ICC Note:

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has recently released a statement that police in Pakistan are doing little to protect a Christian community in Pakistan following a blasphemy accusation. According to the AHRC’s findings, the Christians of Mandi Bahaudin have been suffering from threats from the Muslim community after a Christians was accused of watching blasphemous videos on his cell phone. Blasphemy accusations, especially against religious minorities, often spawn communal tensions and can often lead to communal violence being perpetrated. So far, the Christians of Mandi Bahaudin have only faced threats, but it is possible that they could be in for much worse if the police do not provide proper security. 

7/5/2016 Pakistan (The Indian Express) – Police in Pakistan are doing little to ensure the safety of the Christian community, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has said in a statement on the basis of information that it has collected over the last couple of months.

The AHRC said that it had recently received information that Muslims residing in Chak 44, Mandi Bahaudin, Punjab Province, have turned aggressive against Christians living in the area, causing a great deal of restlessness and chaos within the community.

Referring to some local news reports, the AHRC claimed that the Muslims have put two conditions before the Christians namely (1) To convert to Islam if they want to continue living in the village (2) Or, leave the village forever.

The AHRC has said in one of its reports that police have done little to protect the community from the vengeful Muslim mass which is being often incited by local clerics who have leveled unsubstantiated allegations of blasphemy against Christians.

Citing information received from the Christian True Spirit (CTS) and Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS) in London, the AHRC claims that the besieging of Christians started a couple of months ago, and included the deployment of a few young Muslim men for surveillance of some Christian homes to apprehend those persons they found guilty of the draconian Blasphemy Act.

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