Pakistan Council for Social Welfare & Human Rights organized a Peace Prayer and solidarity ceremony for the Christian Couple Mr. Shezhad Mashi and Shama Bibi with the collaboration of Religious and Civil Society of Sialkot at its office on 12th November 2014. The purpose of that Peace prayer & solidarity ceremony was to condemn the lynching young Christian couple by fanatic mob at Kot Radha Kishan, offer prayer for Christian couple, show solidarity with the religious minorities living here in Pakistan and also create an inter-religious & inter-cultural harmony, understanding to eradicate their depravedness and assure them that protection of minorities and their assets is moral obligation of Islamic state and its citizens, civil societies, media and others peace lovers sectors of life and there is no difference being Pakistani between the Muslims & Christians and infect the Muslim community is custodian of their fundamental religious and human rights as per teachings of Islam and ideology and constitution of Pakistan and vision of Father of Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
The ceremony was attended by the large number of people belonging from all religious groups based here in Pakistan. Ex- Member National Assembly of Pakistan Dr. Nelson Azeem and well renowned religious scholar Molana Abdul Ghafoor Noori, Grand Regional Imam, was the chief guest of that ceremony. Mr. Muhammad Ijaz Noori Chairman Pakistan Council for Social Welfare & Human Rights presided over the Peace prayer and solidarity ceremony. Whereas President Ulamha Mashiq Council Dr. Mufti Najeeb Ahmed Hashmi, District Khateeb Sialot & Narowal Syed Iqbal Hussain Bhukari, District President of Pakistan Tahrek Insaf (PTI) Women Wing Ms. Bushra Razaq Ali, Senior politician and Ex-vice President Cantonment Board Sialkot Mushtaq Ahmed Qadri, Ex-vice chairman Pakistan Gloves Manufacturing Association & member Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ch. Muhammad Ijaz, President women Association of Sialkot Ms. Aneela Butt, District Leader of Mustafie Movement Muhammad Ramzan Mustafie, District Nazim of Jamat-e-Islami Minority Wing Mr. Emanuel Gill, Additional General Secretary Punjab Teachers Union District Sialkot Anser Farooq Bhatti, District General Secretary Pakistan Muslim League (Q) Muhammad Hanif Janjua, Engineer Raja Yasir Mehmood from Edden Lions Club, Abdur Razzaq Ali, Mr. Bilal Khan Senior Vice President Electronic Media Association, District Leader of Anjuma Tulaba Islam (ATI) Faisal Kahloon and others from civil society, political and religious party also attended the ceremony.
The ceremony started with the recitation of Holy Quran. Moulana Iqbal Hussain Bhukari recited the verses form Holy Quran. After the recitation of Holy Quran Paster Aslam Masih also recited the verses from Holy Bible. Mr. Muhammad Ijaz Noori Chairman PCSW&HR thanked the all participants to participate in the ceremony and also highlighted the purpose of the ceremony. While addressing during the ceremony Dr. Nelson Azeem Ex-MNA, Molana Abdul Ghafoor Noori Grand Regional Imam, Mr. Muhammad Ijaz Noori, Dr. Mufti Najeeb Ahmed Hashmir, Mushtaq Ahmed and others speakers strongly condemn this brutal murder of Christian couple by the fanatic mob at Kot Radha Kishan. All speakers showed their solidarity with the aggrieved family as well as the entire Christian community living here in Pakistan. They said that at time of trial all Muslims and other religious community are with the family of Christian couple and whole Christian community living here in Pakistan. The speakers termed the incident a heinous crime and against Islamic laws. They also added that the perpetrators of the crime dishonored Islam and Pakistan.
The speakers further said that due to continuous activities of terrorists and extremist mind set Pakistan is becoming unsaved country for the religious & cultural minorities so it is need of hour to made Pakistan as per the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, parliament should legislate and amendments new constitutional framework to protect the rights of minorities in Pakistan so that lives and properties of religious & cultural minorities and week groups from terrorists and extremists mindset people. Representing the Christian community Dr. Nelson Azeem said that believers of all religions in Pakistan always respected others religious sentiments and emphasized that Christians could never desecrate the sacred figures of other religions. He termed the incident cruelty. He also said that Christian had no problem with blasphemy laws but with those who misuse the laws. He said if culprits of Joseph Colony and Peshawar Church blast were arrested and punished, Kot Radha Kishan incident would not have happened.
