Pakistan's Anti-Blasphemy Protests Showcase Minorities' Plight - World Watch Monitor PDF

11/28/2017 Pakistan’s anti-blasphemy protests showcase minorities’ plight - World Watch Monitor
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CATCHING OUR EYE n the world’ NOVEMBER 23, 2017 Iranian Christian convert released
Pakistan’s anti-blasphemy protests

showcase minorities’ plight
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November 27, 2017 • By Asif Aqeel • Pakistan
Asia Bibi, Barelvis, Blasphemy, Gujranwala, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Minorities, Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq,
Mumtaz Qadri, Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan, Peshawar, Prophet Muhammad, Punjab, Rawalpindi, Salmaan Taseer,
Sheikhupura, Sunni, Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan
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Life in various parts of Pakistan virtually came to a halt activities’
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and other law enforcement agencies clashed with rioters
in the capital, Islamabad, resulting in protests and road What makes
blockades spreading to other cities across the country. Pakistan’s small
religious minorities
Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan, the Islamist political party at so significant?
the heart of the protests, then accused riot police of being
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dominated by Christians and other religious minorities.
At a press conference last night (26 November), before an

agreement was reached with the government and protests
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called to a halt, Tehreek-e-Labaik spokesman Muhammad  Follow
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Wor… @wwmonitor
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paramilitary force and law enforcement agencies.” Anti-#blasphemy
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#Sheikhupura #Karachi
law enforcement agencies and armed forces”. #Peshawar
#Gujranwala #Ahmadis
#Christians #Hindus
worldwatchmonitor.org/
2017/11/pakist…
17h
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The chairman of Voice of Minorities Pakistan said Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan had #Christianity and a
“disgraced minorities serving the country in law enforcement agencies and armed German #Christian
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At least seven people died, 200 were injured and ten A vand…
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police vans were set on fire on Saturday as protestors,
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clashed with around 8,000 policemen and paramilitary

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personnel, who fired rubber bullets, teargas and water #Iran: #convert to
cannon. One hundred and forty-four people were arrested. #Christianity loses
Pakistan’s regulatory bodies for the media suspended

transmission of all news channels and social media
websites – including Facebook, YouTube and Twitter – to
prevent coverage of the clashes. However, the news still
spread to other parts of the country, and roads were
blocked in Karachi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Peshawar,
Rawalpindi and Sheikhupura.
Train, bus and aeroplane schedules were also disturbed

and educational institutions ordered to remain closed
today and tomorrow (27-28 November) in the Punjab,
Pakistan’s largest province.
For 20 days, since 5 November, around 2,000-3,000

people had occupied the national highway, Faizabad
Interchange, which joins Islamabad with Rawalpindi,
after firebrand speaker Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi
demanded the resignation of Law Minister Zahid Hamid
for passing a law allowing the Ahmadi minority, labelled
“non-Muslim in the Constitution, to contest elections on
general seats, and altering the oath taken by
parliamentarians.
The protests were eventually brought to a halt yesterday

after the Law Minister tendered his resignation.
What sparked the protests?
Firebrand speaker Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi demanded the resignation of Law
Minister Zahid Hamid for passing a law allowing the Ahmadi minority, labelled “non-
Muslim in the Constitution, to contest elections (World Watch Monitor)
The National Assembly recently passed an Elections

Reform Bill, but made two major mistakes in the
Pakistani context:
1. The oath that every parliamentarian is required to take was

modi ed. This modi cation, which the government said was
only a simpli cation, was viewed as a conspiracy by Rizvi’s
party.
2. Ahmadis were allowed to take part in elections on general
seats, even though they are labelled “non-Muslims” in the
Constitution.
Pakistan is a 207-million strong nation, entirely Muslim

apart from the religious minorities that account for around
3-5% of the population. Yet despite their small number,
minorities have been the subject of significant debate in
the country because of one particular sect, the Ahmadis,
who were declared “non-Muslims” in 1974 through an
amendment to the Constitution.
In 1976 separate seats were created in assemblies for

minorities. Then in 1979 the dictator General Muhammad
Zia-ul-Haq created an entirely separate electoral system
for Muslims and non-Muslims: Muslims were to vote for
Muslim candidates, and non-Muslims for non-Muslim
candidates. Religious minorities criticised the system,
saying it was akin to an “apartheid” of minorities.
In 2002, another military dictator, General Pervez

Musharraf, restored the joint electoral system, and even
allowed non-Muslims to contest elections on general
seats. But for Ahmadis, the electoral system did not
change.
In June 2014, the National Assembly constituted a

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Electoral Reforms
to overhaul the existing electoral system. The committee
in December 2016 tabled its amendments in the form of
the Elections Bill 2016, which overturned several laws,
including one which had forced the previous Prime
Minister, Nawaz Sharif, to step down as the leader of his
party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.
But that all changed on 2 October with the passing of the

