Homes Burned, Hundreds of Christians Flee Muslim Violence
Washington, D.C. (August 21, 2012) – International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that a Christian child could be punished by death for blasphemy. She was allegedly found carrying burned pages of the Quran in a poor outlying district of Islamabad on Thursday. Muslim mobs called for the child’s execution and burned several Christian homes, forcing hundreds of Christians to flee the area. Under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, anyone found guilty of insulting Muhammad or defiling the Quran can face life in prison or even execution.
Rimsha Misrak was arrested for blaspheming Islam on August 16 after she was allegedly spotted by neighbors with a plastic bag containing burned pages of the Quran in the Mehrabad district of Islamabad. The girl, who relatives say is 12 years old, reportedly has Down syndrome, though ICC sources in Islamabad have not been able to verify the child’s mental state. Rimsha is being held in police custody in Rawalpindi on charges of blasphemy and is expected to appear in court before the end of the month.
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari took “serious note” of Rimsha’s arrest, saying, “Blasphemy by anyone cannot be condoned, but no one will be allowed to misuse the blasphemy law for settling personal scores,” according to a spokesman. The Interior Ministry was ordered to investigate the incident.
The day following Rimsha’s arrest, a Muslim mob, ranging from 600 – 1,000 people, set several Christian homes ablaze, assaulted Rimsha’s mother and sister, and called for the child to be burned to death as a blasphemer. Hundreds of Christians have since fled their homes in fear for their lives.
“More than 250 Christian families moved to safer places after the allegation,” Shalom Basharat, a human rights activist in Islamabad, told ICC. “The mob encompassed the Christians’ houses and demanded the ‘blasphemer’ to be hanged. The angry mob tortured Rimsha’s parents and other Christians. They blocked the main Kashmir Highway for hours and chanted slogans against Rimsha.” Basharat went on to say that homes were looted and damaged by Muslims after the Christians left.
Aidan Clay, ICC Regional Manager for the Middle East, said, “Pakistan’s blasphemy laws continue to crush religious freedom by emboldening Muslims to commit violent acts against Christians under the protection of Pakistan’s Penal Codes. More than 46 people charged for blasphemy between 1986 and 2011 were killed by mob violence while awaiting trial or after having been acquitted. Whether a Christian is officially convicted in a Pakistani court or merely accused of blasphemy by a neighbor, the offense may still merit the death sentence in one form or another. For this reason, ICC takes little assurance in the promise by Pakistan’s president that Rimsha’s case will be investigated. Even if the charges against Rimsha are dropped, what home will she return to? She’ll be killed if she’s found on the streets of Islamabad. Justice will only be carried out when the hundreds of Muslims who went after Rimsha and attacked Christian homes in Islamabad are arrested and prosecuted. Pakistan’s Christians will never be secure until strong action is taken and the precedent is set that anti-Christian violence, under any circumstances, will not be tolerated. We call on President Asif Ali Zardari to arrest those responsible, to guarantee the safety of Rimsha and her family, and to repeal Pakistan’s oppressive blasphemy laws.”
Please call the Pakistani Embassy in your country to express your concerns:
United States: (202) 243-6500 Canada: (613) 238-7881 United Kingdom: 020 7664 9271 Australia: 61-2-62901676
This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 21st, 2012 at 2:05 pm and is filed under Asia, Countries, ICC News, Islam, News, Pakistan, Press Releases, Priority News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Categories: Bible Prophecy, Breaking News
In India, A Khurda Sessions Court pronounced Dara Singh and 12 others, guilty of burning alive Australian Missionary Graham Stewart Staines and his two sons Phillips (11) and Timothy (7) in the Keonjhar forests four years ago.
“SEE ALSO HOW MINORITIES ARE BEING TREATED IN NEIGHBORING INDIA”
These day’s to defame ‘Islamic Republic Pakistan’ has become not only a fashion but very necessary and essential for UN, United Sates and its allies for fight against extremism and terrorism.
Blasphemy Law and Nukes are in “Mulla’s” hand’s.
Dear reader, I know not much detail about Rimsha’s case, and I think that I should know not much, but the case should be followed according the constitution/ and judiciary, Probably the Family of Rimsha did this all for asylum [Political-Protection], this has also become a very “Fine short-cut” specially for sensible families of the minorities to flee to the foreign countries.
so, the why burning Quran only, why not Bible, how neighbors come to know, there are very questions but “asylum” got more attraction for me in this case.
Are you Islamic and upset over all of the news about these things? I am not sure I understand, but believe this is what you are saying. Also, please note, I copy and post these news articles from the actual news sources…I do not write them. Hope to hear back from you and God bless you.
Thanks for sharing. I will pray!
Thank you so much, and God bless you for that!
I think you should go to Pakistan and talk to Zardari, he may grant your wish.
I doubt this would be a good idea, Zahir 🙂
I would probably wind up with the child in jail as well..
Dont worry get some fundings and I will come along and we will also have short trip of Kabul as well…
Let’s do it. I know how much you love children, Zahir. I’ll bet you would, too 🙂
offcource i do, when would you like to make the travelling arrangements. let me know
I’ll be watching out front for your Ferarri! LOL
lol.. i thought u were in tears but it doesnt seem so 🙂
I am smiling because you’re giving me hope the little girl is going to be saved. 😉
Don’t you hate to hear stuff about kids? It always makes me cry.
i am also someone’s kid so, got to talk to my mum. or the mothers in afghanistan and pakistan who have lost their children by the goverment of US drones and invasion in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I would actually love for you to tell me more about this. So, is this news we get not true? I’m being serious, Zahir. Tell me what it is that we see this in the news all of the time..what is the real story my brother?
can u lis few media that run or funded by zionist and by US military and by CIA?
And I can tell more then u think in reality.
can u lis few media that run or funded by zionist and by US military and by CIA?
And I can tell more then u think in reality and i am not from brotherhood so dont say brother lol
I call you brother because I refer to my friends who are male as brothers..and women as sisters. It is a complement..not about the ‘brotherhood’ goofy butt!
i know all these terms I was just trying to be humorous but invain 😦