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Sunday 11 March 2012

Visitors at Britain's Got Talent Auditions in Trafalgar Square chose the talent on the British Pakistani Christian Association stage at Nelsons Column - in preference!

Hundreds protested opposite Pakistan Embassy.
 From left to right; Rev Toby Crowe (St James, Alperton), Pastor Chris Gorman (Potters House Christian Fellowship), Ranbir Singh (Hindu Human Rights Group), Julia De Blaauw (GHRD a secular Humanitarian Group), John Pontifex Aid to the Church in Need and Muslim reformist Irshad Manji submitting petitions to the Pakistan Embassy

 Protesters outside 10 Downing Street
 More protesters outside 10 Downing Street including Stuart Windsor from Christian Solidarity Worldwide and Stephen Anjum former colleague of Shahbaz Bhatti (centre)
 Gareth Wallace Public Affairs Advisor Salvation Army (with Camera) and other great speakers added to a extremely exciting and powerful line up.

Alan Craig (Christian Peoples Alliance), Martin Mawyer (Christian Action Network USA) and others lead the petition delegation to 10 Downing Street.

 Manoj Rathiatha (South Asian Forum of the Evangelical Alliance) and John Pontifex (Aid to the Church In Need) walked with petitions held high led by a Bagpiper playing a lament in honour of Shahbaz Bhatti.
Stephen Green (Christian Voice) Spoke of the terror Christians have to face daily quoting scripture that highlighted the need to stand for those oppressed.

Akhmal Zahid Former colleague of Shahbaz Bhatti carried the cross!

 Aid the church In Need and Th BPCA held public stalls at which information could be sourced by a very interested public.  We also provided free samosa and drinks.
Ooberfuse got the crowd dancing with some energetic tunes.  Their tribute song to Shahbaz Bhatti was played at the of a 1 minute contemplative silence.

One visitor really got into the groove...

Everyone in Trafalgar Square could hear our event and turned to listen.  We distributed 1000's of leaflets to a public mainly unaware of the issues in Pakistan.

 The chief stewards got a real treat meeting up with the excellent Ooberfuse again.  You may recognise some of these helpers from the Tribute video to Shahbaz Bhatti...
Hamad and Sally Bailey got the whole of the square dancing!  Christians have talent!



On Saturday 10th March Shahbaz Bhatti's legacy was visible to 1000's travelling through London. Pakistani Christians travelled from Birmingham, Nelson and from around London to meet with other Christians and humanitarians concerned about the ongoing maltreatment of minorities in Pakistan.  

Academics, Religious Leaders and Political figures from across the globe joined a static protest at the Pakistan Embassy followed by Static protest at 10 Downing street and a protest march from there to Trafalgar Square for a large rally.

At the Pakistan Embassy a 1 hour Christian worship service was undertaken on the Public footpath just opposite - a practise that would be barred in Pakistan and could lead to persecution.  During the service a 1 minutes silence was held for Shahbaz Bhatti the Minster for Minorities slain for his efforts to bring equality the country and his opposition to minorities.  

1 hour of political remonstrations and speeches from key global academics added to the clamour for justice.  Speakers included:

  • John Newton and John Pontifex from Catholic Group "Aid to the Church in Need"
  • Irshad Manji a Muslim reformist and Founder of the Moral Courage Project who flew in specially form Canada to be with us.
  • Martin Mawyer from Christian Action Network travelled in from America.
  • Julia De Blaauw travelled from Holland to represent "Global Human Rights Defence"
  • Rev Toby Crowe from St James, Alperton
  • Middle East Scholar Rev Daryl Hannah
  • Manoj Rathaitha South Asian Forum of the Evangelical Alliance
  • Genocide Scholar Desmond Francis
  • Gareth Wallace (Public Affairs Advisor Salvation Army)
  • John Ware Senior Chaplin in Dubai and member of Delhi Brotherhood
  • Pastor Chris Gorman Potters House Christian Fellowship
  • John Newton and John Pontifex from Catholic Group "Aid to the Church in Need"
A petition was submitted to the Pakistan Embassy at 12:30 after a series of prayers.  Slogans were shouted towards the Pakistan Embassy to encourage the  petitioners who walked the short distance to deliver them to their representative:

Free Free Aas- i- ya!
Down with Sha -ri- a!