Elections Reform Bill, and the next day Sharif was re-
elected as the head of the party.
In Pakistan, every Muslim, in the form of a national

identity card or as a member of the assembly, has to
declare that he is a Muslim and believes that Muhammad
was the final prophet.
Sharif’s party said the Elections Reform Act simplified

this declaration, but the opposition said it compromised
the finality of the Prophet and was thus in effect
“blasphemous”.
The National Assembly quickly met and restored the

earlier version of the declaration, calling it a “clerical
error”, but that did not address the voting system that
Ahmadis would be allowed to use. Many called for the
sacking of those responsible for the mistake, including
Sharif’s younger brother, Shahbaz, the chief minister of
Punjab.
Meanwhile, the preacher, Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi,

and his followers blamed the Ahmadis and the West for
engaging in a conspiracy.
Who protested?
Barelvis are known for their special reverence of Muhammad (World Watch Monitor)
The protestors belong to the moderate Barelvi strain of

Sunni Islam, part of the Sufi tradition. Barelvi shrines and
leadership have been targeted in recent years by
hardliners, who think of Barelvis as heretics.
Muslims account for around 95 per cent of the total

population of Pakistan. Around 60 per cent of Pakistan’s
Muslims are Sunnis, and most of them are Barelvis. In
1992, a group named Sunni Tehreek was formed to
safeguard their mosques and regain others that had been
taken over by other sects.
In April 2006, most of their leadership were killed in a

suicide attack. They had gathered in Karachi to celebrate
the birth of Muhammad, an act considered heretical by
hardliners, who say there are only two celebrations (eids)
in Islam and every other is an innovation and a heresy.
Barelvis are known for their special reverence of

Muhammad. It was a stalwart of the Barelvi faith, Dr.
Sarfaraz Naeemi, who led the protests against the drawing
of cartoons of Muhammad in 2006. Dr. Naeemi was
assassinated by the Taliban in 2009 for opposing their
views.
Because of their moderate views and persecuted past,

even the USAID gave them money in 2009 to organise
rallies against the Taliban. However, Barelvis have since
become increasingly involved in militancy.
The Barelvis are staunch supporters of Pakistan’s

stringent blasphemy law, and were vocal supporters of the
death penalty given to the Christian woman, Asia Bibi, in

2010.
Former Punjab governor Salman Taseer, who had called

for Bibi’s release, was assassinated by a Barelvi, Mumtaz
Qadri, who had been working as Taseer’s security guard.
Qadri has been hailed as a hero and true defender of faith.
It was after Qadri’s hanging in February 2016 that

Khadim Hussain Rizvi rose up on the political scene and
founded the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan.
The mainstream media did not pay Rizvi any attention at

first, but he has been very effective in his use of social
media to broadcast his fiery speeches, which centre on
unwavering support for Pakistan’s blasphemy laws.
In National Assembly by-elections in September, Rizvi’s

party obtained 7,000 votes – not nearly enough for victory
but a sign the party was gaining support among the
masses.
It is against this backdrop that Rizvi’s party blocked the

main highway in Islamabad in November and has now got
two ministers sacked at their demand – Law Minister
Hamid and Minister of State for Information Technology
and Telecommunication Anusha Rehman.
Rizvi has also spoken out against Christians, whom he

associates with the West and blames for wanting to
jettison Pakistan’s blasphemy laws.
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11/28/2017 Pakistan’s anti-blasphemy protests showcase minorities’ plight - World Watch Monitor

Pakistan’s anti-blasphemy protests

At a press conference last night (26 November), before an

Christians, Hindus and Ahmadis are part of the police,

clashed with around 8,000 policemen and paramilitary

Pakistan’s regulatory bodies for the media suspended

Train, bus and aeroplane schedules were also disturbed

For 20 days, since 5 November, around 2,000-3,000

The protests were eventually brought to a halt yesterday

What sparked the protests?

The National Assembly recently passed an Elections

1. The oath that every parliamentarian is required to take was

Pakistan is a 207-million strong nation, entirely Muslim

In 1976 separate seats were created in assemblies for

In 2002, another military dictator, General Pervez

In June 2014, the National Assembly constituted a

But that all changed on 2 October with the passing of the

In Pakistan, every Muslim, in the form of a national

Sharif’s party said the Elections Reform Act simplified

The National Assembly quickly met and restored the

Meanwhile, the preacher, Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi,

The protestors belong to the moderate Barelvi strain of

Muslims account for around 95 per cent of the total

In April 2006, most of their leadership were killed in a

Barelvis are known for their special reverence of

Because of their moderate views and persecuted past,

The Barelvis are staunch supporters of Pakistan’s

death penalty given to the Christian woman, Asia Bibi, in

Former Punjab governor Salman Taseer, who had called

It was after Qadri’s hanging in February 2016 that

The mainstream media did not pay Rizvi any attention at

In National Assembly by-elections in September, Rizvi’s

It is against this backdrop that Rizvi’s party blocked the

Rizvi has also spoken out against Christians, whom he

A Church under siege – Egyptian Christians and IS

‘There will never be peace for Nigeria’s…

Sudanese woman who escaped 100 lashes for adultery…

Islamic State threatens to wipe out Egypt’s Copts

US missionary receives award for ‘changing…

Lives in limbo – Iraqi Christians’ long wait…

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