Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Faisalabad (Agenzia Fides) – A word of mouth campaign implemented by the diocesan interreligious Commission in Faisalabad has effectively defused the planned protest against Pope Benedict XVI by an alliance of extremist Islamic organizations, which intended to condemn the intervention of the Pope for the repeal of the blasphemy law in Pakistan (see Fides 13/1/2011). In recent days the interreligious Commission, inform local sources of Fides, has spread a campaign of e-mail and word of mouth to discourage people from taking part in the protest. All in the name of dialogue, harmony, the legitimacy that the Pope can speak on issues which affect human rights, justice and religious freedom. Society in Faisalabad received the campaign positively and only a small group of radicals took to the streets, without any result.
In the city of Karachi, however, the protest took place without any anti-Christian incidents, while in Islamabad it took only a rainy day to discourage many from showing. Prime Minister Raza Gilani, however, has assured that the Government will fight against the “misuse” of the blasphemy law, which led to the death sentence of the Christian, Asia Bibi. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 14/01/2011)
