the water she
delivered, claiming it was contaminated because Asia was an infidel. Asia
responded that her Jesus was the Son of God while their Muhammad was no
prophet. After her arrest, a local Muslim leader offered to pay US$6000 to
anyone who killed her. Two of the three MPs who have risen to defend Asia
have been assassinated, leaving the remaining MP, Sherry Rehman, fearing
for her life. Not safe even in the local jail, Asia has been transferred
to Multan Prison. Her husband, Ashiq, and five children have been driven
into hiding.

Mukhtar Masih is an ordained pastor of the Full Gospel Assemblies of
Pakistan. While running a small fellowship from his house in Gloria
Colony, Sheikhupura, Punjab, he also established and ran the Good Shepherd
High School. Islamic fundamentalists complained about the school’s
Christian activities whilst other Muslims coveted the school’s land.
Eventually these hostile forces used Islamic militants to threaten and
terrorise Mukhtar Masih until he fled Pakistan for his life, taking his
daughter Mary with him. Mukhtar’s sons, Samuel and Emmanuel, and his
brother Araf Masih then took on running the school. Directed by Muslim
lawyer Muhammad Ashraf, the Islamic militants eventually forced Mukhtar’s
relatives to sign over the property and make the Muslims shareholders in
the business. Mukhtar’s relatives have also had to sell their homes to
meet the Muslims’ extortion demands. Muhammad Ashraf has occupied the
school and changed its name to Focus School System.

The National Director of the Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and
Settlement (CLAAS), Joseph Francis, brought the case before the local
court, which cancelled the agreement and ordered the return of the
property. Muhammad Ashraf responded by sending armed militants to kill
Mukhtar’s relatives, who fortunately managed to escape. Now he has started
filing false charges against the Christians, including robbery and murder.
From experience, the great danger is that they will be accused of
blasphemy also, an emotive charge that carries a mandatory death sentence.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT —

* God will anoint more Pakistani MPs, lawyers, writers and artists to
speak up for justice to great effect for the sake of Pakistan’s
besieged Church.

‘Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have
grasped . . . to open doors before him . . . I call you by your name, I
name you, though you do not know me . . . I equip you, though you do not
know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the
west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no
other.’ (From Isaiah 45:1-6 ESV)

* the Holy Spirit will draw all the Church in Pakistan to rely on God who
raises the dead and delivers his people in answer to prayer (2
Corinthians 1:8-11).

* God will provide all the needs of Asia Bibi, Mukhtar Masih and their
families and deliver them from evil; may the Lord’s ‘own arm’ deliver
justice against the wicked and recompense for the persecuted.

Say to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, your
God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and
save you.’ (Isaiah 35:4 ESV)

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SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE

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LEGAL PREJUDICE & IMPUNITY FUEL PERSECUTION IN PAKISTAN

Sharia Law prohibits Christians testifying against Muslims in court,
effectively guaranteeing impunity for those persecuting Christians. With
Islamic fundamentalism rising, Pakistan wants to appease the politically
powerful Islamists and so is permitting the use of such Sharia edicts.
This impunity and legal discrimination only fuels more persecution. Police
are now trying to whitewash the assassination last March of the Christian
MP and Minister for Minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti. Mother of five, Asia Bibi
whom he was defending, has languished on death row, convicted of
‘blasphemy’, since November 2010.   Persecuted, threatened pastor Mukhtar
Masih has fled from Pakistan, and his relatives back in Punjab are gravely
imperilled. Desperation to keep fundamentalist Muslims pacified prevents
the authorities from pursuing justice for those being victimised and
persecuted. Please pray for the Church in Pakistan.

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We suggest that churches and fellowships using the above Summary might
also provide a copy of the listed prayer points to be used in their
worship by people who are leading in prayer.

For more information, updates and helpful links see Elizabeth Kendal’s
blog ‘Religious Liberty Monitoring’ <http://elizabethkendal.blogspot.com>.

Previous RLPBs may be viewed at <http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com/>.

This RLPB was written for the Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious
Liberty Commission (AEA RLC) by Elizabeth Kendal, an international
religious liberty analyst and advocate, and a member of the AEA RLC team.

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