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Acquitted Christian Doctor Goes into Hiding in Pakistan

You are free to disseminate the following news. We request that you reference ICC (International Christian Concern) and include our web address www.www.persecution.org. Contact Samuel Wallace, Regional Manager for South Asia, Europe, and Latin America, 1-800-ICC (422)-5441, [email protected].

(November 12, 2008) The Washington-DC based human rights group, International Christian Concern (ICC) www.www.persecution.org has just learned that a judge in Pakistan acquitted Dr. Robin Sardar, a Christian man accused of blasphemy against Islam on November 4 in Hafizabad. Despite this victory in court, Dr. Sardar went immediately into hiding for fear of religious extremists. Sardar, who is 55, spent six months in the Gujranwala Central Jail.

ICC was able to interview Dr. Sardar, whose first comment was, “Jesus has saved me, thank God I am still alive, proved not guilty and in good health, but unfortunately I have to live in hiding changing places time to time.”

Sardar, a father of six, added, “I am grateful to all organizations and people who prayed for me and helped me during all the trial. I have not faced any torture in the prison because I stayed in the jail silently and reading the Bible and praying to God.”

Asked what kept him going while he was in prison, Sardar said, “The Bible was a sole strength for me during all the time. Jesus says, ‘Don’t be afraid when people persecute you for my name.’ Such type of verses from the Bible gave me courage and kept me hopeful.”

Sardar was arrested in a village of Hafizabad district on May 5 after a Muslim man accused him of violating Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws that recommend life in prison or the death sentence for those who insult the Koran and Muhammad. Muslim extremists demanded that he be publicly hanged, which created fear among other Christians in the area and forced Sardar’s family to live in hiding.

Muhammad Bashir, a former employee at Dr. Sardar’s clinic, fabricated the blasphemy accusations. Sardar fired Bashir a few years ago after finding him spending too much time provoking religious discussions at work. The plaintiff in the case is a friend of Bashir’s named Muhammad Rafique who had not even met Dr. Sardar.

The blasphemy laws have been abused by many Muslims in Pakistan since they were adopted in the 1980s. Since then no one had been executed by the court, but at least 25 people have been killed by extremists, some even in police custody.

Samuel Wallace, ICC’s Regional Manager for South Asia, said, “While we welcome this great news and answer to prayer, it is another reminder of how far Pakistan has to go before Christians are able to worship freely. We pray for the day when there will no longer be blasphemy accusations, and when those who are found innocent do not have to go into hiding for fear of their life.”

Naveed Walter, president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP), has also welcomed the release of Dr. Sardar. Mr. Walter told ICC, “This is good news for all Christians and provides a hope for the release of all other falsely accused prisoners. HRFP will keep continue its struggles for the release of blasphemy accused prisoners and for the repeal of all discriminatory laws especially blasphemy laws.”

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ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC delivers humanitarian aid, trains and supports persecuted pastors, raises awareness in the US regarding the problem of persecution, and is an advocate for the persecuted on Capitol Hill and the State Department. For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.