Pakistan's Christians protest against blasphemy laws and inequality

Three days prior to Pakistan's 63rd Independence Celebrations, the Christians of the country observed "Black Day" on Wednesday to protest alleged discrimination against them.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan's founder, in his famous August 11, 1947, speech to the newly-formed Constituent Assembly promised "freedom and equality" for all faiths in the then new country and so this has become a symbolic date for Christian protests.

The latest protests were staged by Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP). Representatives of churches, Christian rights groups and believers from all walks of life, participated in a protest rally which ended at the Lahore Press Club.

Naveed Walter, President of HRFP, who addressed a press conference at the Lahore Press Club, later told ANS that the "increasing incidents of injustice and discrimination" against Pakistani Christians had prompted his group and other Christian organisations to observe August 11 as "Black Day".

Mr Walter told ANS, "We had urged all like-minded organisations across Pakistan to observe August 11 as 'Black Day' either with us or from their respective platforms."

He said that his group categorically demanded the repeal of Pakistan controversial blasphemy laws and that Pakistan's religious minorities be given the right to cast dual votes. He explained that, if implemented, members of the religious minorities under a dual vote system would be able to cast their vote for a Muslim candidate as well as to a member from minorities' communities on the "reserved seats".

Members of the religious minorities in Pakistan currently make their way to the national and provincial assemblies of Pakistan through the proportional representation system.

Criticising this system, Walter alleged that the people who make it to the national and provincial assemblies under proportional representation "only serve rulers instead of serving their respective communities".

Mr Walter added, "They are not accountable to the members of their respective community, but to the leadership of the political party that they belong to.

"The existing members of minorities in Parliament are puppets in the hands of the rulers. They are advancing the interests of the majority instead of their respective minority community."

He then alleged: "The rulers use them to stop the oppressed from agitating against the oppressors."

Walter said that he was of the view that under the Dual Vote System, the elected parliamentarians of minorities' communities would be accountable to their respective minority community.

When asked if he was in favour of an amendment in the blasphemy laws or even their repeal, Mr Walter said that the laws should be "repealed once and for all".

The Christian rights activist then claimed that there was "no equality" in Pakistan.

"I only wish there was equality here for people of all faiths," he added. "I wish that the Christians of Pakistan were treated equally in Pakistan as the Muslims and other religious minorities are treated equally in Western countries."

He also condemned the idea of observing what is called "Minority Day" in Pakistan.

"What is the rationale behind observing 'Minority Day' in Pakistan when the Christians of this country are being shot dead under the pretext of blasphemy?," he argued.

"Why should the Christians of Pakistan observe 'Minority Day' when their places of worship are being desecrated; when their homes are being burned down; and Christian girls are being raped?" he went on to say.

Mr Walter said that HRFP was planning to host Minorities Conference in Pakistan in future to discuss all the difficulties that these groups face.

"We will continue our struggle for equal rights for Pakistani minorities including Pakistani Christians," he vowed.