ASIA/PAKISTAN - Christmas festivities and education for the children of the Christian couple burned alive for blasphemy

Monday, 2 January 2017 blasphemy violence religious minorities islam

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Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - The Pakistani Christian couple Shama and Shahzad Masih, beaten and burned to death for alleged blasphemy in November 2014, have three children Suleiman, Sonia and Poonam who celebrated the Christmas festivities peacefully, thanks to the volunteers of the "Cecil Chaudhry & Iris Foundation", led by the Catholic Michelle Chaudhry, who is helping to guarantee education to the three orphans.
The couple was killed two years ago in Kot Radha Kishan, in Kasur district, in Pakistani Punjab. Since then, the "Cecil Chaudhry & Iris Foundation" has taken on the responsibility of educating these children, supporting all their educational expenses like school fees, books, stationery, uniforms, extra-curricular activities costs, trips, transport, assigning even a scholarship to their grandfather, with whom they now live. As Fides learns, Suleiman and Sonia study at a Catholic convent school in Lahore and both children like going to school. The headmaster and the staff are extremely happy with their progress. The smallest, Poonam, currently in kindergarten, will join her siblings in March 2017.
Michelle Chaudhry, president of the Foundation, told Fides: "It gives us great pleasure to see these young children who are happy, confident and calm and are doing well at school. We are happy to be part of their lives and we are doing everything we can to give these children a safe environment and healthy life, which they truly deserve". During the holidays, the children were given gifts and Christmas sweets: "The little ones enjoyed themselves and were, as always, fascinated by the Christmas tree", said Chaudhry.
The foundation that he presides is an independent non-profit organization committed to eradicating injustice in society, promoting the disadvantaged, vulnerable and marginalized groups within Pakistan. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 02/01/2017)