Maria Samar - Lahore

Ms. Maria Samar John was abducted and married to Ghaffar when she was 17 years old. He forcibly converted her to Islam and beat her for refusing to say the Muslim prayers. She was locked in the house and abused by both her husband and his family. She was expecting her second child when she escaped with her infant son. She got divorce from her husband but Ghaffar filed the case regarding the custody of his two children.

On September 13, 2006 Ghaffar had abducted his two children (five years old son and three years old daughter) during a supervised parental visit within the Lahore Family Court premises.

Police tried for two years but was unable to recover the abducted for two years, however the accused was arrested on August 30, 2006. The court ordered his detention till the recovery of the children. He alleged that Maria was trying to convert children to Christianity. The case was pending in the court.                                                                                                CD News September 6, 2006

Javed Anjum murder case

In April 2004, Javed Anjum (19) a Christian boy was murdered by three Muslim men. They caught hold of him on suspicion of theft, coming to know that he was a Christian they forced him to convert to Islam. They tortured him for five days.

The trial of two of his killers had reached its verdict. Ghulam Rasool and Muhammad Tayyab sentenced to 25 years imprisonment. Umar Hayat the third accused, a Cleric is waiting for sentence.                                                                                                       NCJP / Asia News July 3, 2006

Killed for preaching

On October 31, 2006 Jan Muhammad (38), a convert to Christianity and member Missionary of the At Any Cost Jesus Mission was killed by unidentified militants at Bajaur district. According to the sources he had been active in preaching in the region for past three years. The Muslim militants threatened him several times. After the Pakistani Forces killed 80 in an air strike against a suspected terror training camp disguised as a religious school on October 30, 2006. The militants suspected that he had been involved in spying. A note was found with his body saying, “Suspected US agent.”

Another missionary Salahudeen (44) an Islamic scholar who had recently converted to Christianity was killed on November 3, 2006 in North Wazirastan after militants accused him of being a US spy.                                                                                              Minorities Concern, December 2006
Abduction of a Pastor

On February 16, 2006 some unknown assailants abducted Pastor Joseph Prem together with missionaries killed in Lahore. An application was submitted at concerned police station. The police had not filed a case.                                                                    Daily Nawa-e-Waqt February 19, 2006

Intimidating the worshippers

On January 31, 2006 in Talwandi Musa Khan, district Gujranwala two armed assailants arrived at the local Ahmadiyya mosque prior to the evening prayers and parked their motorcycle close to the mosque gate. The guard noticed them and became vigilant. He shut the mosque gate.

When the congregational prayer started, the two intruders drove up to the mosque. On finding the gate shut and the duty personnel vigilant, they fired few shots in the air and went away. The attackers had covered their faces.

The incident was reported to the police who arrived at the spot and made a few inquiries. As a result of this incident the Ahmadi Community felt threatened and harassed.                      Ahmadi Community

Hindu graveyard land

Channa Lal Bhatti of Rawalpindi had submitted an application in 2003 in Prime Minister Secretariat requesting allotment of land for a Hindu graveyard at Rawalpindi.

The application was sent to the District Nazim of Rawalpindi for consideration. The land later was proposed, is under the forest department.

Secretary of the Punjab Forest Department was requested on September 18, 2006 to issue a No Objection Certificate for the provision of land for the Hindu graveyard. It has been a prolonged struggle without a success so far.                                                                         Daily Dawn June 17, 2006

Ban on Ahmadi Magazine

‘Tasheez Alaszhan’ a magazine for Ahmadi children published from Rabwa and sent to the regular buyers by post. The addition of the magazine of January 2007 was taken into custody by the police at Khushab on January 26, 2007 and a case was registered against Ahmad Hassan, Nusrat Jahan, Ashfaq Ahmad, Rafiq Ahmad and Umeer Ahmad, alleging them that they have copies of the banned magazine, however it was not banned.                                                                             Ahmadi Community

Recommendation

The government should provide an equal ground for all religious communities in the media, education and other spheres of national life for propagation of their faith. The law must take its course and justice should be ensured in all incidents which pose threats to religious freedom of the citizens of Pakistan. Stopping state agencies and non-state actors from interfering with people’s right to religious freedom would be an imperative.