British Pakistani Christian Association

Nelson Christians make themselves heard!

2012-01-27T10:59:00.001Z

Pakistani Christians from Nelson, an ecumenical mix of Catholics, Baptists, United reformists and other denominations are set to converge with many other Christians of wide diversity - at our protest and peace concert on 10th March.

Last year over 50 people form the remarkably well connected and cohesive Christians in this North Eastern region of Britain joined us, bringing a choir and a whole host of speakers with them. They hired a coach and had to endure a 5 hour trip to get to London and a similar journey back.

This year they intend to top that number and have already been advertising the event into wider Pakistani Christian diaspora, such as Birmingham, and Manchester.

Leaders from the community there; David Dead, Akmal Zahid and Vinnie Maish (aka the Hoodlum), have invited Wilson Chowdhry to speak at a united service for Pakistani Christians in the area on 5th February 2012.

Wilson will be encouraging support for the 10th March Peace Concert and protest whilst also describing some of the in-roads made by the BPCA over 2011.

Please keep this event in your prayer diary, in particular praying for the continued unity amongst Pakistani Christians in Nelson and surrounding areas and for a stirring of hearts to occur that will lead many to join our peace rally.

Further details of the Protest and Peace concert on 10th March 2012 can be found here:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/11/protest-march-and-trafalgar-square.html

Christmas Appeal Fundraiser for Christian Prison Service.

2012-01-26T16:35:00.002Z

We received several donations in recent weeks which have been sent without any reference. We have been able to allocate some of them to our BPCA Christmas appeal for Pastor Javaid and his Christian Prison service. The total amount collected for them so far is £120. If you have sent us a donation for this scheme and did not reference your payment please do so so that we can ensure your payment is sent correctly.

Unreferenced donations will be used towards our Peace Concert and protest on the 10th March 2012:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/11/protest-march-and-trafalgar-square.html

We are still in dire need of contributions towards the peace concert and hope that some of our members can offer some assistance. Stalls at the Trafalgar Square are being discounted at a cut price cost of £100 if you as an individual or group would like to run a stall at the event please get in contact.

Please also keep the event in your prayers.

Reports emerge that Asia Bibi's accuser has admitted his report was false and based on personal bias and religious emotion!

2012-01-24T11:22:00.001Z

A number of stories are emerging casting more doubt on the flimsy blasphemy charge placed on the innocent mother of five - Asia Bibi. Her case has instigated an international campaign against the blasphemy law of Pakistan, Whilst Asia has become the emblem of the emancipation of global minorities, now named the Rosa Parks of the Islamic World. First reports of the change of heart of Qari Islam her accuser where published on Demotix:

Qari Salam,who accused Christian woman Aasia Bibi on blasphemy chages,which resulted in this poor woman's jail sentence and possible hanging, ostensibly regrets filing a blasphemy charge against an impoverished Christian woman.

The source of his guilt – realisation that the case was not based on facts but on hyped religious emotions and personal bias of some village women,including his wife..

Aasia has been languishing in Sheikhupura jail since a sessions court awarded her death sentence for insulting Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Support from London

Qari, according to some of his close friends, was now thinking of not pursuing the case anymore and expressed his desire to some of his friends, only to find himself in a difficult situation when activists of an Islamic religious organisation ‘convinced’ him not to change his mind.

“We will chase her through hell … don’t worry about the money, hiring best lawyers,” Salam told The Express Tribune, quoting the son of Khatm-e-Nabuwat’s London chapter’s leader.

The leader’s son flew in to Nankana from London after hearing that Salam might not go to Lahore High Court (LHC) when the review petition against Aasia’s conviction is taken up.

It is imperative that Pakistani authorities investigate the veracity of these statements. If they find them to be true then it should be an imperative that the Presidential power of veto is used to bring justice to this situation. If not I foresee the enactment of a kangaroo court case that will allow militant groups and extremists to subvert justice or simply stir up even more religious polarisation.

Please pray for the safety of Asia Bibi and her family. If you are able to make our 10th March protest please join us and raise your voice against the ongoing oppression of religious minorities in Pakistan and the Middle East. Further details can be found here:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/11/protest-march-and-trafalgar-square.html

Please sign our petition calling for an end to foreign aid to Pakistan until human rights improve:

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/5009

EU Parliamentarians concerned about Pakistan!

2012-01-24T10:58:00.001Z

After my recent invitation to join the EU Conference on "Protecting Minority Rights in South Asia" I am please to our members on progress from the meeting. We are now directly in touch with MEP Werthmann through her PA and they have been working with The BPCA In tabling questions to the EU Parliament regarding existing foreign aid to Pakistan. After the meeting MEP Werthmann's PA informed me of a question that had already been posed at Parliament, she said;

"Concerning our work on Pakistan and EU funding we are still at the beginning. Mrs. Werthmann raised a first question on the issue to the European Commission at the end of September. Unfortunately the answer by the Commission is not very detailled and neglects the possibility of embezzlement by Pakistani authorities:

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+WQ+E-2011-008878+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN

I have sent two other, more detailed questions to the Commission yesterday, which should be online soon. The Commission´s answer is expected within 6 weeks."

I have today been informed that a further question has been posed and that one more is pending. The BPCA will keep you informed of progress.

Jews from the Middle East and North Africa are proud to stand with Christians in the Muslim world

2012-01-21T19:26:00.002Z

Harif at a protest September 2011 - picture by Adrian Korsner

Lyn Julius is a journalist and co-founder of Harif, a group representing Jews from the Middle East and North Africa. Her parents fled Iraq in 1950. She joins us on the 10th of March to call for Global unity and an end to oppression. Lyn talked about her decision to join us this year:

I will be joining you on the 10th March to represent HARIF, an association of Jews from the Middle East and North Africa. We are delighted to be here to support our Christian brethren in your march and peace concert. Your fight is our fight. We non-Muslim and non-Arab minorities in the Arab and Muslim world are all in this together.

There is a saying: “First the Saturday people, then the Sunday people.”

We Jews are the Saturday people. We have been indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa since Biblical times. But in the last 60 years over a million Jews have been driven out from the Muslim world – and that includes three thousand Jews from Pakistan. If it were not for the existence of Israel we would be refugees, and dispersed around the world.

My family comes from Iraq, where there were Jews 1,000 years before the Muslims. In 1948 there were 140,000 Jews. Today there are six.

The nightmare is repeating itself all over again. We are seeing the same plight befall you, the Sunday people. You too are being driven out by violence, intolerance and persecution.

We are facing a time of great flux in the Arab world. If the peoples of the region are to enjoy a better future, non-Muslim minorities must be free from fear, free from insecurity, free from persecution and intimidation. They must be permitted to practise their religion freely and not under sufferance. They must be allowed their rights as full and equal citizens.

We non-Muslims are the canary in the coal mine. If we are driven away or die, society in general suffers. Our very existence guarantees the rights of everyone else. That’s why we are here today.

Learn more about our 10th March 2012 protest and Trafalgar Square peace concert here:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/11/protest-march-and-trafalgar-square.html

Protest March and Trafalgar Square Peace Concert 10th March 2012

2012-01-21T14:00:00.000Z

MEP Jean Lambert and Bishop Emeritus of Rochester Dr Michael Nazir Ali.

The BPCA is organising it's next annual Peace Rally on the 10th March 2012. The event is held on the closet date available after the anniversary of the Assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti (RIP).

The event will start with a 1 hour static protest outside the Pakistan Embassy, Lowndes Square calling for abolition of the Blasphemy Law of Pakistan that has been used to persecute faith minorities living there.

After this visitors will be expected to journey to 10 Downing Street for a 1 hour static protest followed by a Peace rally to Trafalgar Square. We will then hold a 3 hour peace rally concert there and have hired a stage, lighting and a PA system.

Below we list the itinerary:

10:30: Set up to the fore of Pakistan Embassy, Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge (feel free to join us and to assist)
11:00: 1 hour worship service (Christian Only)

12:00: Submission of petition at Pakistan Embassy

12:00 - 13:00: 1 hour for political representations and group remonstrations.

13:00 - 14:00: Visitors to make their own way to 10 Downing street for 14:00 start.

14:00: Political and religious talks from guests

14:10: Submission of Petition at 10 Downing Street

14:15: Political and religious talks from guests

14:30: Peace Procession leaves for Trafalgar Square

15:00 - 18:00 Peace Concert at Trafalgar Square

Guests include:

Right Reverend Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian (Armenian Church)
Baroness Cox of Queensbury
Matthew Jones (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)
Revd. Dr. Darrell D. Hannah (All Saints, Ascot)
Canon Toby Crowe (St James Alperton)
John Pontifex (Aid to the Church in Need)
Lyn Julius ( HARIF a group representing Middle East and North African Jews)
Dr Helmy Giurgius (President UK Copts)
Rev Kevin Logan (Christian Peoples Alliance and Lancashire Telegraph)
Andrea Minichiello-Williams (Christian Concern)
Dr Shahzavar Baloch (International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons)
MP Lee Scott (Conservative Party)
Martin Mawyer Founder and President of the Christian Action Network (USA)
Alan Craig (Christian Peoples Alliance)
Rev Stephen Green (Christian Voice)
Imam Dr Hargey (Oxford Islamic Congregation)
Dr Martin Stern (Nazi Holocaust Survivor and former Student at Peshawar University)
Upkar Rai (Chairman British Sikh Council)
John Bosco (Christian Social Link)
Jesbir Singh (Free Sarabjit Singh Campaign)
Ranbir Singh (Chairman Hindu Human Rights Group)

Worship to be led by Hamad and Sally Baily.

Previous events have been a real success and MEP Jean Lambert has attended both events, Baroness Cox attended our first event, while former Bishop of Rochester Dr Michael Nazir Ali joined us on the last event.

We have previously enjoyed company with Women Against Fundamentalism, The Hindu Human Rights Group, Sikh Human Rights Group, British Sikh Council, United Sikhs, Bishop Michael Read, Canon Toby Crowe, Alan Craig Christian Peoples Alliance and many other senior figures.

For 2012 the date of the 10th March commemorates the martyrdom of Shahbaz Bhatti the former Federal Minister for minorities, who was slain, while seeking justice and equality for minorities in Pakistan,

This year we will also hold a 1 minute silence for Shahbaz Bhatti with a few tributes - to our former brother.

Please complete a comment below if you will be coming to encourage others

Lord Alton speaks out for minorities in Pakistan during House of Lords question!

2012-01-19T20:21:00.002Z

Lord Alton invited Wilson Chowdhry to the house of Lords June 18th Last year to assist with a question to the House.

During a question posed in the House of lords today (19th Jan) Lord Alton referred quite directly to the use of British foreign aid in Pakistan (in red at the end of this post) he argued that British aid should be used to promote a society which respects and tolerates it's minorities and promotes high ethical standard. Quite importantly, Lord Alton queried whether any of the aid was being misused and redirected to more extremist or conservative groups, many whom have been blamed for the recent spate of sectarian violence in Pakistan.

Lord Alton's question was met by a riposte form Baroness Warsi (in blue at the end of the posting) who met with the Catholic Archbishop of Karachi. She said "..the Christian community in Karachi is doing well, despite its challenges."

The BPCA recently reported on a number of issues in Karachi including the following:

Martyr Archie Dass shot dead in Karachi Streets:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/08/christian-shot-dead-in-karachi-by-land.html

Karachi Christians attacked:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/08/more-attacks-on-karachi-christians.html

Another Karachi Christian killed:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/08/sohail-nathaniel-another-man-killed-in.html

Karachi Christian seeks Asylum in UK:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/11/ukba-question-of-credibility-part-1.html

Karachi Evangelist murdered:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/11/evangelist-martyred-in-karachi.html

Poor Christian mother of 4 murdered:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/12/prosecute-bishops.html

These are but a few of the Pakistani Christian incidents of persecution in Pakistan.

Perhaps Baroness Warsi should have contacted the Hindu Minority for their perspective, considering the recent killing of 3 doctors and a colleague in Karachi:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/11/hindu-community-of-pakistan-outraged.html

Perhaps Baroness Warsi has not been advised of the tragic maltreatment of the children set free from torture and abuse at a Karachi, self claimed seminary (madrasser). Madrassers are proliferating in Pakistan, a popular educational choice for impoverished families simply due to affordability:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/12/dire-state-of-pakistani-education.html

Please pray for Lord Alton and the wonderful work he is doing. He has been a strong supporter of the campaign for a fairer Pakistan even posing an earlier House of Lords question June 22nd 2011:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/06/lord-alton-to-pose-oral-questions-for.html

Please pray for wisdom and understanding for all the Lords that represent the UK. Particularly when tackling ongoing concerns about global persecution.

We thank Lord Alton for keeping us informed of his valuable work.

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Pakistan

Question January 19th 2012.

11.29 am

Asked by Baroness Falkner of Margravine

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the Government of Pakistan and other interested parties regarding the current political situation in Pakistan.

Baroness Warsi: My Lords, when I visited Pakistan last week, I called on Prime Minister Gillani and Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, and I had discussions with President Zardari, Chief Minister for the Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, the governor of Sindh and Imran Khan. We are following the situation of Pakistan closely. We want it to enjoy free and fair elections and we believe that it is important to avoid escalating tensions. A strong and stable constitutional democracy is in the interests of Pakistan and we encourage all involved to act in a way that respects the constitution and helps to ensure stability.

Baroness Falkner of Margravine: I thank the Minister for the very interventionist stand that the Government are taking. I would not expect her to agree with the proposition that, while normal states have a military, in Pakistan’s case it is the military that has a state. However, would she nevertheless agree that when there is a highly interventionist and politically motivated supreme court, a military that challenges the civilian Government over the dismissal of the Defence Secretary and a military and intelligence service that supports rival candidates in an election, the position in terms of democracy in Pakistan is very dangerous? Can the Minister tell the House whether the UK Government, as a friend of Pakistan, are considering a Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group to intervene to bring about a break in the impasse that currently holds?

Baroness Warsi: My Lords, Pakistan faces challenging political times but that is not new. All parties in Pakistan recognise that this is a huge opportunity for Pakistan, for once, to have a full-term democratically elected Government pass power to another democratically elected Government. From all the discussions that we have had with all parties in Pakistan, they all recognise how high the stakes are. The noble Baroness will be aware of a Friends of Pakistan group, and it may well be that these are matters that can be discussed there.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: My Lords, I particularly welcome the way in which the Minister reached out during her visit to Pakistan to people from minorities, especially religious minorities. Has she noted that this month is the first anniversary of the assassination of Salman Taseer, the former governor of the Punjab, who was murdered along with Shahbaz Bhatti, the former Minister for Minorities in Pakistan? Can she tell the House whether, during her discussions, she considered how British aid is being used in Pakistan? Is it being used to create and promote the sort of values espoused by Members of your Lordships’ House and the British Government, or is any of that money being siphoned into causes and groups that promote the kind of sectarian violence that led to the deaths of Shahbaz Bhatti and the governor of the Punjab?

Baroness Warsi: My Lords, the assassinations of Salman Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti were tragic for both Pakistan and the rest of the world. They were a personal tragedy for me because of my personal relationship with Shahbaz Bhatti. However, as I promised him, I visited Karachi when I was in Pakistan, and specifically visited a convent school for girls and met the Archbishop of Karachi. The school is an excellent example of service to education and to interfaith relations. It is run by an Irish nun who has been in Pakistan for 58 years. I was delighted to hear from the Archbishop that the Christian community in Karachi is doing well, despite its challenges.

Our main commitment to aid in Pakistan is through the education programme. We are committed to 4 million more children being educated as a result of DfID’s commitment in Pakistan. I am sure that all in your Lordships’ House would agree that the best way to open minds and to deal with the challenges of extremism is through better educated young people.

Lord Reid of Cardowan: My Lords, in the midst of the current political difficulties in Pakistan, will the Minister take the opportunity to reaffirm that the stability of Pakistan, and its friendship with this country, remain key political objectives of the Government, not only because it is a member of the Commonwealth and a sovereign state with nuclear weapons, but because of its important role in the whole of that region?

Baroness Warsi: My Lords, since Britain is an ex-colonial power in Pakistan, the level of respect for Pakistan and our relationship with it always surprise and please me. There is a historical and cultural link. Pakistan’s biggest diaspora lives in Britain and Britain’s biggest diaspora is of Pakistani origin. There are 1.4 million journeys between the two countries each year. In all discussions with all interlocutors in Pakistan, we are consistently told that Britain’s relationship with Pakistan is respected and deeply supported. In those circumstances, we have a responsibility to use that relationship for a stable and prosperous Pakistan, which we recognise will lead to a more stable and prosperous Britain.

