Education is achievable - but at a price!

What is the cost of learning? Consider opportunity cost!

Here is an article recieved from retired Brigadier Samson Sharaf (sic) - we invite your comment....

ST. MARY'S COLLEGE (PREVIOUSLY AVE MARIA COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES)

As a Pakistani and been involved with Development Education in the country, the biggest paradox for me has been the number of elite Christian schools in the country compared to the absence of Christian social capital to affect a change.

Christian minorities in Pakistan remain insignificant and largely fallen prey to Social Inbreeding that curtails desire, quest to rise and the will to make oneself count. This is not a conspiracy theory, but the conclusion of learned social scientists who have studied behavior of minorities in adverse conditions. The net result is that these deprived communities involve in internal struggles least condusive to inculcating pride, quest and emerging as a viable pressure group to reckon with.

Despite many efforts on our part, the situation has not changed and there seem to be more critics than friends who can cheer us on. My discussions with his Excellency Bishop Anthony Lobo began in 1995. The exchange of ideas with his rich experience became more practical when despite being a combat soldier, I was given the responsibility to reform the Army Public Education System and raise an institution of higher professional learning.

Today, Army Public College of Management and Sciences Rawalpindi stands tall in its newly constructed custom built campus. It introduced new trends in professional education like Logistics Sciences, Human Resource and Man Machine Interfaces. In 10 years the college has reached where it is whilst the first five belong to me.

The Government of Pakistan rewarded me with special citations and commendations during service and on my retirement. Bishop Lobo saw all this happening from the sidelines. Once I retired, he called me to replicate this model in which the major beneficiaries would be the deprived minorities as also other segments of the society. I took it as a religious vocation in the last part of my life, quit a very attractive job in the corporate world and took the plunge. But nothing works without money.

The earthquake of 2005, deprived the Diocese of much needed cash. As Pakistanis, we had to make our contribution to the tragedy stricken people. Apart from relief, the Bishop took the onerous task of housing and educating Kashmiri orphans for two years. Also, the primary block of St. Mary's Academy developed cracks and had to be demolished and constructed anew. As a consequence, there was no money left to raise a professional college. With Bishop Lobo's fast deteriorating health, traveling became prohibitive and so the generation of overseas funds. But we never despaired and continued to trust God. It was better late than never.

Today, St. Mary's College has made its niche at the intermediate level. We run pre university classes for engineering, medical, computer sciences and business. We are in negotiations with NCUK (http://www.ncuk.ac.uk/) and NCUK Pakistan (http://www.ncuk.edu.pk/) for running Business and Engineering classed commencing September this year. The consortium comprises some of the top British Universities with a facility for students to complete 1-2 years in Pakistan and the remaining in the MAIN CAMPUS of the parent university. NCUK appears inclined for all assistance due to the humanitarian and inclusive character of our objectives. The cooperation is well past the teething stages and awaits a final nod.As you would realize, St. Mary's College is taking yet another plunge from very humble beginnings.But within the team, we have the character and desire to take the plunge and Make it Happen. We also owe it to our down trodden community in Pakistan to produce officers, bureaucrats business managers, doctors, engineers and entrepreneurs. This will help us secure our future in a country where we have made significant but unsung contributions.

Most we owe it to the vision and vigor of his Excellency Bishop Anthony Lobo who is retiring due to failing health. As Rector of the college, I request all brothers and sisters to encourage us in our mission. I also request all friends to help us with ideas, enrollment of students, kind and cash contributions. Depending on the response to my request, I shall intimate to you the account number for direct Debit Transfer to the Bank. Your contributions will go a long way in MAKING THIS HAPPEN.Please give this mail wide circulations to friends who are not masters.

We are grateful to AVSI for making happen what has happened so far. Their generosity was a very big help.

With Peace and Love of ChristBrigadier (Retired) Samson Simon Sharaf
Rector St Mary's College, Mazhar Qayyum Road, Lalazar Rawalpindi, 46000, Pakistan

Message on Pakistani Embassy website:

Foreign Secretary David Miliband calls on President Zardari

London: British Foreign Secretary David Miliband called on President Zardari on Sunday 28th February, during the latter’s private visit to the United Kingdom.