Two-Nine Five- C!
Murderers on a killing spree!

Free Free Pakistan!
Out Out Taliban!

Shahbaz Bhatti's Blood Cries Out!
Find the Killers, Root them out!

The BPCA letter requested a response from the Pakistan Embassy if one is received we shall share the contents.

After this protesters made their own way to 10 Downing Street where other guest speakers joined the second static protest including;

  • Andrea Minichiello- Williams (Christian Concern)
  • Stephen Green (Christian Voice)
  • Alan Craig (Christian Peoples Alliance)
  • Faiz Baluch (Stop Terror on Baluchistani's)
  • Jesbir Uppal Singh (Free Sarabjit Singh Campaign)
A Scottish Bagpiper led petitioners as he played a lament in honour of slain Minister of Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti.  Petitioners held aloft their petitions in a symbolic display of defiance to the increasing extremism in Pakistan.

Amazing grace was sung by Christians and prayers were said seeking God's empowering of the petitions and     imparting of wisdom to Britain's politicians, so that they might better use diplomatic powers in levering reform in Pakistan.

A protest march then shouted slogans as they marched for justice to Trafalgar Square.  The march was led by a bagpiper playing "Oh when the saints" and "Amazing Grace."

At Trafalgar Square a small stage was set up for speakers and performers seeking justice against global concerns with the intensifying extremism within the middle east.  Further Guest speakers joined us including;

  • Lyn Julius of Harif (representing Middle East and African Jews)
  • Imam Dr Taj Hargey (Muslim Educational Congregation of Oxford)
  • Kasim Hafeez Muslim a reformist (Israel Campaign)
  • Dr Samuel from UK Copts
Ooberfuse and Hamad Bailey sang tribute songs to Shahbaz Bhatti that were moving for their musical choice and contemplative lyrics. Eliot Smith a professional dancer from the London Contemporary Dance School performed a symbolic dance reflecting on Shahbaz Bhatti's extreme sacrifice. An Asian Choir from Nelson and a Coptic soloist provided a range of emotive performances that stimulated great interest in our event.

During one performance by Hamad Bailey over 100 people were dancing just before the stage and singing along. People of all diversities were able to put aside their differences and just enjoy the festivities together.  Moreover the song was Christian yet Muslims joined in the dancing, such activity would be banned in Pakistan and would most certainly have fatal consequences.

Britain's got talent were holding auditions outside the national gallery and many of the visitors joined us out of curiosity.  1000's of leaflets were distributed culminating in over 400 additional signatures on our electronic petition and a stronger awareness of the existence of Pakistani Christians and the daily intolerance they face.

Wilson Chowdhry lead organiser for the event said:  

"This was a coming together of academics, humanitarians and politicians from across the globe unified in their  condemnation of the suffering minorities in the Islamic World.  Shahbaz Bhatti's death has galvanised Pakistan's minorities who have held various memorials and global protests to mark the anniversary of his assassination.  27 bullets were unable to stop his legacy of peace which has now spread across the globe.  The clock is ticking and one day I believe Pakistan will become the egalitarian nation originally envisioned by it's founder Muhammed Ali Jinnah."


16 comments:

  1. AWESOME! So proud of everyone involved in setting this up and getting it done! You're all my heroes, thanks for continuing to work against persecution. - God bless!

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  2. Diarmuid Collins12 March 2012 at 03:19

    Hi Wilson,

    What a wonderful day of witness, we had in central London today.
    Sincere congratulations Wilson. All your hard work, certainly paid off.
    Where do you get the energy from?!
    My 1st time with BPC, but not my last!