Lord Hussain: My Lords, will the Minister please tell the House what steps Her Majesty’s Government are taking to reduce the tension between the United States and Pakistan that has grown and is born out of the incident at the Pakistan army check-posts a few months ago, which resulted in the loss of 24 Pakistani army personnel?

Baroness Warsi: My Lords, the Government have expressed their deepest condolences to the families of the 26 young men who were killed in that incident. However, we also recognise that, despite our special relationship with Pakistan and our special relationship and friendship with the US, it is for the US and Pakistan to resolve their relationship.

Lord West of Spithead: My Lords, I welcome the focus on education because that is clearly so important within Pakistan, but is this money and support for education going down through government routes or is it going out separately to educational institutions? When I was the Security Minister, I was somewhat appalled that money seemed to get diverted and that the amount of money that actually got to the schools and to where it was required became very small compared with what was injected at the top.

Baroness Warsi: My Lords, the commitment is to educate 4 million children. It is a very specific commitment. It is not to give an amount of money but to ensure that 4 million additional children are put into education as well as providing training for a specific number of teachers and a specific amount of resources for schools. That money is channelled through the Government, predominantly on a provincial basis, but it is also channelled through NGOs—about 40 per cent of it passes through the provincial Governments and about 60 per cent passes outside.

David Alton

(Professor Lord Alton of Liverpool)

House of Lords,

London SW1A OPW

Armenian Bishop stands with Pakistani Christians calling for an end to persecution!

2012-01-19T17:13:00.002Z

The Right Reverend Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian and Wilson Chowdhry after a meeting with Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat Peerage) and other humanitarians 18th January 2012.

Human Right figures representing many forgotten minorities met to debate international persecution affecting a number fo nations. The event itself was set the day before the anniversary assassination of Hrant Dink (RIP 19th January 2007), a Turkish Citizen of Armenian descent and former editor-in-chief of the bilingual Turkish-Armenian newspaper Agos. Mr Dink was best known for advocating Turkish-Armenian reconciliation and human and minority rights in Turkey. Desmond Fernandes delivered a speech on the current persecution in Turkey. A speech by Dr Suran Cam on the crypto-Armenians in Turkey was read in Turkey. Hiarbir Mari spoke on the persecution of Baluchis in occupied Baluchistan and Wilson Chowdhry spoke on the abuses of Christians in Pakistan respectively.

To open Eilian Williams a welsh Christian of Armenian descent quoted from Rakel Dink wife of the slain humanitarian, to illustrate the experience of those Armenians who reside in the Turkish interior:

"All the time up to today, we Armenians were humiliated, insulted for being Armenians; we heard people use the term Armenian as a curse. We heard it and we still keep hearing it as such in the newspapers, TV, birth registration offices, we hear it from public servants all the way to the highest authorities. "

He pointed out that Rakel did not find Justice in the conclusion of the trial this week. Those within the deep state who were implicated in the terrble crime against Hrant's life were protected.

Baroness Randerson was reminded of Turkey's continual denial of the Armenian Genocide, when during the declining years the Ottoman Empire, over 1.5 million Armenian Christians were killed. Wholesale massacres and forced marches for deportees designed to cause, fatigue, hunger and ultimately death are blamed for the huge loss of life, during a much recognised first modern genocide. Descriptions of contemporary actions of violence and murder on dissidents and significant inequality for Armenians, painted an ugly picture of Turkish society.

Bishop Vahan Hovanessian from the Diocese of the Armenian Church of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, condemned the on-going denial and called for stronger Western Government intervention when tackling international persecution. He said;

“As followers of a divine revelation, it is imperative for all believers in the Abrahamic religions to work together, despite their differences, in bringing peace to their communities and their world. It is only then that we can prove to the world that these religions are divinely-inspired and life-changing ways of living, and not man-made ideologies that can be hijacked to spread destruction, pain and war.”

Wilson Chowdhry from the British Pakistani Christian Association described the ongoing persecution and inequality faced by Pakistani Christians. He spoke of the sacrifice of Shahbaz Bhatti the assassinated Federal Minister of Minorities, he described the unpleasant arrest and incarceration of Asia Bibi, of the threats to her safety and recent attempt to kill her in prison. Wilson explained that Christians fleeing Pakistan suffer frequent refusals when applying for asylum in the UK and called for recognition of human right breaches that have made life for minorities in Pakistan, comparable to depictions of hell.

Baroness Randerson was moved by the various talks and has asked for a transcript of the various talkers main points.

Wilson Chowdhry said:

"The meeting was successful Baroness Randerson listened attentively and has agreed to review all the points made at the meeting. Moreover Bishop Vahan Hovenessian has agreed to join the time of prayer at our protest and peace concert on the 10th March 2012. A coming together of so many humanitarians is a formidable tool in the challenge to global oppression."

We call on our members to remember our Armenian brothers today the anniversary of the assassination of one of their loudest proponents. RIP Hrant Dink a Martyr for his people and homeland.

Details of our protest on the 10th March can be found here:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/11/protest-march-and-trafalgar-square.html

Caste and its Implications

2012-01-19T13:32:00.002Z

Caste and its Implications

Ranbir Singh (Hindu Human Rights Group)

The caste system is almost always made synomous with Hinduism. Indeed in the discussions I have attended the anti-caste lobby are noticeable by their venomous tirades against all things Hindu. Faces redden, saliva spews out of the mouth, fists bang on lecterns and tables as incomprehensible tantrums work up the crowd. After about an hour even the crowd get immune to this as each speaker runs over their allotted time and each conspiracy theory gets even more unbeleivable than its predecessor. Hindu points of view are noticeable by their absence.

While Hinduism is blamed for the caste system we must note that every pre-modern society was brazenly inegalitarian. Equality is a product of modernity and would have been inconceivable without industrialisation and modernisation which broke down the traditional feudal ties which bound peasants and serfs to the land and shifted power to the towns and cities. In Britain from the eighteenth century we find that enclosures in rural areas changed patterns of land use to the detriment of tenants who were now pauperised as landless casual labourers, while the great noble families benefited immensely from beign the few that actually owned land and reaped the rewards of rents. Destitution accelerated the drift to urban centres where new industries such as cotton, coal, iron and steel needed workers for labour intensive factory systems which enriched a newly emerging entrepreneurial middle-class. Growing rich and winning the vote in 1832 it was his first generation of capitalists which supplanted the power of the aristocrats in Parliament. Mercantilism and its protected market using slave labour was replaced by free trade and laissez-faire economics The long inexorable march to an urbanised society with new patterns of social hierarchy and mobility had begun and was emulated in other nations.

Caste is codified in Hindu religious texts which reflect the prevailing social norms of the time, which was of course, as with much of Europe until as recently as a century ago, an overwhelmingly agricultural society. Hence we find similar types of social system in areas of the world where industrialisation has yet to take full effect and where urban living remains the exception of the few. This is why we find caste prevalent in Pakistan. The great landowning families such as Bhuttos not only the land but also the people on them. That is why land ownership is always the dream of Third World peasants today much as it was of Irish emigrants to America in the aftermath of the Potato Famine. Land provides food, income and stability in an otherwise merciless world where welfare systems funded by taxation are non-existent, and even taxation is erratic. Pakistan’s great landlord families are guaranteed political clout under military dictatorship by their traditional power base in a society which accords respect to wealth based on land ownership. In democratic times this power base is guaranteed by the captive votes which the serfs give unquestioned to their feudal lords. There is scant concept of here on voting based on ideology or to one’s conscience. In such societies traditional patterns of land use and rural power base ensure that caste based on occupation, tribal origins and lore, as well as socio-economic status remains largely undisturbed. It is this which anti-caste groups in Britain rarely look at because it does not allow them to simply blame Hinduism for caste discrimination. In all pre-industrial societies the inherent inequality will never be tackled under effective means are undertaken towards modernisation which will mean dragging such societies kicking and screaming into the twenty-first century. In Pakistan the power nexus of military, mullahs and zamindars has precluded such attempts. For minority Christians and Hindus this is doubly worse. Even if they are relatively affluent, as non-Muslims they are subject to officially sanctioned discrimination and violence. For the low caste and often poor, dependent on their very existence and protection on landlords, police and employers, they are deliberately pauperised and kept as third-class citizens, easy pickings for bonded labour, sexual exploitation and trafficking. The minority religious element in this only makes it worse and deepens their untouchable status. The solution is that along with modernisation there needs to be evolution of common citizenship and values integral to the healthy functioning of civil society. Only then will caste and other forms of discrimination finally be stamped out of existence.

Pakistan's political instability poses real danger for Christians!

2012-01-17T11:20:00.001Z

In an interview with the radio station TWR, the British Pakistani Christian Association’s Wilson Chowdhry, discusses the possible future political instability in Pakistan and its implications for Christians and other minorities.

Already existing tensions are on the rise between the government, the judiciary and the powerful military (including the notorious ISI, Pakistan’s intelligence and security service), against a background of rumours of a possible coup by the ISI and the military.

Mr Choudhry expressed concern that while an improvement in conditions for vulnerable minorities like Christians was possible with some kind of regime change, the opposite was more likely to happen, citing the example of the so-called ‘Arab Spring’ where increasingly intolerant Islamicist groups have taken over, resulting in gravely deteriorating conditions. In addition, he said that general unrest of any sort would provide a great opportunity for Islamic militants – or indeed, anyone with a grudge – to attack Christians while the already weak forces of law and order were otherwise occupied.

He also discussed the general level of corruption in Pakistani society and especially politics. In the light of this, he raised again the BPCA’s concern about the UK’s aid to Pakistan, in particular in the area of education. He noted that a recent report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom on Pakistan’s education system revealed significant prejudice and bias in textbooks against religious minorities even in government run schools. In the light of this, the BPCA have called for the government to introduce stringent safeguards so that the UK funds granted for literacy campaigns are not used to spread intolerance.

Now, in the light of the general corruption in Pakistan, the BPCA is going further and recommending that the UK government send the aid through vetted and monitored NGO’s and charity’s in partnership with the Pakistani government, saying that this will reduce the level of money lost to corruption and help ensure that the money will be spent in ways that promote standards that better represent the UK’s values of tolerance and freedom and also the Foreign and Commonwealth Offices commitment to counter the causes of terrorism.

100 followers of our blog!

2012-01-14T03:13:00.001Z

As we approach our 3rd year of existence (August 2012), we are pleased to notice the number of followers of our blog has reached 100. In total the number of page views on our site since its initiation has reached 206,081.

This is good news for us, as the BPCA blog is a pivotal tool in our ambition to create a united network of supporters, for real and positive socio-political change in Pakistan.

We would like to thank all those that have supported us thus far and urge members our our "BPCA Community" (those on our distribution list), to take this challenge and spread our message of hope and peace through your personal networks. Together we can champion the change we wish to see through to reality.

Isaiah 1:17 ESV

Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.

Guest writer Michelle Chaudhry speaks on Exploitation of Blasphemy Law

2012-01-13T17:18:00.003Z

Michelle Chaudhry (daughter of Former Wing Commander Cecil Chaudhry) Chief Executive for the Iris Foundation, remembers slain Governor Salman Taseer a year after his assassination:

JANUARY 4 marked the first death anniversary of the former governor of Punjab, Salmaan Taseer, who was assassinated in Islamabad by his bodyguard, a religious fanatic, as the governor dared to speak against Pakistan`s draconian blasphemy laws and chose to render support to Asia Bibi, a poor Christian woman, falsely accused and convicted under these laws.

While some of us, the religious minorities in particular, observed the day remembering Salmaan Taseer by holding special candlelight and prayer vigils, tributes were paid to the brave and courageous Salmaan Taseer who stoodby his principles and sacrificed his life for interfaith harmony, religious freedom and equality for all human beings and, on the other hand, a certain fraction of society held rallies and processions to venerate his murderer.

It was appalling to read how over 1,000 people gathered at the Data Darbar and various other places in Lahore in support of Mumtaz Qadri, the man who killed Salmaan Taseer.

The participants held up portraits of Mumtaz Qadri, chanted slogans in his honour and demanded his release. A resolution was also adopted, requesting President Zardari to declareclemency for Mumtaz Qadri.

They justified Qadri`s act of violence and pledged to follow in his footsteps against every `blasphemer` in other words, blatantly expressing their intention to murder.

I fail to understand what Islam these so-called `defenders of Islam` are following because the Islam that I know forbids murder, the Holy Quran equates the murder of one human being with the murder of the whole of humanity.

Here we have a confessed and convicted murderer whose crime is being idolised by some who are in all practicality showing intent to murder if the needarises. The government chooses to look the other way, while religious fanatics walk the streets, posing a threat to anyone who dares to raise a voice in favour of equality, justice, religious harmony and tolerance.

The government`s inability to take action in this regard disseminates the power that religious extremists have over the government. My question is: is the government prepared to take responsibility if another Salmaan Taseer or Shahaz Bhatti becomes victims of the vigilante? Furthermore, the statement by the Punjab planning and development minister in the PunjabAssembly that `diehard followers of Muhammad (peace be upon him) might not wait for court orders and decide the fate of blasphemers themselves. So my advice to blasphemers is to refrain from committing blasphemy.

Is it to be understood that the minister is suggesting that when it came to blasphemy, anyone is free to act as a prosecutor, judge and executor? We condemn these acts in the strongest possible manner and demand that immediate action be taken, as acts such as these amount to actual incitement to murder, which contravenes the laws of Pakistan and is a punishable offence.

The government must ensure safety and protection of all its citizens without any kind of discrimination whatsoever.

MICHELLE CHAUDHRY
Lahore

Reference payments to avoid confusion.

2012-01-13T13:13:00.001Z

Dear all,

When you send payments to the BPCA please ensure you use the appropriate reference code that will be highlighted in the body of any posting about the charitable collection.

Any payments without a reference code will be assumed to be donations towards the regular functioning of our group. We have noticed that on a number of recent payments there is no reference. If you have sent money for a particular cause without an appropriate reference, please do advise.

Shelter and refuge for the old and infirm usurped by Punjab Government!

2012-01-13T06:47:00.002Z

An institution ‘Gosha-e-Aman (a Strangers Home)’ situated at Allama Iqbal Road, Garhi Shahu – Lahore run by a board of Catholic Church and managed by CARITAS Pakistan, was demolished on 10th Jan 2012. The Government of Punjab has now established it's possession through police.

This institution is registered in the name of Lahore Charitable Association and was established in 1887. This is 2 acres land worth billions of rupees had a large compound that previously housed; a home for elderly people, a girls school, a convent and a Chapel (small Church).

The District Coordinating Officer (DCO is the highest civil servant of the district) was present to supervise the demolition with heavy mechanical apparatus and a contingent of police. He ordered a couple of families residing there to move out of the building and started demolition. The DCO and other police officials on location claimed that the property had been transferred to the Punjab government.

The Catholic Board have alleged that no document to support the claim was provided. They are also claiming that no notice of eviction or transfer was served to the legal property holders (Lahore Charitable Association). Many copies of Bible and various religious artifacts were also destroyed during the demolition.

A press conference was called by the Catholic Church at Lahore press club in the afternoon addressed by Fr. Emmanuel Yousaf a Senior Catholic Priest.

He strongly condemned this act of the Punjab government and demanded that the possession of the property should be returned to its legal holders immediately. He also demanded that compensation should be given for all losses. Referring to previous incidents of aggression against religious minorities specifically with the Christian Community at Gojra, Shantinagar, he said that the government should stop jeopardizing the rights of religious minorities in Pakistan.

Fr. Emmanuel Yousaf displayed legal papers confirming ownership of the property and a stay order from the local court. He also showed papers for a pending case at Lahore High Court. It was alleged by Father Yousaf that a women who came for shelter in the institution, who later converted to Islam, was claiming the proprietorship of the two rooms she occupied.

A protest rally to condemn the incident was held at 10:00 a.m on 11th January 2012, on location of the demolition site.

Catholic TV have provided footage of the destruction:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAIee1gRANU

If you are concerned about the situation faced by millions of Pakistani Christians please join our 10th March Protest:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/11/protest-march-and-trafalgar-square.html

CAN Goes to London to Stand Against Islamic Anti-Blasphemy Laws

2012-01-12T20:32:00.003Z

On March 3, 2012, the President of the Christian Action Network, Martin Mawyer, will be in London to stand with other leaders in condemning the anti-blasphemy laws in the Islamic world used to persecute non-Muslims, especially those who leave Islam. Mawyer was invited to speak by the British-Pakistani Christian Association at the Trafalgar Square Peace Concert.