During the meeting, they reviewed bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction that ever since the democratic government had assumed office in Pakistan relationship between the two countries have further strengthened.

The close cooperation was manifested in the increased number of high level visits, and enhancement of UK’s development assistance from £ 240m in 2007 to £ 665m, which is an acknowledgment of Pakistan’s contribution to the international war on terror, and the need to offset the negative impact in socio-economic sectors. Appreciating Pakistani forces’ successful military operations against the militants and the extremists, he paid tribute to those Pakistanis who laid down their lives in this noble cause.

President Zardari and Foreign Secretary Miliband noted that the progress in relations has been further marked with the establishment of Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FODP), pioneered by the Great Britain’s agreement to establish a Summit level Strategic Dialogue during President’s visit in May 2009; and formation of a high level Education Task Force by the UK to assist Pakistan in reforming its education sector. The issues of visas, particularly of the Pakistani students and immigration matters, also came under discussion.

They assessed the regional situation including Pakistan – India dialogue and Afghanistan. Mr Miliband stressed the need for India and Pakistan to engage with each other and supported resumption of composite dialogue between the two countries.

Acknowledging the pivotal role of Pakistan, he conveyed his country’s deep appreciation for Pakistan’s support to the efforts towards peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan.

The President also made a strong case for Pakistan’s requirement of ‘Market Access’ for its products in the EU and sought the UK’s support to that end.

The President also emphasized early mitigation of visa problems faced by Pakistani students. Foreign Secretary Miliband assured the President that there was no discrimination against Pakistani students and delays in visas would be streamlined.

The UK is Pakistan’s lead EU partner in terms of trade, investment and development assistance. On February 16, the DFID in collaboration with Punjab Government launched a £ 50m project in the Pakistan’s dairy sector.

The Pakistani Diaspora in the UK is a source of great strength to the bilateral relations and reinforces the two governments’ efforts towards solidifying relations.


February 28, 2010

House of Lords vote to allow Civil Partnerships to take place in Church

Message from Christian Concern for our Nation:

Last night (2nd March 2010) the House of Lords voted to change the law on Civil Partnerships, allowing them to be performed in Churches and/or with religious language.
The amendment, which was introduced by Lord Alli, an openly homosexual Peer, and backed by a number of liberal Bishops, effectively removes one of the final distinctions between Marriage and Civil Partnerships—introduced just five years ago as being purely secular in nature.

The amendment was voted through at 11pm, by 95 votes to 21—an extraordinarily low number for such an important matter—and was hailed as a breakthrough by homosexual activists.

In January 2010, the Government had resisted Lord Alli’s amendment, reassuring the public that it was ‘not a workable solution to this issue’. However, in an unexpected move, the government suddenly allowed its Peers a free vote on the issue. The Conservative Party and Liberal Democrats also gave its Peers a free vote.

Ironically, the amendment was advanced as an issue of religious freedom, with some religious organisations voicing their desire to hold Civil Partnership ceremonies.

However, homosexual activists have previously made it clear that any change in the law would only be a step towards forcing churches to perform civil partnerships. For example, Ben Summerskill, Head of Stonewall, recently said: “Right now, faiths shouldn’t be forced to hold civil partnerships, although in ten or 20 years, that may change.”

Andrea Williams, Director of CCFON, said:

“What took place last night is nothing short of outrageous and all who care about democracy should be alarmed at the proceedings. At the end of January, Baroness Royall for the Government stated that: ‘Any change can therefore be brought only after proper and careful consideration of these issues.’

“Was this statement deliberately deceitful, or do the Government believe that last night’s debate constituted the ‘proper and careful consideration’ of the issues? The amendment was debated for less than an hour and was voted through literally at the eleventh hour, taking everybody by surprise. To have such a significant change in the law—a change to another piece of legislation no less—take place at the end of the Equality Bill’s passing, without any real debate or consultation, and at such an hour that most Peers were not even in the House, is a disgrace and a clear manipulation of the system.