    God bless your work, always.
    Diarmuid.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well done on getting Church of Scotland backing. Scottish Christians are praying for you:

    http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/news_and_events/news/articles/church_of_scotland_calls_for_release_of_christian_prisoner

    ReplyDelete
  4. Stephen Green - Christian Voice12 March 2012 at 03:42

    Dear Wilson,
    Good to be with you today, and sorry I had to leave early. Emailing you from the train! Good organisation on the day as well, well done.
    Now we just have to pray the Government do something tough with Pakistan and that the EDM gets more signatures as well.
    You are doing what so many others who talk and raise money for Christian minorities are not doing; lobbying Government and protesting at the Pakistan HC. I was able to pray outside the HC on my way to Downing Street in the presence of two of the security guys, one Christian, one Muslim. And I told them why as well!
    Every blessing.
    Stephen
    P.S. I have posted a brief report on the day:

    http://www.christianvoice.org.uk/?p=2878



    Christian Voice
    Wernlwyd

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow,

    Father Tim Finigan spoke at your event. He is awesome here is his report with great images of your work:

    http://the-hermeneutic-of-continuity.blogspot.com/2012/03/british-pakistan-peace-rally.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Father Finigan, we missed his speech as we had to leave for Nelson.

      Delete
    2. Thank you Father Finigan for your support. Sorry we missed your speech as we had to leave for Nelson, Lancashire. A big thank to all the organisers BPCA, also to Aid to the church in need, ooberfuse, all the participants and especially to Wilson for all his efforts. well done!

      Delete
  6. Aid to the Church in Need wrote on the protest here:

    http://www.acnuk.org/events.php/259/shahbaz-bhatti-memorial-peace-rally

    ReplyDelete
  7. Pakistan Christian post wrote a pre-piece view it here:

    http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/headlinenewsd.php?hnewsid=3368

    Christian Publishing and outreach:

    http://www.cpo.org.uk/magazines/news?newsaction=view&newspage=1&newsid=5902

    South Asian Forum wrote about the Protesta nd peace rally:

    http://saf.eauk.org/a-march-in-march.cfm

    The Christian Peoples Alliance wrote:

    http://cpaparty.org.uk/?page=news&id=411

    The Vatican Insider wrote:

    http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/homepage/world-news/detail/articolo/pakistan-pakistan-13361/

    Chrstian Solidarity Worldwide:

    http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/article.asp?t=news&id=1154

    Music News:

    http://www.music-news.com/ShowNews.asp?nItemID=49562

    Catholic Music News:

    http://www.catholicmusicexpress.com/news.html

    International Civil Liberties Alliance:

    http://www.libertiesalliance.org/2012/03/11/irshad-manji-speaking-at-a-london-event-in-support-of-aasiya-bibi/

    ReplyDelete
  8. Dear Wilson,
    God bless you. You are fighting a noble cause. Shaeeed Shahbaz Bhatti must be smiling in heaven. His mission must be completed and no one repeat NO ONE should be victimised in the name of religion.

    Wasif Syed

    ReplyDelete
  9. Here is another:

    http://blogs.ucanews.com/give-us-this-day/2012/03/05/shahbaz-bhatti-remembered-personally-and-publicly/

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  10. Rev Noble Samuel12 March 2012 at 21:03

    Dear Wilson, I am sorry that due to our Synod of Urc I was not able to join you. God bless you keep it up.

    With every blessing,
    Rev.Noble Samuel

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  11. very well done brother .... keep it up ............ we all are with you .....GPD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR CONCERNS FOR THE NATION ....

    shaleem

    ReplyDelete
  12. another article well done Wilson:


    http://www.eauk.org/church/stories/march-held-in-memory-of-shahbaz-bhatti-in-london.cfm

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  13. God bless you people!

    ReplyDelete