The event is being held on the one-year anniversary of the murder of Shahbaz Bhatti, the only Christian member of Pakistan's Federal Government. He was killed after he publicly spoke out against the blasphemy laws of the country.

"Shahbaz Bhatti is a hero, whose extraordinary bravery cost him his life, but almost no one knows his name," said Mawyer.

CAN is working closely with other organizations to have resolutions against the blasphemy simultaneously introduced on March 2. So far, officials in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Ireland and the Netherlands are supporting potential resolutions. In the U.K., a motion will be read in the House of Commons by MP Andrew Stephenson.

"The purpose of the motion is to see peace delivered to the suffering Christians and other minorities of Pakistan during a pivotal year for Britain, when we carry the Olympic Torch of Peace," said Wilson Chowdhry, chairman of the British-Pakistani Christian Association.

The motion that will be read will make the case that the blasphemy laws directly violate freedom of speech and religion, specifically Articles 18 and 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It also will point out that taxpayer money from citizens in the West goes to Pakistan despite this oppression.

The Christian Action Network hopes to bring attention to the case of Asia Bibi, a Pakistani mother who converted to Christianity from Islam and has been sentenced to death. She has already been in prison for two years for allegedly criticizing Islam and its founders. The organization refers to her as "the Rosa Parks of the Islamic world."

Learn more about our protest and peace concert here:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/11/protest-march-and-trafalgar-square.html

UK Copts to join us at our Trafalgar Square Peace Rally 10th March

2012-01-12T20:21:00.001Z

By Now many BPCA members will be aware of the suffering Coptic Church in Egypt.
Ranbir Singh from the Hindu Human Rights Group has kindly written a few articles
on our blog (for those of you who may need to catch up), which can be viewed using
the search facility on our blog.

With strong determination and a heart for all the persecuted Church, Dr Helmy
Guirguis who founded a group called UK Copts in 2000 and is arguably one of
the lead figures for his community in the UK, has agreed to join us and speak
at our Peace Rally on the 10th March. Dr GuirGuis will also be bring a Coptic
choir to perform
live at our Trafalgar Square Peace Concert.

His groups The UK Copts Association publishes www.copts.co.uk as an
informative resource on issues of religious freedom, human rights and democracy
in Egypt, particularly concerning the Coptic Christian Minority.

Dr Guirguis is existing President of the UK Copts and the Coptic Solidarity
Organisation.

This is our first collaboration with the Coptic Church and one we are eager to initiate.

Please include our event in your daily prayers.

Learn more about our protest and Trafalgar Square Peace Concert here:

(Click here)

Early Day Motion opposed to Blasphemy Laws to be presented to UK Parliament by MP Andrew Stephenson.

2012-01-12T14:24:00.005Z

Here is a copy of the Early Day Motion to be presented by Andrew Stevenson to UK Parliament on 2nd March 2012, the anniversary of Shahbaz Bhatti's death. The text was built by the BPCA in collaboration with Church in Chains from Ireland. The Motion will be presented to Parliamentary leaders in 5 countries including the USA, Holland, Canada, and was born out of a discussion between Jason Campbell of Christian Action Network (USA) and Wilson Chowdhry in November 2011:

On the firstanniversary of the murder of Shabhaz Bhatti, Pakistani Federal Minister for Minorities, this House supports theinternational human rights of freedom of religion and freedom of speech incases of accusations of blasphemy;

notes that it is a violation of international human rightsto imprison or put to death any person, such as Asia Bibi in

Pakistan

, for an alleged crime ofblasphemy;

further notes that Articles 18 and 19 of the UniversalDeclaration of Human Rights acknowledge the rights of freedom of religion andfreedom of speech;

further notes that recognition of a crime of blasphemy offendsthe basic human rights of freedom of religion and speech;

further notes that all governments have a duty to protecttheir citizens from violent religious extremists, and, indeed, to protect theirown officials who support freedom of religion, such as the assassinated PakistaniState Governor Salman Taseer and Federal Minister for Minorities ShabhazBhatti;

and urges that all persons imprisoned for blasphemy anywherein the world be immediately released and protected from extremist retribution;

this house further notes that the UKgives significant aid to nations such as Pakistan where many minoritycommunities suffer injustice under the blasphemy laws,

and calls on the Government to ensure that such aid is notused indiscriminately to perpetuate the resultant inequality, and in particularthat it is does not facilitate educational material and teaching thatdenigrates and slanders minority religions and communities.

Don't forget to join our protest on the 10th March 2012 which is followed by a 3 hour peace concert in Trafalgar Square:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/11/protest-march-and-trafalgar-square.html

URGENT LIFE AND DEATH PRAYER NEEDED!

2012-01-11T00:03:00.005Z

+++++++++++++ UPDATE. We put this up in good faith based on an article in a newspaper. However, it turns out that the newspaper was fooled. The story was a scam, certainly in regard to the daughters' kidnap, and we have been told the father is now under arrest for fraud. We would like to apologize for this, but as I said, it did come from a reputable source. We should like to remind readers that although this incident turns out to be faked, Christians (and other minority groups) do live under fear of the frequent cases of kidnappings and other abuses. We, along with many other people, were caught up in the apparent urgency of this situation, a deliberately faked urgency, probably to raise cash. ++++++++++

We exist to fight for the rights of Pakistani Christians, but there are some stories that are so horrific that we must highlight them, even though they are outside our area of focus. This is one of them, with the additional reason that there is something we as Christians can do to try and intervene before it is too late, and that is PRAY.

The city : Rawalpindi

The prayer need - that the life of a 16 year old Muslim teenager be saved. To wreak vengeance on her father, a terrorist group has kidnapped her in May last year and has said that they will kill her if he doesn't come with a huge ransom he cannot afford.

When is the deadline? Tomorrow.

Why are they doing this? 11 years ago, the retired Muslim army officer, Shamsul Anwar, arrived late at mosque for prayers, went down to the basement to do the ritual washing and found a terrorist about to detonate a huge bomb that would have killed 100's of worshippers. He managed to stop him (especially as he had formerly been in the bomb disposal squad) and detain him despite the terrorist shooting him 3 times in the leg. As a result, 17 of the terrorist group responsible were arrested.

A number of years later, in May 2006 for revenge, they kidnapped two of his teenage sons from their school and threatened to kill them unless he paid a huge ransom. The police wouldn't believe him and ridiculed him for making the story up. Nor were the army able or willing to help. 6 months later, the kidnappers contacted him and demanded over £1 million in ransom, and said not to go to the police or else they would kill his sons. He went to the army, who couldn't help, so he started trying to raise the funds. A few weeks later, the terrorists said he had 'got smart' on him, and so they told him where to find his oldest sons' body parts, along with a DVD showing them cutting him to pieces alive using a saw mill, all in front of the younger son. They then repeated their demand. He managed to find the money by selling his house, his vehicles etc, and borrowing from relatives, and paid the ransom. His son was released to him, but in the year they held him they had injected him with toxic drugs that caused blood cancer.

5 years later, almost to the day, they kidnapped one of his now 14 year old daughters, in May 2011, again from school, and demanded an even greater amount (nearly £1.3 million pounds) for her release. Of course, his resources were exhausted paying the last ransom, and he cannot afford it at all. He has gone to the newspaper, even though the gang has said they would kill her in the same manner if he did so, because he is desperate, there is nothing else he can do as the army and police cannot or will not help, as they are so weak, and the terrorist gangs so powerful.

He has even given his mobile phone number for anyone who can help in anyway. Which we can provide to anyone who can help!

PRAY for his daughters safe return, and for the destruction of the groups of wickedness that do these kinds of things. They will be the same kind of groups who attack and rape and murder Christians and other minorities.

PRAY for forces of law and order to be strengthened, and gain the resolution and the intelligence to act quickly to find and save her.

PRAY for the family who have suffered and are suffering so much.

Source

A respected UK scholar on Christian origins joins BPCA Peace event 10th March 2012!

2012-01-09T15:55:00.003Z

Rev Dr Darrell Hannah at All Saints Ascot - BPCA invited to talk on existing persecution in Pakistan

Support for our protest and peace concert on the 10th March grows. Rev Dr Hannah from All Saints Church in Ascot will now be included in our growing list of guest speakers.

Darrell writes:

“The New Testament teaching on the Body of Christ means that all Christians owe a greater allegiance to one another than to those of their own nationalities who are not Christians. Our family is the family of God, the Body of Christ. Therefore, it is the duty of Christians in the affluent and free West to hold before our governments and people the plight of Christians who suffer persecution as occurs today in Pakistan. The duty we owe them and their security is greater than the duty we owe to our own national security. At the same time, the Biblical doctrine that humans are created in the image of God means that we also have a duty of care to those of other faiths and of no faith. They too are our relations. Our duty to Muslims, especially today the Muslims of Pakistan, includes reminding them of the Quranic principle that there must be ‘no compulsion in religion’ (Qur’an 2.256). In preventing Pakistani Christians from fully practicing their faith, Pakistani Muslims become less than truly Islamic.”

Dr Darrell Hannah is Rector of All Saints’, Ascot. An American, he is married to Linda, a Swedish national and a professional violinist. They have one son, Michael. Darrell holds a PhD in Christian Origins from Cambridge University and is the author of two books and numerous articles published in academic journals. He researches and writes in the areas of Second Temple Judaism, the New Testament and second century Christianity. Before becoming a parish priest he held research and teachings posts in the universities of Sheffield, Birmingham and Oxford. He seeks to be a bridge person, translating academic scholarship for the average believer “in the pew.”

ST James Church, Alperton donates towards Peace concert on 10th March

2012-01-09T13:39:00.000Z

Rev Amelia Jacob at our first protest, formerly from St James Alperton

St James Alperton a church who have continually supported the work of the BPCA have donated £200 towards our Peace concert in Trafalgar Square on the 10th March 2012. Rev Toby Crowe said;

"St James’s Church is delighted to sponsor the event on 10^th March though sad that such an event is still needed.

We have a long-standing commitment to Christians who face persecution and a particular concern for Christians in Pakistan because so many of our own congregation have family backgrounds there.

We hope that many Christians and people of other faiths will join together on 10^th March to remind the Pakistani government of its obligations.

Muhammed Ali Jinnah had a vision for a mature and tolerant country. The eyes of the world are watching Pakistan. Can the government there still rise to the challenge today?"

Rev Crowe will be joining us on the 10th and will be speaking at various points during the day.

We are still short of funds and would urge other groups and individuals to please donate if you can, to an event that will enhance our on-going campaign for justice.

If you would like to hold a stall at our event the fee for a 3m x 3m pitch will be £150.00. Please get in contact.

More on Khuran Masih

2012-01-08T12:31:00.004Z

A little more information on the story last month about Khuran Masih :

Surprise, surprise, the false accusations of blasphemy started immediately after the mason had a row with his landlord / boss earlier in the day over rent. Khuran states the charges against him were false. The conflicting stories suggest a fraud. Part of the charges say that the landlord found a partially burnt Quran in a cavity in the wall, but Khuran says that the small house and courtyard he and his wife rented was cemented over and had no cavities anywhere. Initially his landlord thought both had done the deed, and some reports say both couple were arrested, although Khuran's account was that he did not know anything about the charges until he went to the police station to get his arrested wife, who was released after questioning by police. He hadn't even been at home at the time of the alleged 'incident'.

Khuran is greatly shaken, and is desperate for the safety of his wife, who at last report was sheltering with his relatives.

Once again, a typical pattern ensued, with Muslim leaders whipping up anti-Christian feeling and pre-empting justice by categorically stating to the mobs they created that the Christian couple 'have blasphemed and must be severely punished'. Although things calmed down after a couple of days, several Christian families left their homes in fear.

The legal counsel retained to fight Khuran Masih's case claimed that the police acted in an irregular fashion and not according to procedure as only higher ranking police officers can bring a blasphemy case. The officer in charge, Mian Shafqat, claims that they recovered burnt Quran pages and that they had 'proven' that Khuran intentionally burnt them.

Yeah, right! On past showing, BPCA strongly suspects that this 'proof' will be so much moon-shine. Once again, this case shows how open to abuse the perverse blasphemy laws are. A row with the landlord in the morning, accused of blasphemy that afternoon. Go figure!

Last word is that his trial is starting about now.

Please PRAY that justice will be done, and the wicked nature of the false allegations would be exposed.

Source

Iran tries amnesia - is Pakistan trying the same? A Call to arms

2012-01-04T23:35:00.005Z

We take a moment to draw your attention to recent aspects of an ongoing case in Iran, about Pastor Nadarkhani - arrested on apostasy charges 3 years ago after protesting about the fact his son would be forced to read the Quran in school. He has been threatened with the death penalty unless he converts to Islam. After international outcry, suddenly the charges against him were said to have really been rape and 'Zionsim' all along. Most recently, the Ayatollah who is the head of Iran's judiciary has ordered the judge to delay the verdict for one year, and several observers believe the goal is to let the furore simmer down so Christians around the world forget about him, and then he can be quietly executed.

Asia Bibi is in a similar limbo. Originally convicted of 'blasphemy and sentenced to death, the President was going to pardon her, but under huge protests from across the Muslim community

including some so-called 'moderates' meant that idea was put on ice. Some say that we should keep quiet about Asia to allow for quiet diplomacy. Perhaps. Or, it could have the result of making way for her to be forgotten, and for the sharia-fanatics to have their way. For better or worse, she has become the symbol of the oppression of the perverse and perverting blasphemy laws that are used to oppress minorities, to intensify and perpetuate the prejudices and injustices of the last few decades, and are abused to settle personal scores or Christians who get to 'uppity' or 'big for their shoes'. Familiar sentiments for those with memories of the Jim Crow laws of pre-Civil Rights America - it's not for nothing that 2 posts ago Asia was referred to as the Rosa Parks of Pakistan. If you don't know how Rosa Parks is, google her.

If not so much for Asia's sake, then for the sake of all the lesser known names and the past and present and future victims, dead and living, we need to stand up boldly for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Pakistan, and in righteous anger oppose the unjust laws that oppress them.

It is a spiritual battle.

Prayer and persuasion, protest and politicking will be needed.

This is the year! It may well be the first of many years. But this is the year to pick up the pace, to raise the banner higher. I talk to church leaders in Pakistan - they say anything we can do will help. In March this year, there is an opportunity. As we remember the first anniversary of the martyrdom of Shabbhaz Bhatti, who devoted his life to supporting the Christians of Pakistan and opposing the blasphemy laws, let us take up the banner that he held to his very last. Not just one Federal Minister, but a network of stern opponents of the blasphemy laws around the world. Like the fight to abolish the slave trade under that great politician and campaigner Wilberforce, it may last a lifetime, but it is a battle that needs to be fought and won.

Join us. Wherever you are in the world, let the anniversary of Bhatti's death be the occasion to make a stand. Talk to your local and national politicians. Organize rallies. Join with like minded-groups and people. Raise the issue. First of all pray, and rally the church. Start doing it now. In the UK, we will be having one of our marches in London. We want it to be a big one.

10th March. Put it in your diary.

Make every effort to be there. Make every effort to not be there alone, but with as many as you can bring. If you can't go, encourage others you know to come anyway.

As well as the normal protests and petitions at the Pakistani embassy and at the Prime Ministers pile, we are planning on doing a 3 hour peace concert in Trafalgar square. We are looking for great talent, old and new, known and unknown. We already have some names lined up. But a concert costs money for things like stage and sound. If you can help give, there's a donate button at the top right of this posting.

We will also need stewards and ushers to help out. If you can help in this way, get in contact with Wilson - email Wilson@aasecurity.co.uk - or see his other contact details to the left.

If you are passionate about religious freedom and want to get involved as a musician, email myself at bpcajumble@hotmail.co.uk, along with samples of or links to your music, and we will consider your request. There's no money in it. You would just get yourself, your band and instruments down here, and pair off with our stage and sound.....

Above all else, PRAY. For the Christians in Pakistan, for Asia, and for ours and other efforts to raise the issue of the blasphemy laws. And pray to for Pastor Nadarkhani in our neighbouring nation of Iran, and remember not to forget him, or those like him.

Source for Iran Story

Success During EU conference "Protecting Human Rights in South Asia"

2012-01-04T13:17:00.001Z

Asia Bibi forced to cook her own food to avoid being poisoned by extremists!