“We will be calling on the Government to resist these changes, for the good of our democracy as well as for the protection of marriage.”

It is not the first time that constitutional irregularities have been used to force through law that significantly favours homosexual activists. In 2006 Lord Alli introduced amendments to the Equality Bill 2005/6 at the very last moment, which led to the creation of the Sexual Orientation Regulations 2007. These highly controversial regulations were passed through on a take it or leave it basis, with no debate at all in the House of Commons and amongst other things have led to the closing of Catholic adoption agencies.

Andrea Minichiello Williams

Christian Concern for our Nation

Woman falsely accused of Blasphemy - Police refute breach of law

Message from John Bosco (sic):

DearAll,

I am sharing this sad news with you.

This time woman from Wandu, a village in the Gujranwala is another victim of Blasphemy. A 34-year-old Christian woman was accused of blasphemy on March 1, 2010, in Wandu, a village in the Gujranawala district of Pakistan’s Punjab state, when she refused to sell her cosmetics shop to aspiring Muslim shop owners in the market.

According to details obtained by ANS, Gulzar Kanwal owned a cosmetic shop in the area which was popular with the residents of Wandu and nearby areas as women preferred to go to her shop because she was the only female who had a cosmetic shop in Wandu.

Professional Jealousy ANS has learned that popularity of Kanwal’s business made the local Muslim shopkeepers jealous of her and of late they started making persistent demands on Kanwal to sell her shop to them.

On March 1, 2010, Haji Ahsan, a Muslim shop owner asked Kanwal if she was interested in selling her shop to Muhammad Bashir, one of the Muslim shopkeepers who wanted to buy it, to which Kanwal said she was not interested in selling her shop.

According to Zeeshan, a caseworker of the Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan (SLMP) Muslim shop owners -- Muhamamd Bashir, Muhammad Hafeez Salman and Maqsood Boota -- gave Kanwal’s comment regarding not selling her shop a religious tinge and accused her of committing blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad.

As the word got out, hundreds of local Muslims gathered in front of Kanwal’s shop, shouting slogans against the alleged blasphemer. Sohail Johnson, Chief Coordinator of the Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan told our correspondent that the angry mob hurled obscenities at the “blasphemer” and attempted to beat her. Johnson said that the police officials from Wandu police station, which is near the market, came to rescue her.

Johnson quoted, Samiullah Khan, the Station House Officer of the Wandu Police station as saying that the situation would have been out of control if he had not immediately arrived at the scene of incident. According to Johnson all parties were summoned to the police station for an investigation and a police investigation proved Kanwal’s innocence.

ANS has discovered that the police found Kanwal not guilty of making blasphemous remarks against the Prophet Muhammad as Haji Ahsan, a Muslim shop owner swore in front of the Station House Officer of the Wandu Police Station that Kanwal did not commit blasphemy but that she had only refused to sell her shop.

Commenting on rising incidence of abuse of Pakistan’s disputed blasphemy laws Sohail Johnson said that local churches and the church-run schools had to be shut as local Christians feared possible violence after Kanwal was accused of committing blasphemy.

Mr. Johnson called for immediate repeal of Pakistan blasphemy laws. “We held talks with local police officials and that helped Wandu from turning into another Gojra,” he said. Gojra is a small town in Punjab province of Pakistan which lately had seen gruesome violence against Christians after rumors had spread that Christians had committed blasphemy.

Johnson added: “The impartial investigation of the police of a blasphemy accusation can help innocent Christians from being killed at the hands of angry Muslim mob. An unbiased police investigation can also help save Christians’ houses from being burnt by outraged Muslims. “The police should discourage miscreants who attempt to get false Police First Information Reports lodged apparently to settle personal scores,” said Johnson.