Speaking during the peace prayer ceremony Grand Regional Imam Molana Abdul Ghafoor Noori said that Islam preaches respect for mankind. Incidents of bloodshed, violence and humiliation of mankind were common in what is called the age of ignorance before the arrival of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). After the arrival of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), such incidents stopped and mankind was blessed with honour and dignity. The world was told that Allah has made humans the best of creatures on earth. In all the agreements which were signed with non-Muslims during the era of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the four caliphs, special attention was paid towards the protection of their honour, dignity, lives, wealth and worship places.
This is a clear indication of the Islamic viewpoint on relations with non-Muslims. They further said that killing of Christian couple by fanatic mob at Kot Radha Kishan was an act of terrorism and a conspiracy against Islam and Pakistan, Islam is religion of peace, justice, and teaches us the respect of all religions and their followers provides full protection to the minorities in Islamic state and there is no room for the blood shedding and prejudice with non Muslims in the name of religions. As per Islamic teachings murder of one innocent human being is murder of whole humanity. By promoting interfaith & intercultural harmony, social & religious tolerance, self respect we may eliminate not only the terrorism and extremism but also mindset of terrorism and extremism etc from Pakistan.
While addressing during the peace prayer Chairman Pakistan Council for Social Welfare & Human Rights said that our elders did great struggle and sacrifices to get Pakistan with the intension that Pakistan will be made a model state similar to Medina where humans will be respected, the difference between the powerful and the weak will be eliminated, and nobody will be declared guilty until their crime is proven. Unfortunately, after 67 years of independence, Pakistan is still not a state where there is supremacy of justice, and people are declared guilty on the basis of their religion or sect. There is no denying the fact that extremism and religious and sectarian prejudice has become a
scourge in Pakistan since 1979. Our political and religious leaderships have failed to come up with a clear national strategy to get rid of this scourge. It will be wrong to declare the Kot Radha Kishan tragedy as just a one-off incident. The events related to this tragedy have raised many question marks. Finding the answers to these questions is not only the responsibility of the national political and religious leadership, but also of the society as a whole.
Mr. Noori further said that if truth be told, the Kot Radha Kishan tragedy is a black blemish on the face of Pakistan, our religion and humanity. In order to remove this blemish, Pakistanis and Muslims will have to bring about a fundamental change, and that fundamental change involves refraining from making allegations against anyone on the basis of assumptions. If a person is guilty of blaspheming or any other crime, it is the responsibility of courts, rather than crowds, to punish them. Unfortunately, such incidents take place in Pakistan due to illiteracy, poverty, unemployment and the absence of the rule of law.
Addressing during the ceremony Mr. Emanuel Gill District Nazim of Jamat-e-Islami Minority Wing appreciated the gesture of goodwill by the Pakistan Council for Social Welfare & Human Rights on behalf of Muslims Community to show the solidarity with the Christian Community and cultural minorities living here in Pakistan. He said that we can only eradicate the terrorism and extremism by promoting the interfaith & intercultural harmony and understanding.
Expressing her views Ms. Bushra Razaq Alvi District President of Pakistan Tahrek Insaf (PTI) Women Wing reiterated her party’s commitment to the dignity and honor of minority communities, proclaiming equal treatment for all minorities, including Christian brothers and sisters. She said that PTI believes that Pakistan should become a model Islamic Social Welfare state as proposed by our founding fathers Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and in this model state liberation of women is guaranteed; religion persuasion is a private matter; non-Muslims have full citizen rights.
She lauded the efforts of Pakistan Council for Social Welfare & Human Rights to promote the interfaith & intercultural harmony and create a culture of peace. One behalf of her party she assured her full cooperation to PCSW&HR to promote the interfaith harmony and protection of minorities’ rights here in Pakistan.
Mrs. Aneela Butt representing the Pakistan Muslim League (N) women wing during the ceremony also appreciated the efforts of PCSW&HR to promote the interfaith harmony and protection of minorities rights and said although we belong to different political parties but we are unite on this point that interfaith harmony is need of hour in the present scenario and in Pakistan all religious and cultural minorities have equal full citizen rights and our state is responsible to protect the lives and properties of all minorities.
During the peace prayer ceremony it was demanded to Government through various resolutions that culprits should brought to justice. At the end of ceremony candles were also lighting in the remembrance of Christian couple Mr. Shahzed Masih and Shamia Bibi and prayers was offered for murdered couple, solidarity & peace in Pakistan and security forces those martyred during the war against terrorism and extremism especially during the operation Zarb-e-Azab.