2012-01-04T11:58:00.003Z

Pakistan's Rosa Parks - Asia Noreen (honorific Bibi)

Asia Bibi the brave Christian mother of 5 children who once eked out a poor but happy existence, through her job as a produce collector on a field in Ittanwala near Lahore, now fears for her life in a Pakistani prison.

Her crime? Nothing more than a proclamation of her faith and the love of Christ her Lord, who paid the ultimate sacrifice in dying for her and the entire human race:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2010/11/asia-bibi-pakistans-rosa-parks.html

Now in prison an attempt has already been made on her life by a Prison guard who tried to strangle her. This revelation but with a bounty placed on her head of in excess of $8000, this attack will not be the last she may have to face.

Asia has stayed brave and has been cooking her own food to thwart any potential attempt to kill her through poisoning.

In her first interview since being behind bars she told the Daily Telegraph:

"I am allowed to go out for only 30 minutes every day, and allowed to meet my family for one hour every Tuesday..."

"I am given raw material to cook for myself, since the administration fears I might be poisoned, as other Christians accused of blasphemy were poisoned or killed in the jail." She added that a prison guard had recently been suspended for trying to strangle her.

The BPCA is calling for Christians across the globe to pray for freedom and an end to persecution for this immensely inspiring woman. The beleaguered Christians in Pakistan have set her as an emblem of their campaign for justice. It would be demoralising should she die whilst in captivity. Moreover it would be a travesty of justice if Asia is kept in prison for longevity or killed under the death sentence ruling that has been temporarily suspended since 2008, after Western pressure for a moratorium. The president of Pakistan will need to be strong and show great resolve during a volatile time for the nation. We believe the only sensible solution is to veto her sentence using presidential powers.

Read Daily Telegraph article here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/8977950/Pakistani-Christian-on-death-row-cooks-own-meals-for-fear-of-being-poisoned.html

Join our "Free Asia Bibi" Concert on 10th March 2012:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/11/protest-march-and-trafalgar-square.html

BPCA New Year Peace Resolution!

2012-01-03T14:07:00.006Z

Scottish Pakistani Christians' Rufus and Persis Mall (siblings) submitting petitions at 10 Downing street for the new year!

Wilson and rufus submitting a letter calling for introspection into existing relationships with the government of Pakistan.

The letter was submitted by Wilson calling for a response to defined concerns in Pakistan.

Petitions were submitted by Rufus and Persis Mall.

British Pakistani Christians from Scotland and England met at 10 Downing Street, 1st January 2012. This date is pivotal to the UK Calendar as Britain proudly carries the Olympic flame of peace and hope.

The BPCA wanted to mark this important date, as a day to remember those suffering from global persecution as a consequence of their religious, habits, practices and beliefs.

Collaborating with Christians in Scotland petitions calling for a review of; Britain's relationship with Pakistan and other rogue nations with a poor record for human rights, Britain's existing border control policy that fails to recognise Asylum on the grounds of religious persecution and engagement with Pakistan over the increasing reports of girl abduction, rape and forced Islamic marriage.

A supporting letter was also submitted calling for a response to a number of highlighted concerns, including the freedom of press in Pakistan, lack of opportunity in employment and education for minorities in Pakistan and the ongoing extremism and conservatism that has culminated in manifestations of hatred and attacks on isolated, anxious and helpless Christian communities.

The petition was the first of the year and was duly submitted at 09:00 at the Prime Ministers residence. No other petition was scheduled for New Year's day and Police officers spoke of how in their recollection, no previous petition had been submitted on such a pivotal date.

Wilson Chowdhry the chairman of the BPCA said;

"By setting this marker at the beginning of the year, we wanted to stimulate humanitarian groups working around the subject of religious persecution in Pakistan and more global communities, to set this year as one for a concerted effort. Moreover, we wanted to ensure that during this important year for Britain, when much of what we do is consumed by the Olympics, that our Government would continue with the focus they have shown for the persecuted church in recent years."

Persis Mall form the Scottish wing of the BPCA commented on the event;

"By joining our London colleagues we wanted to highlight that the love our community has for those in Pakistan was UK-wide. It sets a new years resolution for our global family to take up the challenge and to be the change that will bring to fruition societal reform in Pakistan."

Things to look out for in 2012:

Our global early day motion to international parliaments:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/12/global-politicians-challenged-about.html

Our protest on 10th March 2012:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/11/protest-march-and-trafalgar-square.html

Philippians 3:13-14

No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.

(NLT)

2012-01-03T03:56:00.000Z

I wish to share this sermon with all the parents whose teenaged daughters have been kidnapped and forced into a non Christian marriage.

Ambushing Satan with Song by John Piper

2 Chronicles 20:1–25

After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle. Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A great multitude is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the sea; and, behold, they are in Hazazontamar" (that is, Engedi). Then Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.

And Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, and said , "O Lord, God of our fathers, art thou not God in heaven? Dost thou not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? In thy hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee. Didst thou not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and give it for ever to the descendants of Abraham thy friend? And they have dwelt in it, and have built thee in it a sanctuary for thy name, saying, 'If evil comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, and before thee, for thy name is in this house, and cry to thee in our affliction, and thou wilt hear and save.' And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom thou wouldst not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy—behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of thy possession, which thou has given us to inherit. O our God, wilt thou not execute judgment upon them? For we are powerless against this great multitude that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon thee."

Meanwhile all the men of Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. And he said, "Hearken, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, 'Fear not, and be not dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours but God's. Tomorrow go down against them; behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz; you will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle; only take your position, stand still, and see the victory of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Fear not, and be not dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you."

Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed." And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy array, as they went before the army, and say,

"Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever."

And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, destroying them utterly, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another.

When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and behold, they were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped. When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoil from them, they found cattle in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much.

There are three ways that God protects his people from danger.

Sometimes he prevents danger from even arising on the horizon of our lives.
Other times he allows the danger to attack, and gives us the victory so that we live on and serve him in gladness.
But in the end one enemy is never driven off, the enemy of death. We will all die if the Lord does not return in our lifetime. But here, too, God protects. He protects us from unbelief, and preserves us for his heavenly kingdom.

God Allows the Enemy to Attack

We learn back in 2 Chronicles 17:6 that Jehoshaphat was a good king in Judah: "His heart was courageous in the ways of the Lord." And verse 10 tells us that in those days the way the Lord protected him was that no enemy even arose: "And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, and they made no war against Jehoshaphat."

But in chapter 20 God loosens his sovereign grip on the nations around Judah and allows the enemies of Jehoshaphat to come against him. Verse 1: "After this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meumites, came against Jehoshaphat for battle."

God has ceased to protect Jehoshaphat by holding back his enemies. He could have continued to hold them back. But he doesn't. It is time for Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah to experience the protection of God in another way.

Jehoshaphat Seeks the Lord in Prayer

What should we do when God releases our enemies against us?

We should do what Jehoshaphat did. Verse 3: "Then Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord." When our lives are threatened—when our faith is threatened or our marriage or the morality of our children or the orthodoxy of our seminary or the fire of our worship—when we are threatened by any of Satan's devices, we should seek the Lord and fast in earnest prayer.

O, that we would learn to pray the way Jehoshaphat prays here in verses 6–12! He begins by ascribing sovereign power to God: "O Lord, God of our fathers, art thou not God in heaven? Dost thou not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? In thy hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee."

O, let's pray like that at Bethlehem! Even when we are most desperate, and fear is making our insides melt, let's ascribe sovereign power to God—"In thy hand are power and might so that none is able to withstand thee!" When you begin your prayer by ascribing all power and glory to God, a strength and hope and confidence come into your prayer and you feel yourself in touch with Ruler of the universe.

Recalling the Past and Pleading for Help

Then Jehoshaphat recalls an example of this sovereign power of God from the history of Israel. Verse 7: "Didst thou not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and give it for ever to the descendants of Abraham thy friend?" Often in our prayers we should exult in what God has done in the past. It strengthens our confidence in his power and love.

Then in verses 8–9 he recalls how the people had built God a sanctuary and had dedicated it to his name and vowed always to seek help from him there. Then in verses 10–11 he describes the plight they are in with Moab and Ammon and Mount Seir coming against them. And finally in verse 12 he pleads for help and admits his helplessness. "O our God, wilt thou not execute judgment upon them? For we are powerless against this great multitude that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon thee."

"Fear Not, the Battle Is Mine"

In response to this prayer God sends his Spirit upon a prophet named Jahaziel and tells all the people of Judah that God will protect them. Verse 15: "Hearken, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, 'Fear not, and be not dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours but God's' . . . You will not need to fight in this battle; take your position, stand still, and see the victory of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not, and be not dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you."

Jehoshaphat had cried to the Lord: "O God, we are powerless! Help us." And God responded, "Fear not, the battle is mine!"

Worship and Song

Jehoshaphat's response to this word of promise is to fall on his face to the ground and worship. Verse 18: "Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord."

Then something different happens. While everyone is bowed down low on their faces before the Lord, a group of people stand up. And together they begin to praise the Lord. Verse 19: "And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice." Was this a spontaneous eruption of song from a few free spirits? Who were these people?

Turn with me back to 1 Chronicles 6:31. Here the writer is listing the families of the tribe of Levi. In verse 31 he says, "These are the men whom David put in charge of the service of song in the house of the Lord, after the ark rested there. They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of the Lord in Jerusalem; and they performed their service in due order. These are the men who served and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites . . . " And then the descendants of Kohath the son of Levi are given.

In other words this group who stood up to praise the Lord in 2 Chronicles 20:19 are not merely a group of charismatic free spirits. They are the Choir of Israel. They are the group who ever since the time of David had been appointed to do the ministry of song in Israel. So they stood up while everybody else was bowed before God and they led the people and helped the people praise the Lord for his promised victory.

Singers in the Frontlines of Battle

After this great time of worship in response to God's word, the people make ready to meet the enemy. They rise early the next morning and head out into the wilderness. And as they go, Jehoshaphat commands them to trust God's promise. Verse 20: "Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed."

Then Jehoshaphat appoints his frontline troops. But the frontline troops are not charioteers or swordsmen. They are singers. Jehoshaphat aims to conquer with a choir. God had said that the battle was his to fight. So what better way for Israel to meet the enemy than with songs of victory in the front ranks.

Verse 21: "And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy array, as they went before the army, and say, 'Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures for ever.'" When God tells us that the battle is his and that the victory is sure, the way we should meet the enemy is with songs of thanks.

And I think that the writer of this book wants to make it clear that, even though the victory belongs to God, the human means through which God gives victory is the ministry of the choir. For it says in verse 22, "And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed." First Moab and Ammon turn against Mt. Seir. Then they turn against each other. When it's all over the defeat is so great it takes three days for Jehoshaphat and his people to carry away the spoil.

Warfare and Worship Through Singing

From this story I would draw out the following exhortation: Spiritual worship and spiritual warfare should be carried out with singing. In verse 19 when all the people fell down to worship, the choir stood up to sing. And in verse 21 when the people went out to meet the enemy, the choir went before them with songs of victory.

And even more than that, I think that the writer wants us to learn from verse 22 that the enemies of God are thrown into confusion by the songs of God's people. Or to put it another way, God has appointed the use of spiritual songs as an effective weapon against his archenemy Satan.

Paul and Silas in the Philippian Prison

There is a similar story in the New Testament that confirms this lesson, I think. In Acts 16 Paul and Silas are not protected by God from the attack of their enemies. But they are spared from death. In verses 22–24 it says that they were stripped and beaten with rods and then put in stocks in the inner chamber of the prison.

Now picture this. You are walking down Nicollet Mall and suddenly a gang of vicious men surround you. They strip off your clothes and pull out their smooth wooden billy clubs and for 15 or 20 minutes smash you back and forth between them while the police stand back and watch. Then with open wounds and concussions and broken ribs and internal injuries, they drag you over, put irons around your feet, and let you down a manhole for the night. If you thought of our nice antiseptic prisons, you wouldn't have any idea of what Paul and Silas endured.

There you are in the middle of the night, having no idea whether you will be hanged or beheaded or flogged again, and what do you do? Pray! That's right we would all pray. We would cry out for help. So did Paul. But that's not all he did. Verse 25 says, "But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them."

Now why were they singing? It was midnight. They were in pain. They were weary. They were cut off from their traveling partners. They were at the hands of unscrupulous men. Sleep from exhaustion, crying, pleading with God for help—these things we could understand. But singing hymns! If anybody were to say to us today, "When you hit bottom, sing hymns to God," we would probably say to them, "Lay off with simplistic solutions. You've obviously never been on the bottom."

But Paul and Silas were at the bottom. And they sang hymns to God. Sometimes the only solutions left in life are simple ones.

Why were they singing? I think they were singing because they needed a display of God's power. They had learned that singing to God is not merely a response to his grace but also a weapon of spiritual warfare. They had learned like Jehoshaphat and like many of us that the enemies of God are thrown into confusion by the songs of God's people.

And in his great mercy God did for Paul and Silas what he did for Jehoshaphat. Verse 26: "And suddenly there was a great earthquake . . . and immediately all the doors were opened and every one's fetters were unfastened." So we see again that God accepts the offering of praise and makes it an occasion for his power. And we see the truth confirmed, that God has appointed the use of spiritual songs as an effective weapon against his archenemy Satan.

The Holy Spirit is our great hope against Satan. But how does the Holy Spirit fill and empower us? Ephesians 5:18–19 says, "Be filled with the Holy Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to the Lord with all your heart." The fullness of the Holy Spirit is experienced as a heart filled with singing. So if we fight Satan by the fullness of the Spirit, we fight him with song.

The Testimony of Great Saints

If you have read Dick Eastman's book, The Hour That Changes the World, you may recall Mary Slosser who worked in China for many years. She used to say, "I sing the Doxology and dismiss the devil." And Amy Carmichael said, "I believe truly that Satan cannot endure it and so slips out of the room—more or less—when there is a true song."

Martin Luther gives his testimony like this:

Music is a fair and lovely gift of God which has often wakened and moved me to the joy of preaching . . . Music drives away the Devil and makes people gay . . . Next after theology I give to music the highest place and the greatest honor. I would not change what little I know of music for something great. Experience proves that next to the Word of God only music deserves to be extolled as the mistress and governess of the feelings of the human heart. We know that to the devils music is distasteful and insufferable. My heart bubbles up and overflows in response to music, which has so often refreshed me and delivered me from dire plagues. (Here I Stand, p. 266)

William Law in his spiritual classic, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, has a whole chapter to encourage us to chant the psalms in our private devotions. He says,

Just as singing is a natural effect of joy in the heart so it has also a natural power of rendering the heart joyful . . . There is nothing that so clears a way for your prayers, nothing that so disperses dullness of heart, nothing that so purifies the soul from poor and little passions, nothing that so opens heaven, or carries your heart so near it, as these songs of praise.

They create a sense and delight in God, they awaken holy desires, they teach you how to ask, and they prevail with God to give. They kindle a holy flame, they turn your heart into an altar, your prayers into incense, and carry them as a sweet-smelling savor to the throne of grace. (pp. 168, 164)

It is no wonder that Satan hates the songs of God's people. He does his best to keep a church from being a singing church. And he does his best to keep you from being a singing person.

I don't think these testimonies from Mary Slosser and Amy Carmichael and Martin Luther and William Law are pious platitudes. I think that they are strictly and terribly true. Satan cannot endure the spiritual songs of the saints. You can fight him with song.

Spiritual Warfare Through Singing

Four years ago I was called late one night to come to an apartment where supposedly there was a demon-possessed woman. I called Tom Steller and we went together while our wives prayed at home. What we found was a woman held in a room by some young Christian women who were intent on seeing the demon driven out of this woman. For about two hours I talked to her and read her Scriptures and prayed prayers of deliverance.

She became increasingly violent, knocking the Bible out of my hand and grabbing the prayer sheets and shoving me. At one point, about one in the morning, when the conflict rose to a fever pitch between the Word of God and the satanic force in this woman, someone in the group began to sing. It was one of our familiar worship songs. We sang it again and again and the Lord gave us new words for it each time. The effect on her was dramatic. She began to tremble and threaten us if we didn't stop. Then she threw herself on the floor and screamed for Satan not to leave her. She went into convulsions and then went limp. When she came to, she remembered nothing of what happened and was willing to read Scripture and pray.

So Tom Steller and I know from experience that singing to God is not a nice little emotional trip to spice up a worship service. For us it felt more like a matter of life and death. That is what it was for Paul and Silas. And that's what it is for our church.