Stressed and uncertain Kanwal’s brother-in-law, Pastor Mansab told our correspondent that Kanwal was the only breadwinner of the family. “She is stressed and uncertain about her future as she cannot imagine reopening her shop because of death threats that have been directed at her after she was accused of committing blasphemy,” said Mansab. Mansab further told our correspondent that about two years ago Muhammad Bashir had collected 50 Pakistani Rupees (0.589 US$) from each shopkeeper to pump out the rain water. Mansab alleged that Bashir neither pumped out the rain water or did not give the money back to the shopkeepers.

Muhammad Bashir, he said, had then misbehaved with Kanwal, who went along with other shopkeepers to claim her money back. “He (Muhammad Bashir) passed indecent remarks against Kanwal prompting her to hurl shoe at Bashir,” said Mansab recalling a dispute between Kanwal and Muhammad Bashir two years ago.

According to Mansab, Bashir had since not forgiven Kanwal and had rather been badgering her under one pretext or another.

Police say situation is under control Talking to ANS correspondent by phone, Samiullah Khan, the Station House Officer of Wandu Police Station said that it was a minor dispute between two shopkeepers. He said he did not lodge First Information Report after arriving at the conclusion during the investigation that Muhammad Bashir was trying to falsely implicate Kanwal in a blasphemy case.

Asked if the police could help avert violence against weaker segments of society including the Christians of Pakistan if they carry out investigation impartially, Khan said it was duty of the police to carry out investigation in an unbiased manner “as it would definitely help promote culture of inter-faith harmony in Pakistan.”

When our correspondent asked him what was the current situation in the village, vis-à-vis Christians, he said normalcy had returned to the area. Some 400 Christian families are residing in Wandu village.

Mansab disputed Samiullah Khan’s claim that calm had returned to the area saying that the Christians of the area were still living in “fear and insecurity.” He disclosed that Muslims had also attempted to attack two churches but the police dispersed them. Mansab told our correspondent that the local Muslims have been threatening to kill Kanwal since the occurrence of the incident.

Pastor Sushens of the Full Gospel Assembly Church in Wandu appreciated the role the Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan played in Kanwal’s case. He also commended Samiullah Khan, the Station House Officer of the Wandu Police Station, for carrying out unprejudiced investigation. Sushens said that the incident had sent a wave of fear among the local Christians and did not rule out possible violence Courtesy by Persecution.org.

http://www.persecution.org/suffering/newssummpopup.php?newscode=11851&PHPSESSID=e13d1469f295a1baf400f2b42647d153

Dear all, Please pray for her life and the innocent people surrounded in her family.

1. Find the quick solutions to modify the Blasphemy law through which many people have died or under the dread of death?

2. When the Blasphemy Law will be repelled? Could Govt of Pakistan give us the exact date of its dismissal?

3. Why not the real culprits who violated the law by giving the false statements were not charged?

4. Is this possible for Gulzar Kanwal to open her shop again? If yes, who will give the surety and security of her life?

5. Severe punishment is the answer to the people who settle their personal dispute? However the question is who is going to punish?

6. Why the bail is granted to the people who play the dirty game with the lives of innocent people?

Your brother:

John Bosco

Article 2 received via Sister Agnes Massey from the Canada Chapter of PCC

ASIA/PAKISTAN - Church points out government's lethargic attitude towards Taliban's elimination of religious minorities

Lahore (Agenzia Fides) – Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha, President of the Bishops' Conference has signed and sent to Fides a press release from the "Justice and Peace Commission" condemning "lethargic attitude on part of the government" which gives free reign to the Taliban and thereby encourages the “imposition of Jazia (a tax for being Non-Muslim) by militant organizations," as well as “kidnapping for ransom, target killing and internal displacement in frequency in Punjab, Sindh, NWFP and Baluchistan.”

