ASIA/PAKISTAN - Religious minorities join civil society protests against state of emergency and for democracy and human rights

Monday, 12 November 2007

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Islamabad (Agenzia Fides) - Religious minorities in Pakistan, Christians and Hindus, have joined civil society protests against the state of emergency and for respect for human rights and individual freedoms. Christian human rights activists have paid for their commitment with arrest and intimidation.
A number of religious leaders signed a statement calling on general Musharraf to reinstate the Constitution, suspended with the state of emergency. Hindu religious leader Rana Bhagwandas has been arrested. A Christian politician Julius Salik has openly criticised the media censure imposed by the government. Among activists arrested, as members of the Pakistan Human Rights Commission, for holding a meeting which the police said was illegal, there were four Christians: Nadeem Anthony, Irfan Barkat, a member of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Pakistan Bishops, and Ayra and Mona Indreas, members of an association of Christian women. The four were released a few days later but were threatened and maltreated.
Many citizens, Muslims, Christians and Hindus, members of the Pakistan Peoples Party led by Benazhir Bhutto, were arrested as supporters of Bhutto.
Organisations which have denounced the situation and called on the government to guarantee respect for human rights and freedoms, include the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, of the Pakistan Bishops' Conference; the Commission for Peace and Human Development; and Minorities Concern organisation, which defends the rights of minority groups.
In the meantime the situation in the country is changeable. According to the local press the supreme court is about to examine appeals against the re-election of Pervez Musharraf, voted by parliament on 6 October. This is the missing tile for the second mandate of the president who yesterday under strong international pressure, promised legislative elections by 9 January and that he will take office in civilian clothes and resign as chief of the armed forces. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 12/11/2007 righe 28 parole 287)