Two Practical Applications

I close with two practical applications.

1. Use Songs in Your Personal and Family Devotions

First, you received in your bulletin today a bookmark which one of our prayer teams put together to help you ambush Satan with song in your personal devotional life. Notice the box entitled "Simple Songs of Worship". There are 32 songs there that we sing regularly at Bethlehem. Put this with your Bible or prayer list and use it to bring to mind songs to sing to God in your devotions or with your family.

I promise you it will bring a new power to your fight of faith. Satan cannot bear the singing of the saints. You can drive him away with song. And don't fall for his lie that you can't sing. Everybody can sing. Not everybody can perform. Not everybody can lead. Not everybody can read music or even stay on the right keys. But everybody can sing to God.

When a four year old comes home from Sunday School and announces that he wants to sing you a new song, and what you hear is a mixture of three tunes and four different sets of lyrics, how do you feel as a parent? I'll tell you: you feel wonderful, because there is a song in the heart of your child. And if any enemy ever came along and opposed that song, you would flatten him—like God did the Moabites and the Philippian jail. God loves to hear your song, no matter how badly you sing. And woe to your enemies when you sing to your Father in heaven!

2. Know That the Ministry of Song Is Warfare

Second, God has ordained that the gifted singers among us be appointed for spiritual leadership in the choir. David appointed the Levites of the family of Kohath to the ministry of music. They were to serve in the house of God to bring a continual offering of praise and worship to the Lord. They were to lead and assist the people in singing to God. And, as we saw in 2 Chronicles 20 their work is warfare. When they began to sing, the Lord set an ambush against the enemy.

And so it is at Bethlehem. This Choir is not here to turn worship into a nice aesthetic experience for the pleasure of unspiritual artsy types. Dean Palermo has not been called as a kind of musical artist in residence. He has been called as a company commander. The enemy is Satan and the warfare is song. And his business is to take charge of his company at the front ranks of the army and to lead us to God in worship, to each other in love, and into the world to plunder the death camps of Satan. Christ has given us a promise far greater than the promise of Jahaziel to Jehoshaphat: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me; go make disciples . . . I will be with you to the end of the age . . . I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die" (Matthew 28:18–20; John 11:25).

The Triumphant Song of Martyrs

January 8, 1956, Jim Elliot and four other young missionaries approached the jungle edge where the Auca Indians lived. Their last recorded act according to Elizabeth Elliot was to sing a hymn together:

We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,
And needing more each day thy grace to know,
Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,
We rest on thee, and in thy name we go.

All five of them were killed that afternoon. But they, too, were protected by God—protected from a fate far worse than death. They were protected from cowardice and unbelief and fear. And I think it would be fair to say—protected with song.

We have two great weapons in worship: the Word of God and song. So let us give heed to the Word of God and let us sing with all our heart.

Catholic magazine presses for Bhatti as man of the year

2012-01-02T20:12:00.004Z

The Italian Catholic magazine Cultura Cattolica has responded to Time Magazine's making an anonymous protester 'man of the year' by calling for martyred Federal Minister Shabhaz Bhatti to be named 'man of the year' instead, arguing that he is a far better candidate. Specifically they note that his staunch defence of religious freedom in the face of extreme intimidation, in the full knowledge that his life was likely to be forfeit means he should be greatly honoured. They quote his spiritual testament where he said :

'Many times the extremists have tried to kill me and imprison me, I have threatened, harassed and terrorized my family . The extremists, a few years ago, they even asked my parents, my mother and my father, to dissuade me from continuing my mission to help the Christians and the needy, otherwise I would lose. But my father always encouraged me. I say that as long as I live, until the last breath, I will continue to serve Jesus and this poor, suffering humanity, Christians, the needy, the poor.'

They have launched a petition to this end, which currently (9pm GMT 02 Jan 2012) stands at well over 1000 signatures. Add yours, even if - like me - you can't understand the Italian!

+++++ UPDATE. We have contacted the magazine and they have put up an English Translation too. Now up to 1450 signatures. Add yours! +++++

Action : SIGN THE PETITION

Police surgeon assassinated for telling truth about police massacre

2012-01-01T13:17:00.005Z

Dr Baqih Shah, honest police surgeon assassinated

More evidence of the murderous corruption cancer at the heart of significant parts of the Pakistani police and security apparatus and state emerged with the assassination of a courageous and honest police surgeon, Dr Baqih Shah. Earlier this year Pakistani police gunned down 5 unarmed foreigners from Russia and Tajik, including 3 women, one heavily pregnant. The police claimed that they were suicide bombers who died at a checkpoint exploding their bombs, but video of the incident and eyewitnesses said otherwise. In a video the BBC showed, two of the already badly injured women were on the ground, holding hands and one put up their hand, at which point police opened up with a volley of fire. Dr Shah conducted the autopsies on the victims and confirmed they had not died from suicide bombs, but were shot dead at close range.

Whether the 'suicide bomber' claim was the sincere but wrong belief of the police at the time of the incident, or a quickly thought up ruse to excuse the massacre, Dr Shah received at the time of his submission of the court, intense internal pressure to fudge the results to match the police claims, which he resisted. He was badly beaten up by policemen at the time. He has refused to budge from the truth, and has just been assassinated in a hail of bullets, just like the victims he told the truth about.

A victim of the original police massacre

Source : blog

Source : BBC video

Source : Story of original beating

A special thought for the persecuted church and their families

2011-12-31T11:02:00.000Z

This is our hope that the Lord will come again and in Jesus Christ we have salvation. He is the only way to God and eternal life. Despite everything that's going on in our lives, please let us support our brothers and sisters where persecution is fierce and it may be fiercer next year.

I encourage all of you to read and meditate on this article which has really strengthened me.
Special wishes to Wilson, Juliet and all those who help and support BPCA.

There are trillions of ways that Jesus is not like us. The Nicene Creed is only a sketch of what this looks like. These ways are vast — far more vast than what we're able to say.

Jesus Is Different

Jesus is the Lord. From everlasting to everlasting, he is God. Very God of very God. A non-blended person of the undivided essence. Triunely Sovereign, utterly independent, sourceless and satisfied. We'll never know what that's like.
Jesus was begotten, not made. He dwelled eyes-wide in his own presence, basking in a trinitarian glory we must call unapproachable. We'll never see this, nor could we anyway.
Jesus made everything that exists. Everything. He is the uncreated Creator and we are what he spoke. He said it and it came to be. Only he can do this.
Jesus came down from heaven for our salvation. He is the locus of God's eternal purpose in the universe. All of God's intentions to glorify his name by creating humans and saving them is centered on him. From the very beginning, before there was a beginning, Jesus has been the one. See, he's different.
Jesus is the King of the nations. The one who owns the ends of the earth though his dominion transends our metrics. He's nice enough to warn all rulers of his power, fierce enough to kindle wrath in an instance, and good enough to be a refuge for those who bow. His enemies will be his footstool. He will judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will never end. He is the King of kings, no doubt. Look, Jesus is different.

Jesus Became Like Us

Jesus is indissolubly, inconceivably, unquantifiably different. Altogether different, I tell you, until he layed thus in lowly manger. Until the fullness of time had come and he was born of woman, born under the law. Until he became a great high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses, a friend in our trials and the conquering Redeemer. Jesus became a human like us. He breathed the same air we do. His feet touched the same ground. The hair on his head grew.
In Genesis 2 humanity— not fallen — Jesus experienced everything we do. He was tempted like us in every way. Really, in every way. In every way that sin has crouched at our door, in every way that iniquity has gestured a bad promise, he knows it. He experienced it. He was there — yet he never sinned. He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger.
And this is how he died for us. He knew it all. The wrath he suffered in our place was for sins he resisted in perfect faithfulness. He felt the Father's fury for transgressions he found repulsive. Of all the ways he is different from us, it's when he became like us that his love was shown.

So We Rejoice

Christmas sings this at us. The whole season confronts our hearts like a group of carolers that won't leave the yard. The Jesus who is incomparably glorious is the Jesus who became like us to die in our place. Don't miss it. Fall on your knees in worship. Behold your king!

Source: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/our-weakness-is-no-stranger

Long live the Queen!

2011-12-26T21:29:00.003Z

The BPCA would like to draw readers attention to Her Majesty's Speech this year, in which she not only does the usual reporting on the year for her family, but also preaches the gospel

Let us not forget to obey the command of the gospel - to preach the gospel and pray for those who rule over us. And wherever we are, let us pray for her Majesty and her family, that God would bless and keep her. Amen

GLOBAL POLITICIANS CHALLENGED ABOUT ATTITUDES ON PAKISTAN

2011-12-24T11:30:00.002Z

Government Aid under Scrutiny over Freedom of Religion Concerns

An Early Day Motion on Pakistan drafted for the House of Commons is set to be heard globally on March 2^nd 2012, the first anniversary of the assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti, who was the only Christian Federal Government Minister in Pakistan, and an outspoken advocate of the rights of minorities and opponent of Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws.

So far, parliamentarians from the nations of Canada, Ireland, UK and USA are set to raise the issue in their respective national assemblies.

Press conferences and candlelit vigils are planned in all these nations outside their respective national assembly’s on the anniversary of Bhatti’s violent martyrdom.

In the UK, the Motion is set to be read in Parliament by MP Andrew Stephenson (Tory, for Pendle, Lancashire). Chairman of the BPCA Wilson Chowdhry will also be presenting several petitions to 10 Downing Street, at 09:00, 1st January 2012. The submission of petitions on the first day of 2012, is part of a BPCA resolution to see peace delivered to the suffering Christians and other minorities of Pakistan, during a pivotal year for Britain, when we carry the Olympic torch of peace.

In the

USA

,an adapted version will be read in the US Capitol by Congressman Trent Franks(Arizona Representative, Republican).

In addition to pointing out that blasphemylaws are in direct violation of International Human rights of freedom of speechand religion, the motion also notes that aid from Western taxpayers goes to Pakistan with very few precautions, and calls on governments to make sure that such aid is not used to perpetuate the second class status of religious minorities, especially via educational material that demonizes and misrepresents them.

The original idea came out of discussion between Wilson Chowdhry of the British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA) and Jason Campbell of Christian Action Network(CAN) in the US. Wilson Chowdhry stated :

‘We wanted to both honour the sacrifice of Minister Shahbaz Bhatti, who boldly challenged the iniquitous blasphemy laws, knowing full well it would likely lead to his violent death, and raise the profile of Asia Bibi, a Christian mother of five who has been imprisoned under a death sentence for over two years for a false blasphemy charge. Asia has become something of a cause celebre,but many more cases go unreported. The problem is endemic, and we wanted to raise the wider issue, not just Asia Bibi’s terrible situation. False blasphemy charges are raised on at least a weekly basis across every area of Pakistan, and Christians are disproportionately targeted. The threat of such false charges is used to oppress minorities such as Christians, especially when disputes and vendettas are launched against them. Some Muslim landowners and businessmen regularly use these tactics to gain poor Christians land and property.’

Whilst Asia Bibi achieved iconic status as the only woman to be ‘lawfully’ sentenced to death for blasphemy, there are hundreds more victims, some of whom have died, either by beatings and poor conditions in prisons, or at the hands of Muslim extremists when they have been acquitted in the courts. On occasion even the Muslim lawyers and judges involved in such acquittals have been assassinated.

For those victims who do survive, the BPCA and other campaigners say that a nomadic life of fear, hiding in safe houses and inability to earn money awaits, or a struggle to claim asylum in Western nations.

As well as the BPCA in the UK, other campaigners involved include David Turner President of 'Church in Chains' in Ireland, Along with a press conference, he will submit the motion through a Irish parliamentarian (likely to be Joanna Tuffy TD). In the USA , the groups ‘Voice of the Martyrs’ and CAN are leading efforts. Revised copies of the Motion are also being championed by Qamar Khan National President "Christian Cultural Association of South Asians," in Canada, through Joe Daniel MP for Don Valley, East Toronto.

Contact details for all the above and a copy of the EDM can be sourced through Wilson Chowdhry 020 8514 0861.

Interfaith Quiz and Christmas Party 20th December 2011

2011-12-22T12:38:00.001Z

39 local residents joined us for our Festive party and Interfaith Quiz.

A wonderful time was experienced by all those who ventured out and joined us for our Christmas celebration and interfaith quiz. We were pleased to see that so many local families brought out their children as it was a great opportunity for them to learn about religious diversity, in a fun atmosphere.

Our original quiz was deemed to difficult for the large number of children who joined us. As a consequence we decided alter the event and simply had 20 questions each on Sikhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. Adults were separated and told to supervise groups of around 5 Children each, who themselves had been separated from siblings.

The winning team was called "Dynamite" and pipped "Dragons and Sparkles" by 1 point in a closely contested quiz in which the lead changed hands several times.

4 Muslim families two Christian families and other local residents including a wide range of cultural identities made this event a diverse occasion.

Quiz participants scored highly in the sections on Christianity, Sikhism and Islam but knowledge of Hinduism was limited. One young Girl commented;

"This quiz excellent it will help with my Religious studies course"

To address the lack of knowledge of Hinduism we are inviting Ranbir Singh from the Hindu Human Rights Group to give a talk in January.

At the end of this event a game of Musical chairs was organised for the Children. By the end of the night many adults were joining in.

At the end of the event all those that attended spoke of the fun they had.

Wilson Chowdhry said;

"It is grassrooots programmes such as this one t,hat will inculcate positive enrichment of culture in a relaxed and cohesive atmosphere."

Our Christmas Appeal

2011-12-21T15:06:00.001Z

A modern day miracle a Christian dormitory at Faisalabad District Jail!

This year our Christmas appeal will support the work of Rev Samson Javaid, who has performed a great service for Christians in his local jail, by arranging for the building of a separate wing for Christians.

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/12/christian-prison-barrack-in-faisalabad.html

Christians in prison are badly treated, even worse then the deplorable treatment for Muslim inmates Pakistani jails.

Other prisoners will deny them sleeping space once they find out they are Christians. Moreover, Christians in jail are either imprisoned on false charges (often blasphemy ones) or because as poverty stricken Christians they have accrued debt they cannot pay off. A typical example is that of Rehmat Masiah of 75 years, falsely accused of blasphemy over a land dispute. He was in prison for nearly 18 months, and was only released a few weeks ago after an strong appeal led by Rev Javaid:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/12/rehmat-masih-free-from-prison-after.html

The pressure is so great in prison that significant numbers have become Muslims, simply to gain more tolerable conditions.

The new wing, opened at the start of the month, is right next to the Christian chapel in Faisalabad, District jail which Rev Javaid helped build several years ago. The Rev Javaid has been working to put on a Christmas party for the families of Christian inmates, to which many former inmates who were victims of blasphemy laws, and indeed, the family of victims who died in jail, have been invited. He faithfully helps out Christians in the prison in many ways, and we think his work is a very worthy cause for our Christmas appeal.

Rev Javaid told us of a "Special Families Christmas Get-Together" held at David Villa, Faisalabad on 17th December 2011. Close families and friends of those affected by the Pakistan's blasphemy laws in Faisalabad were invited. The occasion was an opportunity to pray and have fellowship with these friends. Rev Javid expressed the deep sorrow felt by those who had lost their loved ones. There were also three families who were happy because their loved ones had been released from the prison. Rt. Rev. Bishop John Samuel, an Anglican Bishop from Faisalabad Diocese was the speaker for this program. Learn more here:

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.com/2011/12/blasphemy-victims-families-gain-solace.html

We are thankful to those who were with us in prayers and support. We think that in Spirit they were present with us in this program. Please at this Christmas do remember those who are still behind the bars because of these cases. God bless you at this Christmas.

"I thank God for the time we were able to spent together. This is I think first time that such type of gathering took place. We were able to give Rs. 5000 to each family as a Christmas gift. Lunch was also served and some visitors were also given travelling expenses. We are now planning to have a Christmas lunch for prisoners in the new barrack, that will be on Thursday 23rd December 2011. One more prisoners lunch will be held on 2nd January, 2012. We shall give food to about 200 beleaguered Christian prisoners."

He spoke of the need for prayer for those still caught up in Faisalabad Prison and commented;

"Please do remember those who are still behind the bars because of these cases. God bless you all during this Christmas."