The Church has taken action following the recent violence suffered by the Sikh community (see Fides 25/2/2010), but which also involves Christians and Hindus: This is “frequent incidents of violence, crime posing grave threat to the life liberty and property of the members of religious minorities in the country," the Archbishop said. Referring to recent killing of the Sikh, the Archbishop said that “this was not a solitary incident of brutality against the religious minorities in Pakistan...The Federal and Provincial Governments should treat these incidents as alarm bell and must take stringent measures to control the situation."“

While the Sikh community has become an easy prey for the militants in the NWFP, the Hindu community has faced violent crimes in Sindh and Baluchistan in the past few years. Dozens of Hindus have lost their lives and property to kidnappers,” notes the Archbishop, then recalling the harassment of Christians in the Swat Valley and in many other areas. The statement says that “the Government should protect the religious minorities on priority as they happen to be one of the most vulnerable groups to social and organized crimes.” The Commission also “recommended the repeal of all discriminatory laws to promote tolerance and social harmony.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides 26/2/2010)

Article Received via Sister Agnes Massey from the Canada Chapter of PCC

The article was written by Xavier Williams:

About 150 Muslims attacked on Christian colony Pahar Ganj, Pakistan, after a petty dispute between Muslim fruit vendor and Christian customer on February 25 in port city of Karachi. The Christian customer reportedly chose a piece of fruit, an act that that was not welcomed by the Muslim vendor who then attacked and beat the Christian.

Since the Muslim vendor was on main entrance of residential area of more than 1,500 homes of Christians known as Pahar Ganj, some Christians approached and wanted to diffuse the situation. Now angered, the vendor cried “Muslims brothers come and let us teach lesson to Bangis.” "Bangi” is a derogatory term used to describe Christians by non-Christians in the Sindh province of Pakistan while “Churra” is used in Punjab province and the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

Pahar Ganj is situated in Central Distinct of Karachi with more than 5,000 registered voters while there are 3 million Christians in Karachi - the largest city in the country. A Muslim mob also vandalized St. Mary’s Church, of the Anglican Church of Pakistan, attacking shops and destroying motorcycles.

The Pathan community surrounds the Christian colony of Pathar Ganj and hate among Pushtuns settled in Karachi has been endemic. The Pastor of St Patrick's Cathedral in Karachi said, "The people were very frightened, but now all is calm. Certainly, in the city the climate is rather tense, especially the conflict between Sunni and Shiite Muslims that has reached the point of extreme violence. Sometimes, religious minorities like Christians are victims of this simmering tension, which is at the point of explosion for petty reasons. After the riots on Sunday, police took control of the situation and now patrol the streets of the neighborhood. Even the churches are protected by guards" St. Mary Church of Pakistan, and the Interdenominational Calvary Church, were also damaged. The local Christians retaliated by pelting the Muslims with stones until law enforcement officers brought the situation under control.

The various Christian organizations like Life for All, Protect Foundation Pakistan, Christian Youth Alliance and Christian Development Foundation condemned the incident. Rizwan Paul, President of Life for All, said “Our religion speaks of love and peace. We have not registered any case in the police station even though our places of worship came under fire. We forgive the attackers but demand both communities not to give a religious tint to their personal clashes.”

I cannot verify the facts and hope other corroborating evidence is provided with time.

CSW Highlight another abuse of the Pakistani Blasphemy Law!

PAKISTANI CHRISTIAN SENTENCED TO LIFE UNDER SPURIOUS
BLASPHEMY CHARGES

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is deeply concerned over news that a Pakistani Christian from Lahore was sentenced to life imprisonment for blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammed yesterday.

Qamar David has been in prison awaiting a verdict since 2006, after being refused bail. During that time both Mr David and his lawyer, Mr Parvez Choudhry, were regularly subjected to assassination attempts and threats of violence from abusive mobs.

A contact close to Mr David is of the opinion that the facts, evidence and law have been in his favour. The evidence against him is said to be based on hearsay, and an accused Muslim in a parallel case was fully acquitted on the same facts. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source described the final judgement as “biased and prejudiced,” and believes that external pressure on the court may have played a part in distorting the outcome.

CSW’s National Director Stuart Windsor said: “This alarming verdict is yet further illustration of the urgent need for the government of Pakistan to repeal its blasphemy laws. The legislation continues to be abused for the satisfaction of personal vendettas against Pakistanis of all faiths. It is a dangerous tool in the hands of those seeking to persecute or discriminate against religious minorities.”