ASIA/PAKISTAN – From the Bishops a "Magna Charta" to the government: to curb religious intolerance

Islamabad (Agenzia Fides) - "The increase in violence and religious intolerance threatens social and civil life in Pakistan" and highlights "the failure of the civil and the judiciary administration". Therefore urgent "measures cannot be delayed": is the strong appeal sent to the Government of Pakistan by the Episcopal Conference of Pakistan and the Association of Major Superiors.
The highest Catholic authorities in the country have elaborated a document sent to Agenzia Fides, which is signed by the President of the Episcopal Conference, His Exc. Mgr. Joseph Coutts, Archbishop of Karachi, and by the representative of the Major Superiors, Fr. Pascal Paulus OP.
"The murder of Shahzad Masih and Shama Bibi in Kasur recalls that intolerance in the name of religion has gone far beyond the rule of law: summary judgement violates the Constitution and the Criminal Code", said the text sent to Fides. "Such incidents reflect a lack of governance, the failure of the civil and the judiciary administration, which ensure the impunity of these crimes against humanity", the Bishops explain.
The Catholic Church therefore asks for "impelling measures" so that such incidents do not happen again and submits a "Magna Charta" to the government and the Supreme Court, in which it asks: to promote an independent and rapid inquiry into the events of Kasur, for "instant justice", which constitutes a clear precedent; to consider the Islamic clerics who instigated the violence responsible; to take action to stop the abuse of the blasphemy law; to prevent such incidents by training the police; to implement the recommendations made last June by the chief judge of the Supreme Court, for the protection of religious minorities. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 19/11/2014)