Please give generously, remembering what Jesus said in Matthew 25 about judgement day criteria being how we responded to our brothers and sisters in prison, among other things

If you would like to support our Christmas Appeal please send your contributions by cheque payable to;

British Pakistani Christian Association/Javaid Prison

Post to;

British Pakistani Christian Association

57 Green Lane

Ilford

Essex

IG1 1XG
Alternatively should you wish you can pay by BACS, direct debit or standing order by paying into the following account details:

Sort Code: 20-67-90

Account Number: 63468976

You can also pay via the internet using the PayPal link at the top right hand corner of our blog. God Bless you all.

Jaang News reports on EU Conference held 8th December

2011-12-19T15:26:00.000Z

Ilford Recorder wrote about our Interfaith Meeting with Imam Hafiz Muhammad of Quran Study Group

2011-12-19T14:33:00.000Z

We were blessed with two articles in our local paper who were obviously doubly enamoured with our work!

British Sikh Council described sacrifice of the 9th Guru "Shield of India"

2011-12-19T07:34:00.000Z

We were graced with the presence of Mr Baldev Singh and Mr Sangha at our latest Interfaith Harmony meeting on Thursday 15th December. They came to describe the sacrifice of the 9th Guru who gave his life to protect minorities from forced conversions under Emperor Aurangzeb. They described the events that led to the Guru's death:

In historic India, millions of people were denied this human right. The Mughal emperor of the time, Aurangzeb held a desire for a pure Islamic state. The Emperor’s ambition was to convert non-Muslims by force starting in the region of Kashmir. In desperation, a group of Kashmiri Hindu high priests (brahmins), approached Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji ((9th Guru) and pleaded for help.

The Guru told them that he had a vision that to stop the tyranny on Non- Muslims a huge sacrifice would have to be made of a holy man's life. This was said before Guru Gobind Singh (10th Guru), who remarked that no-one could be more holy than Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Mr Singh said;

"Guru Tegh Bahadur sent a message to the Mughal authorities that all Hindus would willingly embrace Islam, if he himself did the same."

Emperor Aurangzeb issued orders for his arrest as soon as he had been told of the challenge. The Guru was arrested, along with some of his followers: Bhai Dyala Ji, Bhai Mati Das Ji and Bhai Sati Das Ji. The arrest was made in July 1675 and the Guru was kept in custody for over three months during which time He was held in a very tight iron cage (in brutal conditions).

The Guru was put in chains and ordered to be tortured until he would accept Islam. When he could not be persuaded to abandon his faith to save himself from persecution, he was asked to perform some miracles to prove his divinity. Like many that have followed since, the Sikhs who were with the Guru Ji were also executed:

Bhai Mati Das Ji offered himself as the first sacrifice and asked for his head to be turned towards his Guru as he prayed the Japji (universal song of God composed by Gur Nanak Dev ji, the founder of the Sikh faith). A saw was placed on his had and he was cut form the head to the loins.
Bhai Dyala Ji was trussed up into a ball and boiled alive in a cauldron he recited the Japjiand turned to face his Guru through the ordeal.
Bhai Sati Das Ji condemned the brutality and as a consequence was hacked to pieces limb by limb.

Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji was put in chains and ordered to be tortured until he would accept Islam. When he could not be persuaded to abandon his faith to save himself from persecution, he was asked to perform some miracles to prove his divinity. On his refusal, Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded in public at Chandni Chowk on 24 November 1675.

In closing Mr Singh said;

"Guru Ji is also known as 'Hind Di Chadar' (the shield of India), suggesting that to save Hinduism, Guru Ji gave his life."

Arab Spring Rolls Into Fundamentalism

2011-12-18T17:15:00.002Z

Arab Spring Rolls Into Fundamentalism

By Ranbir Singh (Hindu Human Rights Group)

Independence to India did not change the political system in one important respect. Much colonial legislation remains intact. Most notorious is the Police Act of 1864 which was designed to quell dissent by unruly subjects rather than provide a public service. In fact the very idea of public ‘service’ is an anachronism in India where the ‘steel frame’ of the British Raj has changed little. Exams to join the civil service are competitive because it guarantees a job for life which brings not just money but generous perks such as housing, servants and above all the ability to kick those below you. This is a system designed to serve the rulers and not the ruled. Quotas to alleviate caste discrimination have become mere fights over a piece of this pie. Magnanimity is the best that Indian philanthropy can produce.

The very idea of altruism, of helping someone outside your own set ‘group’ is scoffed at in the neo-colonial environment that has endured. While Narasimha Rao was perhaps the most enlightened of Indian prime ministers in opening up the economy which has thereby unleashed the long pent up entrepreneurship for which Indians were celebrated abroad, important obstacles have yet to be dismantled.

The whole system breeds corruption and nepotism. Frustrated by being blocked at every turn India ’s best brains and talents have long seen exodus as the only means to get by or else escape their frustration in a nightmare world of drugs, alcohol and the increasingly degenerate soft pornography of Bollywood. It was for this reason that the mass civil disobedience launched by Anna Hazare was so welcome and tapped into a long suppressed psyche which few had dared to express. In doing so Hazare might have taken a leaf out of the Arab Spring where in almost parallel rage the masses also expressed their discontent in unprecedented shows of protest which eventually led to the fall of long established governments. Unlike India , the Arab protestors were true dissidents, operating in systems which did not even have the pretence at democracy.

It began with a hapless and harried vegetable seller in the small Tunisian town of Sidi Bouazizi who met the full force of the kleptocratic Third World state. In such claustrophobic environments it is impossible to simply work hard and improve one’s lot. Without the right connections and network the ordinary subject is at the mercy of repressive state organs manifested in bribery, extortion, police harassment, petty bureaucracy, a mind boggling array of rules that exist for no ostensible purpose, and no recourse to air any grievance. Having had his produce and scales confiscated and ignored by the governor who ignored him in a manner which had eerie echoes of French apathy towards demands for equality by a previous generation of Tunisians, Mohamed Bouazizi was an educated graduate who eked out a living as a barrowman. He took the ultimate act of protest in desperation. He burnt himself alive in public on 17 December 2010. The fire of protest engulfed Tunisia and led to President Ben Ali’s departure and the holding of free elections. Inspired by the Tunisians the disaffected subjects of other Arab autocrats also looked to free themselves from decades of being mere subjects and not citizens. Like dominoes they started to fall. In February 2011 Hosni Mubarak was forced from power in Egypt , by the very military which helped him rule. Gaddafi however fought back leading to civil war in neighbouring Libya until the rebels captured Tripoli in August. King Mohammed saw pragmatism and offered reforms. Elections were duly held in November 2011.

This however in many ways marked the pinnacle of the Arab Spring. In February Oman crushed protests. Yemen descended into anarchy. Syria has descended into civil war. But it was perhaps the crushing of protests in Bahrain which gave ominous signs where things were heading. Police and army crushed disaffection with the help of their larger Saudi neighbour. Saudi Arabia is one of the most repressive states in the world. Freedom of speech, conscience, assembly and worship is not even on the agenda. Only oil revenues have lifted this totalitarian state from the Third World poverty in which it was once mired.

In many respects it was the polar opposite of Tunisia which in terms of women’s rights and modernisation was actually eons ahead in the Arab world. Saudi is touted as a western ally. Western dependence on oil has allowed the Saudis to operate mafia style protection rackets as they silence criticism of not just repression in their own country, but their ideological and financial support to Salafi and Wahhabi terrorism worldwide. It was this that was about to manifest itself.

Watching the Facebook generation of the Arab revolutions, one could not help fear that behind all the idealism of these liberal, secular and ultramodern youth in their jeans and mobile devices, there was obviously something more sinister brewing. In the wake of the French Revolution in 1789, Edmund Burke, often credited as being the founder of modern British conservatism, was not taken in by the exuberance which affected many radicals and people we would now term ‘progressive’. He went to the very source of the ideology which inspired the Jacobins. This meant reading Rousseau and behind the benign veneer of ‘The Social Contract’ Burke realised that the general will would lead to something nasty. Robespierre, Saint-Just and others did not simply create the Terror. They were its manifestation. The Terror allowed such people to arise and the Terror was the result Rousseau’s ‘general will’. The revolution was not perverted it was taken to its hideous logical conclusion. It was not a revolt of the masses but a coup engineered by the bourgeoisie and disaffected nobility.

Often thought of as a movement by the have-nots, the urban poor known as sans-culottes, the French Revolution devoured the very worst off in society as it crushed the Vendee uprising. The pattern was to be repeated in 1917. Lenin did not lead the Russian Revolution. Instead the Bolsheviks conspired to organise a coup which overthrew the liberal democratic government of Alexander Kerensky. Mao let Chiang Kai-Shek do all the dirty work in fighting the Japanese just as the Salafists were to do with the Facebook generation in Tahrir Square . Openly Islamist groups were noticeable by their conspicuous absence when protestors masses in Cairo demanding that Mubarak go. Christians protected Muslims as they prayed, and visa versa. It was easy to see why this would play to optimism and hope just as it would lead western commentators to use the word ‘moderate’ towards terrorist groups that were anything but that.

The liberals and secularists remained a confused lot even if they were not all just spoilt rich brats hermetically sealed off from the masses in what remains a largely conservative society. In protest against enforcement of the veil and also the virginity testing which was foisted on female protestors in Tahrir Square by the military, former student Aliaa Magdy Elmahdy posed nude for photographs which were then posted on the internet by her boyfriend, veteran political dissident Kareem Amer. Denounced as pornography it is actually rather chilling. One looks into Elmahdy’s eyes and blank expression realising that something ominous is on the horizon. Faced with the Orwellian totalitarianism of organised Islamist forces, Elmahdy resorted to the cuddly totalitarianism of the dystopia so bleakly described by Aldous Huxley in ‘Brave New World’. Her brave and lauded stance in standing up to literally deadly fanaticism was nevertheless made hollow by an attitude of “it’s my life” so reminiscent of broken societies of western inner cities, but with its roots going back to the ‘common will’ of Rousseau, prophet and god of the French Revolution. Her espousal that children should be the result of ‘love’ rather than marriage may have sounded warm and fluffy but its future could be predicted if one looked at the resultant broken society and the havoc it wreaked on the streets of English cities in August.

When social norms and customs break suddenly and violently, a grotesque chimerical offspring of Rousseau often takes their place to create an even more oppressive environment than the one just overthrown. In this case it would give the Muslim Brotherhood and al-Nour all the ammunition they needed against a westernised bohemian elite disconnected from the masses. Western countries have welfare systems in place to help the most deprived and which have become effective income systems and surrogate male partners for the taxpayer to help support teenage girls for whom begetting limitless numbers of offspring is a sure means to a home and ‘independence’. Children grow up in an environment lacking a male role model, domestic stability and a disconnect between work and income, with natural parents who remain mentally stuck in adolescence long after they have passed into actual adulthood.

Nature abhors a vacuum. So we find that into this dystopia that addictive drugs, cheap alcohol, predatory loan sharks and parasitic pimps find their live hosts, while tribal formations based on volkisch ethnicity, street level religious fundamentalism and the amorphous gang give a sense of order and discipline that family and community once did. Under the present Eurozone economic crisis, declining fertility, ageing demographics and falling incomes how long can this welfare system remain afloat? In Egypt there is not even this much. The oil rich states that could afford it remain essentially conservative or import thousands of unwilling females to service the master race as sex slaves.

President Franklin D Roosevelt supposedly remarked of the famous Nicaraguan dictator in 1939 “Samoza may be a son of a bitch, but he’s our son of a bitch.” Later American presidents could say the same of Mubarak, and France could say the same of Ben Ali. Indeed the autocratic ‘sons of bitches’ proved quite useful to the west in order to keep the more hardcore religious elements down, or in the case of Sadat and Mubarak at least pretending to do so while elevating them into positions of power.

Like modern day corsairs the Arab autocrats demanded their regular pound of flesh in the form of aid packages which they spent on the latest military hardware in order to crush the aspirations of their own people in case rigged elections (if they were even held) proved to be even more unconvincing than the plebiscite held by Hitler in the 1930s. If this mechanism managed to camouflage the humbling of Europe and North America into an unofficial yet effective dhimmitude the extraction of jizya tax from the richer infidel nations was to lose its pretence once the ‘sons of bitches’ were ousted from power. The crushing of genuine liberal and secular aspirations through decades of claustrophobic oppression left religious forms and motifs the only means of expressing open discontent. In this atmosphere the results should have been obvious. The elections in Tunisia began the demise that anything democratic was ever going to result from the revolutions. This was the most secular of Arab countries and yet the Ennhada party, openly Islamist, won the elections of October 2011.

In Morocco that same month the supposedly ‘moderate’ Islamist Justice and Development Party won the largest number of votes. But it was Egypt in December which gave the most shocking result. In a country which once boasted the most liberal and pluralistic society in the Arab world the majority of votes went to the at times terrorist Muslim Brotherhood which deluded western observers have constantly started to refer to as moderate. It is anything but moderate. What was more shocking is that liberal, democratic and secular forces trailed behind the even more openly hardline and Salafist al-Nour party. Libya meanwhile sits on the brink of civil war in its current non-existent path to a democracy that will never materialise. Saudi Arabia extends its baneful colonialist influence over its new vassal states as democracy in the Arab world shows less signs of health than they did in the Weimar Republic .

The parallels are not incidental. Anti-Semitism has long been a stock in trade of not just the Saudis but even secular regimes. There was nothing like stoking up the burning hatred of Israel, as embassy staff in Cairo recently found out, to divert attention from very real problems of poverty, unemployment, runaway inflation and a claustrophobic environment even in the wealthiest states. Hate literature such as Arabic versions of Mein Kampf and the Protocols which are consigned in western countries to dingy backstreet stores and meetings by burly men with shaved heads and swastika tattoos, or dodgy neo-Nazi internet mail order sites, are proudly displayed in the book markets of the Middle East .

In fact before even the elections in Tunisia we had the example of Hamas in the Palestinian territories, elected by free democratic vote. As in many decolonised states, it is one person, one vote, once. Yet it is Israel which is criticised for inconveniencing the Palestinians when they are being attacked by rockets by a government which does not even believe that Jews have the right to exist. Secularism as we commonly understand it never did take root in these countries. Socialism never did mean absence of religion. It did not even mean effective plans at poverty alleviation. Nasser helped himself to large landed estates, dispossessed the owners and then parcelled out the ill gotten gain to his cronies. If the proletariat thought that this was their revolution the execution of leaders from organised labour just one month after the 1952 coup proved otherwise. Egypt lost its once vibrant mix of Jews, Italians, Armenians, Greeks, Maltese and French minorities, bulldozed from history just as Sophiatown was by the architects of apartheid in South Africa .

One group that Nasser did invite with open arms were former top Nazis like Remer who would help organise his repressive machinery. Johann von Leers became Omar Almin and churned out anti-Semitic hatred from the Information Ministry. Nasser was to inspire the young Gaddafi in taking power and also Algerian nationalists fighting the French. With the latter the painful reality became obvious that they were not going to be better off than under colonialism and, judging by the evacuation of pro-French harkis and subsequently other Algerians as they sought a better life in the highly racist environment of the former colonial power, actually quite a lot worse. One cannot just blame poverty. Algeria has reserves of natural gas.

Gaddafi could only build his Green Book ideas with oil revenues which would have modernised his country if the monarchy had stayed. Saudi, Dubai , Qatar , Kuwait , Bahrain and Abu Dhabi used oil to at best create the veneer of modernisation with its very worst of self-indulgent consumer appetites. But political reform, secularism, freedom to believe was not even entertained. Citizenship was tightly limited to the designated herrenvolk master race. Where once slaves had toiled for masters, now Filipino and South Asian labourers work in conditions that flout all international conventions, shipped out of the main city centres which they are helping to construct like modern day helots. These oriental despotisms did not even abolish chattel slavery until the late twentieth century.

This is a region given to even less to racial and cultural diversity than it is to economic cooperation. Desperate to show their commitment to Arab nationalism, minority Christian communities helped become its leading ideologues. Michel Aflaq after all founded Ba’ath. While Aflaq, and later Hannan Ashrawi and George Habash, manifested their anti-Jewish animus, the Christian minority in an independent Palestine and a post-Saddam Iraq face extinction. Ancient communities and cultures such as the Assyrians are in dire straits at risk of permanent exile from their own homeland. It would not be the first time. Turkey is often touted as the example which Arab states should follow. Until recently political Islam was proscribed in Turkey . Now under the Justice and Development Party of Recep Erdogan it rules it. But then how secular was Turkey ? Ataturk replaced Islam with the surrogate religion of Turkish nationalism which made the rump of the once powerful Ottoman Empire even less pluralist than it had been under the sultans. The jihad against the ancient Christian communities of Armenians and Assyrians became a genocide which was continued by the secular Turkish nationalists. The Greeks were almost completely expelled. Even Muslims face the wrath of the state as Kurds were denied even the right to exist as a people. That right has only been grudgingly granted very recently and remains precarious.

