Blasphemy Cases
Muslim fanatics threaten a Christian & His Family in Lahore
A 43-year-old Christian in Lahore has received threats from Muslim fanatics after publishing pro-democracy letters in a daily newspaper
George Masih, who lives with his wife Sunita and three young children in Gulistan Colony, wrote a number of columns and articles for the Aaj Kal, a Lahore-based newspaper.
His first column, “Qaum Aub Jaag Jaye” (“The Nation should wake-up now”), allegedly aroused the envy of Muslims in the area when it was published on August 11, 2008. Unaware of the ill-sentiment, George wrote two more columns which were published on September 11, 2008, the “Jamuriat Ka Suraj” (“The Sun of Democracy”) and “Jamuriat Ki Fattah” (The Triumph of Democracy”). A third column was published on October 16, entitled “Main Pakistan Hoon” (“I am Pakistan”).
On October 28, George received the first threatening letter from the Islamic Tanzeem organisation, which warned of serious consequences for him and his family if he did not convert to Islam.
The letter read: “George it would be better if you embraced Islam as soon as possible. Your name is the same as the ex-president of the USA, George Bush. We hate that stupid American. You should change your name and embrace Islam, or else you will suffer along with your family.”
George ignored the threats for a while but later submitted an application with the letters to the police in Lahore on November 24. His application was referred to the Assistant Superintendent who ordered its registration and recommended it to the senior house officer of the Mustafabad police station, Nasib Khan. Khan, however, failed to register a First Information Report against the suspects and even called George’s complaint into question.
On December 12, George received another letter in which the fanatics again urged him to embrace Islam, although this time they directly threatened to kill him and his family.
George deemed the threat real enough to send his wife and children to stay with relatives in Gujranwala.
Following the lack of police action, George sought the intervention of the Session’s Court Lahore, which ordered on February 11, 2009, that local police register the case against the suspects.
The police are yet to have taken action against the accused and George has turned to CLAAS for legal assistance in taking his case further.
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