So even the use of secularism entails an identity which is organic and volkisch and lends itself to the exclusion of others. This has been one of the main obstacles to Turkey joining the EU even though it insists it is part of Europe . With the current economic crisis however, this will certainly be one Christmas where Turkey is going to be rather pleased that for decades Europe has told it to ‘get stuffed’. The intolerance and racism produced by aggressive secularism in Turkey then was always going to be a rocky road for its former Ottoman colonies to follow. Pan-Arabism always did have the unhealthy echoes of German Romantics such as Fichte.

As such the indigenous people of Egypt now face a bleak future. The sight of tanks openly running over Copts and soldiers openly shooting Copts on the streets in front of live television cameras should be evidence enough. These will not be regimes which will be in any way friendly to the west. The receipt of billions, yes billions, in western aid (and taxpayers’ money) does not guarantee any democratisation or respect for the rights of women and minorities. It is nothing more than a mafia style protection racket, modernised only in the sense of it being a new way of collection jizya, the poll-tax levied on non-Muslims who were granted a grudging existence as third-class citizens, dhimmis.

It is not just of course Arab countries. Pakistan has long persecuted the Christian minority and that is only set to get worse. Most of the Hindus and Sikhs have been expelled or forcibly converted and the minuscule Bene Israel community of Jews has long since left. Malaysia openly discriminates in favour of Malay Muslims and against the Chinese and Indian minorities so that Hindu temples are destroyed at official behest. Indonesia once the most tolerant of all Muslim countries is fast jettisoning the diversity it once so valued in Sukarno’s doctrine of Panchasila, to becoming a hub of terrorism.

Salafism is fast overtaking oil as Saudi’s main export and threatening minority groups wherever it holds mechanisms of power in its vice like grip. In this new Middle East where Saudi influence is fast replacing the American and French tutelage of western-backed autocrats, realities need to take note of political realignment. As has been the case in Africa, China will move in to offer aid to dictators who unfortunately embarrass their western ‘allies’ by shooting, torturing, raping and incarcerating their own people. Western powers feel that they cannot antagonise China because it is about the only place that is doing well right now. But China’s boom is not only limited to a small portion of its population, it depends on manufacturing which rests on the ability of western consumers to buy it and by arresting enough of its own citizens who can provide the necessary slave labour in the camps in order to produce it. On the former element China relies on America ’s most favoured nation trading status. China of course will find it difficult in dealing with regimes which are busy stoking up Islamic separatist sentiment in Xinjiang but this has not been a problem yet in its dealings with the hardline Islamist regime of Sudan .

The west appears enamoured of China , oblivious to the instability which bubbles just below the surface. Those that praise China as the future are even more incorrect than they were about predicting an outbreak of democracy in the Arab countries. This is due to hope which it itself driven by fear. It is also driven by a mindset which refused to recognise the harsh new political realities and above all wishes to exclude the relevance and importance of India .

How long will western nations keep up this game of ‘alliance’ with what are becoming uncompromising Salafist regimes that hate America and all its stands for? The breaking point is already happening with Pakistan , a strange ally in the war against terrorism if ever there was one. Pakistan and its master Saudi Arabia had provided financial, human and ideological support to al-Qaeda, Taliban and similar groups. Anyone with an iota of knowledge in this sphere would then hardly have been surprised when Bin Laden was found in Pakistan , that ‘dependable’ ally in the war on terrorism.

It is also here that America and western democratic nations will have to seek a new alliance, this time with a nation that is actually democratic. India has long been sidelined. But as the Arab Spring oxidises into a new nightmare India will have not just strategic but also economic and political importance. But above all its contribution will be spiritual. Unlike the Salafists who the western commentators in such ‘liberal’ mouthpieces such as The Guardian are desperate to call ‘moderate’, anything manifestly Hindu is decried by the very same people and publications as fascist and fundamentalist. Yet even today considering the diversity it has, India manages surprisingly well. Further economic reforms and democratisation can only increase and magnify this most important part of its heritage. India after all was where a previous generation of persecuted people in the Middle East fled when nobody else wanted them.

This is how the Parsees, followers of Zarathustra, fled persecution and forcible conversion to become one of India ’s most prosperous and respected communities. Until offered free passage by the newly created state of Israel Jews had prospered in India for two thousand years without any animus from the host community and majority. Where did the Dalai Lama and his followers go when China invaded their homeland and wiped out Tibetan Buddhism? To India . Yet needlessly the liberal chattering class mouthpieces such as ‘The Guardian’ spout the sort of anti-Hindu venom one would normally associated with the followers of Maulana Maududi in Pakistan ’s Jamaat-i-Islami, while calling his very same disciples in Tunisia ’s Ennhada party as ‘moderate’. Why do western commentators, liberal and conservative, socialist and capitalist, racist and anti-racist, atheist and Christian, secular and religious, Left and Right, have this needless hatred of Hindus? This easily spills over into hatred for India . The Guardian constantly gives voice to ideologies which if in power would treat this newspaper in the same manner that Lenin dealt with prosperous peasants known as kulaks – if one defines prosperity as owning one cow and barely having enough to eat.

To even acknowledge that India was the only country in which Jews flourished without any anti-Semitism from the majority host community flies in the face of the established discourse which sees India as nothing more than a poverty stricken land of communal hatred which can all be blamed on the caste system of Hinduism. Anti-Hindu discourse is firmly established in the minds of people who would normally regard themselves as open and multiculturalist. Needless hatred is ingrained simply for the purpose of appearing to be objective and balanced. After all it is far better to denigrate an ancient culture, civilisation and people who cannot fight back because they are denied an effective voice on a par with others, especially when they are not known for resorting to hijacking, suicide bombing and engaging in forcible conversion. In fact Hindus are even softer targets than Israel in this desire to find new scapegoats. At least Israel has its defenders even if that small country, the only genuine democratic state in the Middle East , is constantly blamed for all the problems in the region.

As India becomes one of the rising nations it should honour its international obligations by taking in refugees which will no doubt be created by the vice like grip of Salafism. Just as the western nations ignored Hindus and Sikhs being forced to wear discriminatory badges under the Taliban as a sinister echo of Nazi badges denoting ‘Juden’, they have more recently ignored the extermination of Christian minorities in Palestine and Iraq , and the mowing down of Copts in Maspero in what can only be described as Egypt ’s very own Kristallnacht. What will it take for democracies to wake up? They are not only complacent, but send taxpayers money as aid when the Eurozone itself is barely surviving.

In Afghanistan it was the destruction of the ancient stone giant Buddhas at Bamiyan and finally 9/11. Will it take the destruction of the pyramids and Sphinx for these very same democratic nations to realise that just by attaching the appellation of ‘moderate’ will not make these hardline fanatics become fluffy and cuddly characters out of a children’s television programme? Just as with 9/11 will it take more terrorist attacks launched with same brazen openness as the corsairs who once raided southern Europe for slaves promoting the construction of watchtowers in order to warn the population with the spine chilling cry of “Beware the Turks!”? It is about time they start to once again construct those watchtowers. In the meantime, and in the absence of any concerted effort on the part of nations whose very civilisation the Salafi imperialists seek to destroy, what of those groups who will suffer the inevitable persecution and much worse?

Copts, Mazdeans,Assyrians and others will do their best to seek asylum as being third-class dhimmis does not guarantee as much as physical existence and even at best is intolerable. As western nations waste taxpayer money on jizya payments disguised as unconditional aid, the harsh lessons are to be found in Sudan . Here a substantial Christian and animist minority successful wages war and gained its own independent state. Not only could this provide a much needed refuge for Christian minorities but will also be a dependable western ally. But this harshest lesson is that no accommodation is possible with an ideology which is hell bent on genocide, colonialism and the annihilation of ancient indigenous cultures and peoples. South Sudanese saw the only recourse was separatism to be apart permanently from the noxious contagion that was spreading and turning traditional communities into mindless terrorist zombies. Separatism for these minority groups has been happening since the days of the pan-Arabist Reich as the brain drain robbed states of their most talented, wealthiest and skilled human talent. It is now happening as people desperately try and seek asylum. Soon western policies will need to face reality and stop living in a false utopia.

The Arab Spring has become the Arab Long March into the Night. Minorities in the supposedly ‘liberated’ Arab states face a ‘Hindu’ future. This means that they will struggle to find any sympathetic voices in democratic nations who busy with their own crises, demographic as much as financial and social, will avert their gaze and issue diplomatic bland platitudes of sympathy (which is more than Hindus get). They will find the only possibility of physical existence in exile from the lands which they called home for thousands of years.

The ancient civilisations of which they are heirs before being crushed by an Islamic imperialism which a guilt-wracked west refuses to acknowledge even existed, will survive better in museums than in the exiled diaspora communities which the very same liberal and left forces that act as apologists for Salafis by calling them ‘moderate’, will demand that they assimilate in order to prove that they are not backward, racist and inward looking.

If we are facing cold hard facts then the inconvenient truth is that no western nations will risk its main source of crude oil and the essential shipping lane of the Suez Canal by antagonising the newly emerging hardcore religious dictatorships of the embryonic Salafi empire. It took over forty years for apartheid to be defeated in South Africa as western democratic nations averted their gaze to mass deportations and the classifying of the entire population by race by a government of unashamed Nazi sympathisers. East Timor only achieved independence after Indonesia exterminated a third of its population through rape and mass killings over three decades.

Sometimes it is the most innocuous as opposed to the most dramatic event which makes us sit up and take notice, something so familiar to us that when it is disturbed it impinges on our sense of normality. What the Sharpeville Massacre did not do in 1961, Basil D’Oliveira managed to achieve at the end of that decade against apartheid. By banning ‘Dolly’ from entering that country as a player for the England team, South Africa lost all pretence at being civilised. Quite literally it was just not cricket. What will it take for western nations to sit up and take notice that reassurances from the Islamist groups are about as sacrosanct as that useless scrap of paper which Neville Chamberlain brought back from Munich in 1938? When will they realise that the protection which the Muslim Brotherhood guarantees for women and minorities are as empty as Hendrik Verwoerd’s defence of apartheid as being nothing more than good neighbourliness?

At some point the mask will have to drop. The leftist chattering classes with their fake smiles will realise that blaming the entire problems of the Middle East on a thin strip of Mediterranean coast that just happened to be called Israel was never going to cut it. But then ideologically Nazism always did owe more to the alternative bohemian and avant-garde characters than has hitherto been acknowledged. Destruction of entire communities, rape, abduction, forcible conversion and the slaughtering of innocents on live television and mobile phone recordings can only stretch excuse making so far. The stream of refugees will make it harder to ignore what is going on.

Terrorist attacks on European states more deadly than anything enacted by the corsair pirates will force the stark realisation that the protection payments packaged as aid are no longer enough to keep the barbarians at bay. Salafis will get bored of the jizya payments to fix the economies which they have only further bankrupted and will translate this restlessness into demands for anschluss of Europe with the Maghreb .

The same useful idiots who raged against Israel will find that their anti-Americanism was as misplaced as their anti-Semitism when the alternative is a Europe being carved up between a resurgent Khalifat and the competing Fourth Reichs of Russia and China . At this moment too they will realise that the very India which they hated with such venom may finally prove to be their saviour; economically, politically, but above all spiritually.

As I mentioned in the beginning, India at least has democratic organs of protest. Discontent does not have armed insurrection as its only aspiration. Elections do take place. The only attempted putsch was Indira Gandhi’s Emergency, and she paid dearly for that having to submit to the electorate of what has remained the largest democracy in the world while its neighbours resemble the Middle Eastern despotisms in having fallen prey to civil war and military dictatorship. Once India finds its Mohamed Bouazizi moment the country will defy its detractors by moving forward as a leading light of the new millennium.

Blasphemy victims' families meet to give solace to one another!

2011-12-18T15:21:00.000Z

Blasphemy victims' families gain solace through one another's company.

Victims family members received cheques for Rs5000 to assist with the loss of key family members.

So many wives without their husbands due to a contentious Pakistani Blasphemy law!

Rehmat Masih looking more healthy since his escape from the confines of Faisalabad Jail. His strength is an inspiration to others!

On Saturday 17th December, 2011 a "Special Families Christmas Get-Together" at David Villa, Faisalabad was organised by Rev Samson. Families who are affected by the blasphemy law in Faisalabad were invited guests.

Rev Samson said;

"I thank God that this time was to pray and have fellowship with these friends. There were sorrows and tears as some of them lost their loved ones. There were three families who were happy because their loved ones released from the prison, Rehmat Masih is one of those." He added further; "There was also a family whose son is in incarcerated and facing the life imprisonment announced to him, by a judge two years ago."

Rt. Rev. Bishop John Samuel, an Anglican Bishop from Faisalabad Diocese was the speaker for this program.

Rev Samson told us;

"We are thankful to those who were with us in prayers and support. Please at this time of Christmas do remember those who are still behind the bars because of these cases. God bless you all during this Christmas."

The BPCA has chosen to support this wonderful work and will be organising a Christmas appeal for a group that has achieved so much. The work of this group illustrates that a concerted effort can bring about change and reform in Pakistan and should inspire all of us to work that little bit harder to see even more success, piecemeal as it may seen it is still invaluable to our community.

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9)

UK Government challenged over complicity in CIA drone attacks

2011-12-18T07:30:00.000Z

Drone attack!

Lawyers for the son of a victim of CIA drone strikes in Pakistan have written to the British Foreign Secretary, asking him to clarify what the UK’s policy is on providing intelligence used by the US in its ‘targeted killing’ campaign.

Leigh Day & Co, acting on behalf of Noor Khan, whose father was killed earlier this year in a drone strike on a jirga – or council of elders – in North West Pakistan, have asked William Hague to provide answers to key questions on how far the UK assists the US in its drone strike programme.

Several reports have stated that British intelligence agencies have provided information on the whereabouts of alleged ‘militants’ targeted by the CIA’s illegal campaign, which has resulted in the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of civilians.

The letter puts the following questions to the Foreign Secretary:

(1)        Whether the UK passed information to the US which was or may have been used in the attack on our client’s father on 17 March 2011, or any other drone attacks in the Pakistan border region;

(2)        Whether you accept that (a) the attack on our client’s family and (b) drone attacks in Pakistan generally are contrary to international law and, if not, why not;

(3)        Whether the UK continues to pass locational or other information to the US in circumstances where that information will or might be used in directing drone attacks in Pakistan (given that such attacks are endangering our client and his remaining family members);

(4)        If so, what arrangements are in place to enable relevant UK authorities to satisfy themselves, before information is passed to the US which is intended to be used, or which may be used, to direct drone attacks, that the passing of that information would not involve participation by UK officials or agents in acts which are unlawful in international and/or domestic law; and

(5)        In particular whether there exists any policy, guidance or other document dealing with the circumstances in which information which will or may be used in directing drone attacks in Pakistan may be shared with the US.

Clive Stafford Smith, Director of legal action charity Reprieve, said: “CIA drone strikes are killing huge numbers of civilians and destabilising Pakistan. The British people have a right to know what their country’s policy is regarding our involvement in this illegal and disastrous campaign.”

Richard Stein, Head of the Human Rights team at Leigh Day & Co said: "This legal action simply looks to ask a number of questions of our Government regarding UK involvement in the drone strikes in Pakistan which, it is estimated, have killed thousands of people within a country we are not militarily engaged with and therefore, we believe, are against international law. We ask the Foreign Secretary whether any information is being passed by agents of the UK Government to US Government forces to assist in these attacks. Unless it is catagorically denied that the UK continues to pass such information to the US Government forces, we require a clear policy statement of the arrangements which are in place and circumstances in which the UK considers it to be lawful to do so."

Pakistani Journalist's receive payments in property, for good behaviour!

2011-12-18T01:21:00.001Z

I have found footage of some reportage, describing illegal bribes to lead journalists by Pakistan's government.

See the video here (Urdu Only):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjFbAj8UQUs

The media group responsible have written a short summary of the report:

Government has rented out abandoned property at prime locations in Lahore to journalists at extremely low rates. The beneficiaries also include some big names of journalism. In this episode of Apna Gareban, Matiullah Jan exposes the names of these journalists and tries to talk to them, but unfortunately most of them refused to talk and give their side of the story.

Guests: Syed Asif Hashmi (Chairman, Evacuee Trust Board), Haris Marghoob (Senior Journalist), Mujeeb-ur-Rahman Shami (Senior Journalist), Rizwan Razi (Senior Journalist), Tanvir Shahzad (Freelance Journalist). Ex-ETPB chief flees country with Rs 3bn in pocket By MAK Lodhi Aug 23rd, 2002http://www.paklinks.com/gs/pakistan-affairs/69664-ex-isi-chief-tableeghi-lead... http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/index.html

LAHORE: Lt Gen (retd) Javed Nasir, former chairman of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and once an ISI chief, has fled the country Pakistan after devouring an estimated sum of Rs 3 billion through sale of precious ETPB lands at rock bottom prices and financial bungling in the board's buildings in Islamabad.
The ex-chairman relinquished his charge on July 16, 2001, as he was not accorded extension in service. Since then, files containing record of his corruption have been rotting in the cupboards of the ministry of religious affairs and NAB.

Out of about 20 land deals, The News probed eight huge ones. About five kanals and 16 marlas of land known as RGA factory on main Ferozepur Road, Lahore was sold for Rs 348,000 while the land is worth Rs 45 million in the market. About 23 acres of prime land located in Malir Karachi were sold to a private builder and property developer at Rs 5.60 million at the rate of Rs 61 per square yard. The market value of the land is estimated to be Rs 267 million at the rate of Rs 2,900 per sq yd. Another 916 kanals at Bhaikot, Lahore, were allotted to eleven different persons during Gen Javed Nasir's last three days in the office, causing a loss of Rs 243 million. Another big chunk of 48 kanals of land located on the main Super Highway, Karachi was sold to Nazi (pvt) Ltd for Rs 48 million at Rs 2000 per sq yd. The land is worth Rs 240 million and could easily sell at Rs 10,000 per sq yd. Incidentally, the company was already ETPB defaulter.

Another 100 kanals of prime land located on Raiwind Road, Lahore, WERE sold for Rs 46 million at Rs 460,000 per kanal against its market value of Rs 90 million. It was sold without holding open auction. After its allotment, the same land was re-sold at double the price. Another prized land piece of 38.18 kanals located at Tulspura (near Baghbanpura), close of Lahore canal, was sold at Rs 4.86 million at the rate of Rs 6,240 per marla. The market value of the land is said to be Rs 31.12 million at the rate of Rs 40,000 per marla. To sell the land to Mohammad Nadeem, was was declared that open auction brought no customer.

One of the most luring sites was 167 kanals of land located between the new Lahore Airport and Defence Housing Society. It was sold for Rs 8.01 million at the rate of Rs 48,000 per kanal. The land holds excellent commercial prospects and can be developed and sold at even higher rates. At the time of its disposal, the land carried a market value of Rs 91.85 million. The ex-Chairman also leased PASSCO Godown on Maulana Ahmed Ali Road, Qila Lakhsman Singh, Lahore to a low bidder at Rs 1.0 million. The highest bid announced was at Rs 2.5 million but it was arbitrarily rejected by the chairman. The matter was brought to the notice of the federal government and an inquiry was ordered. Occupants of the land were paid Rs 1 million for vacating the place to hush up the matter. A price gap of Rs 1 billion occurs in the sale of only eight deals. Other deals include six kanals and seven kanals at Lidher, Lahore Cantt.

At Mota Singhwala, Lahore, the ex-Chairman sold 96 kanals to one party, 90 to second and 100 kanals to third party. A number of other precious properties were sold out at throw-away prices in Multan, Rawalpindi and Peshawar also. Huge financial bunglings were carried out by relaxing contractual obligations for building ETPB Complex and Trust Plaza in Islamabad.

Guardian report:

2011-12-17T08:19:00.000Z

Cameron calls for return to Christian values as King James Bible turns 400

Christianity provides a 'moral code' to counter riots, expense scandals and Islamist extremism, says the prime minister

Riazat Butt, religious affairs correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Friday 16 December 2011 19.43 GMT
Article history

Ancient copies of the King James Bible are carried during a procession at Westminster Abbey to mark its 400th anniversary. Photograph: Chris Jackson/AFP/Getty Images

David Cameron has declared that "Britain is a Christian country and we should not be afraid to say so", in a speech to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible.

Cameron told Church of England clergy gathered in Oxford that a return to Christian values could counter the country's "moral collapse" and blamed a "passive tolerance" of immoral behaviour for this summer's riots, Islamic extremism, City excess and Westminster scandals.

His words will delight traditionalists in his party and Christian groups that claim believers are increasingly marginalised .

Cameron said there were three reasons why the King James Bible was as relevant today as any point in its history.

"First, the King James Bible has bequeathed a body of language that permeates every aspect of our culture and heritage. Second, just as our language and culture is steeped in the Bible, so too is our politics.

"Third, we are a Christian country. And we should not be afraid to say so. Let me be clear: I am not in any way saying that to have another faith – or no faith – is somehow wrong.

"I know and fully respect that many people in this country do not have areligion. And I am also incredibly proud that Britain is home to many different faith communities, who do so much to make our country stronger. But what I am saying is that the Bible has helped to give Britain a set of values and morals which make Britain what it is today."

Cameron added that while faith was neither a "necessary nor sufficient condition for morality" it could be a "helpful prod in the right direction".

"Whether you look at the riots last summer, the financial crash and the expenses scandal, or the ongoing terrorist threat from Islamist extremists around the world, one thing is clear: moral neutrality or passive tolerance just isn't going to cut it anymore."

He said people were unwilling to distinguish right from wrong.

"The absence of any real accountability, or moral code, allowed some bankers and politicians to behave with scant regard for the rest of society. And when it comes to fighting violent extremism, the almost fearful passive tolerance of religious extremism that has allowed segregated communities to behave in ways that run completely counter to our values has not contained that extremism but allowed it to grow and prosper."

However emphatic he was about the importance of Christianity to Britain, he was less insistent about its place in his personal life.

As with previous declarations of his belief – once likening it to the patchy reception of a radio station – he told his audience he was a "committed but vaguely practising Church of England Christian" who, while he would stand up for the values and principles" of his faith, was "full of doubts and, like many, constantly grappling with the difficult questions when it comes to some of the big theological issues".

Last month the government announced it was sending a copy of the King James Bible, complete with a foreword from education minister Michael Gove, to every school in the country.

Khush Kabri Mela an exciting event!

2011-12-16T16:12:00.001Z

Khush Khabri held their Christmas Mela” on Saturday 10^th December 201, at Monsoon palace The Green, Southall. It was a well attended event with close to 300 people and the organisers kindly allowed me to speak about our 10th March protest, hopefully this will induce a good attendance. I have emailed over 30 Asian Pastors in the UK with a appeal to assist us with the planning and for them to participate as speakers. I will keep you informed of progress in the creation of a strong base of participants.

Dire state of Pakistani education system, should impel UK to reconsider foreign aid in Pakistan

2011-12-16T10:27:00.004Z

Free at last a chance to start over!

53 children were rescued from the torturous conditions of a madrassa in Karachi on Wednesday 14th November, many of whom were found chained to walls, when freed by security forces.

Children as young as 7 and 21 teenagers were among those found during the raid on the self-styled seminary in Pakistan's biggest city.

Former students including an eight-year-old; told the Herald Sun, they were regularly beaten at the school, which was equipped with chains, hooks and a warren of basement rooms.

Police said the students were chained up because they were drug addicts whom the madrassa "wanted to rehabilitate", but many details remain unclear.

Madrassas, are known to provide the poorest families in Pakistan with the only affordable education regulation is lacking and the same establishments have become recruitment grounds for the Taliban and other al-Qaida-linked terror groups.

The Herald Sun revealed a number of concerns highlighted by former pupils:

Accounts given to AFP by students and relatives indicated that impoverished families believed the madrassa could offer treatment to drug addicts and a religious education to the youngest boys.

Azmat Ulla, a 17-year-old student, said his father sent him there because he suffered fits and could be violent.

"My father took me to several spiritual healers who said I was a victim of black magic," Azmat said. "Three months ago I was admitted here."

"My father pays 3,000 rupees ($34) per month to the madrassa as a fee to make me a normal person, but I still suffer from fits and despite that they kept me chained and beat me with sticks ruthlessly," he said.

Mohammad Ashraf said he had sent his eight-year-old son Mushtaq Ahmed to the madrassa believing he would receive a religious education.

"I didn't know the madrassa management would beat him so mercilessly. I will no longer keep my son in this madrassa," he said.

His son, Mushraq, said the teachers beat the students daily.

"I don't know why they kept young children with adults here," he said.

Police official Akram Khan said it was a "complex situation" and there would be "no clear picture until police collect all the evidence".

"Relatives of the elder boys and men say they had sent them for drug addiction rehabilitation, while younger children's relatives say they were sent for religious studies," he said.

Hanif Jullandhri, head of a federation of Pakistani madrassas, told Express Television that the premises was not registered.

"We strongly condemn this and urge the government to take the harshest possible action against its owners. The government should investigate how such torture cells are established and operated," he said.

At least 15,148 seminaries in Pakistan educate more than two million students - around five per cent of the 34 million children in formal education - according to official statistics.

But officials suspect thousands more go unregistered, providing sons of Pakistan's poverty-stricken majority with the only education they can afford.

We are concerned that 5% of Pakistan's students are taught in these self styled seminaries. Reports of the cruelty and brutality in these centres are rife and the severe treatment that young children are subjected to, can only exacerbate the existing tensions in the country. Quite simply, violence breeds violence and no amount of "sesame street" programmes will be able to rehabilitate more 'seasoned' victims. The beatings and torture revealed in this reportage are used to inculcate hatred and instil an extremist agenda. Pakistan's Government should be made to provide a concrete plan of action to eradicate education, in such rogue entities or have aid directed towards educational reform suspended.

If any of our British tax payers' money is diverted towards assisting in madrassa improvement, than our government will have failed in it's purpose of protecting it's own citizens. Pakistani madrassa students of today are the militants of tomorrow...

BBC Reports on how Pakistan has blocked their World News Channel!

2011-12-15T11:21:00.002Z

Pakistani cable television operators have begun blocking the BBC's international news TV channel, BBC World News. BBC World News is unavailable in most Pakistani Cities!

The operators say that the move is in response to a documentary broadcast by the channel, entitled Secret Pakistan.

Other foreign channels broadcasting "anti-Pakistan" material have been warned that they too will be blocked.

The BBC said it was deeply concerned by the move, and called for its channel to be speedily reinstated.

"We condemn any action that threatens our editorial independence and prevents audiences from accessing our impartial international news service," a BBC spokesperson said.

"We would urge that BBC World News... to be reinstated as soon as possible."

The two-part BBC documentary questioned the country's commitment to tackling Taliban militancy.

It argued that some in Pakistan were playing a double game, and quoted US intelligence officials as saying that they had acted as America's ally in public while secretly training and arming the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Correspondents say the Pakistani government is likely to have put pressure on the operators to impose the ban, although Pakistan has denied this.

The country's High Commission in London said the cable operators had taken the decision to block BBC World News on their own.

"The government of Pakistan strictly believes in the freedom of press and media," said a statement from the High Commission.

'Strong message'

The decision to block BBC World News and the warning to other international news channels come after a media uproar in Pakistan over a Nato air strike that killed 24 Pakistani troops near the Afghan border at the weekend.

The All Pakistan Cable Operators Association announced on Tuesday that all foreign news channels airing "anti-Pakistan" content would be barred from Wednesday.

The operators called on the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) "to revoke the landing rights of foreign channels" if they were found to be "propagating" information harmful to the country.

Relations between Pakistan and the US in particular, and the West in general, have been strained by the raid - as well as by continuing US drone strikes in Pakistan, the killing of Osama Bin Laden in May and a row over a CIA contractor acquitted earlier this year after killing two men in Lahore.

Correspondents say it is not possible to see BBC World News in most Pakistani cities, with the ban expected to be extended to rural areas by Wednesday.

Cable Operators Association spokesman Khalid Arain said that no anti-Pakistan foreign channel would "ever" be broadcast in the country.

He said BBC World News would only be put back on air if the corporation offered assurances that it would not broadcast anything "against Pakistan".

BBC World News is thought to be the only foreign channel taken off air so far.

Express Tribune tells of Ahmiddiyah Family on the run after false blasphemy charges

2011-12-15T11:11:00.002Z

Blasphemy charges: Out of fear, Ahmadi family on the run

By Rana Tanveer

Published: December 15, 2011

Teenager accused of making derogatory remarks against Holy Prophet (PBUH).

LAHORE:

Blasphemy allegations continue to haunt minorities in Pakistan.

Aalmi Majlis Tahafuz Khatm-e-Nabuwat (AMTKN) activists alleged that 16-year-old Sajeel committed blasphemy by making derogatory remarks against the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and his father, Rana Hakim Jameel, had done the same by portraying Sajeel as a Muslim in his school admission form.

Denying that he ever put down Islam as Sajeel’s religion and all other allegations levelled against his son, Jameel’s was a different tale.

According to him, the allegations stemmed from a school fight.

The school principal overheard some students abusing Sajeel and beat them up. The students later accused Sajeel of telling on them and beat him up. When Sajeel actually went to the principal to complain, he learnt that the students had “made up a story, telling the principal they had attacked him because he had made blasphemous remarks”.

Later, Haji Aslam, the school principal, expelled Sajeel.

Fearing their safety, the two have been on the run ever since the charges emerged.

While the police have yet to register an FIR against the accused, they have already started conducting raids for their arrests.

A member of the accused family, Rana Asfandyar, 18, was arrested by the police, who allegedly pressurised the young student to reveal his brother’s whereabouts, Asfandyar’s older brother, Rana Mujahid toldThe Express Tribune.

At local mosques, various religious scholars were fuelling a hate campaign against Ahmadis, Mujahid alleged, adding that evoking such hatred among the public could prove dire for his family.

However, Khushab police station SHO Raja Arshad told The Express Tribune that since the family refused to tell them about Sajeel’s whereabouts, the police had brought Asfandyar in to record his statement at the DPO’s office. Arshad denied that they had detained the boy.

Mujahid alleged that religious scholars Qari Saeed and Waqas Ahmed were producing “false witnesses” before the police.

SHO Arshad said that they were still in the process of recording the statements of witnesses, and hence, were unable to conclude their investigations.

Meanwhile, Jameel alleged that a property dispute could also be a reason behind the accusations.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2011.

GT Road blocked in tyre burning demonstration staged to arrest another blasphemy law victim!.

2011-12-15T10:49:00.000Z

A Christian man was arrested under Section 295/B of the Pakistan Penal Code in the district of Shahdara on Monday 5th December. Shadara Police, responded to a demonstration that involved the burning of tyres at Shahdra Chowk on Pakistan's famous Grand Trunk (GT) Road- an historic main artery for travel through the whole of south Asia.

The mob estimated at around 1000 people blocked GT Road for approximately three hours demanding that the victim Khurram Masih be charged of a blasphemy stating he had burned pages of the Holy Quran. They wielded sticks and threatened great violence damaging vehicles and Shahdra Police Station. Senior officers from the precinct went to the scene and promised to arrest the suspect.

A FIR was registered against Khurram Masih the main complainant was a Mr Zulfiqar Ali. On Wednesday 7th December Mr Masih was produced before a judicial magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.

A mob of about a thousand people wielding sticks took to GT Road at Shahdara Chowk and blocked traffic with burning tyres on both sides of the road.

The FIR report states Mr Masih lives with his wife in a rented property in Majeed Park, Shahdara Town. On Monday his neighbour, also a tenant, told the property owner, Zulfiqar Ali, that the couple had burnt pages of the Holy Quran to light a fire to make tea.

He also told people in the neighbourhood and they began gathering outside the property and chanting slogans.

The couple fled to the house of a nearby relative.Ali, the complainant, told The Express Tribune that he had visited the house after hearing of the incident and had seen burnt pages with Arabic verses on them, from a Quranic reader (qaeda). He said he had helped trace down the couple at their relative’s house and had them arrested.

“I had no choice,” he said. “Things were getting out of hand. I do not know where all the protestors came from.”

He said that only Masih had been arrested because he had made the tea, as his wife was asleep at the time.

Inspector Mian Shafqat Ali, who is in charge of the investigation, said that it had been established that the accused had burnt Quranic pages “intentionally”. He said that Masih’s wife had been released after interrogation as she had no role in the incident.