Pakistan’s Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training has introduced a major educational reform with its new Religious Education Curriculum 2023, now approved for students from grades I to XII. This change is particularly significant for the minority communities in Pakistan, as it addresses their long-standing request for a more inclusive education system. Traditionally, Islamic…
The distressing case of Samreen Aftab, a 15-year-old Christian schoolgirl allegedly abducted and forcibly converted to Islam in Jaranwala, has taken a disturbing turn. In a troubling development, a false First Information Report (FIR) was registered against her father, Aftab Joseph, adding a layer of complexity to an already harrowing situation. Background: Samreen Aftab, a…
In a historic development, Kiran Bibi and Shaukat, a Christian couple embroiled in a contentious blasphemy case, were granted bail on October 18, 2023. This decision was made following a hearing presided over by Additional Sessions Judge Mian Shahid Javed, despite Ayesha Tufail, Assistant District Public Prosecutor (ADPP) strongly opposed the bail application. The case…
The Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights was presented with a distressing revelation on Friday, as it learned that a staggering 179 individuals in Pakistan currently find themselves in detention and awaiting trial on charges of blasphemy. Even more troubling, 17 people have already been sentenced in such cases. These harrowing statistics were shared with…
In a tragic incident, 28-year-old sewer worker Samson Warris lost his life during routine work near Firozwala area, Gujranwala, on Saturday. Reports indicate that the incident occurred between 9:30 and 10 a.m. when Samson, deprived of proper safety equipment, entered a manhole. His colleagues, Adnan Masih and Sajjad Masih, sensed trouble when they lost contact…
In a recent development, the Additional Advocate General disclosed to the Lahore High Court on Monday that the Punjab caretaker government currently has no intentions of establishing a judicial commission to investigate the Jaranwala incident. This incident had resulted in the widespread destruction of churches and homes belonging to the Christian community, sparking outrage and…
In a landmark verdict, Judge Azam Khan of the Islamabad Session Court handed down a 25-year prison sentence to Muhammad Shahzad, also known as Shani, for the murder of Sonia Allah Rakha, a 24-year-old Christian woman. The tragic incident occurred in 2020 when Shani, a Muslim man, fatally shot Sonia after her family declined his…
A young Christian female teacher, Adeeba Amjad, abducted on May 16, 2023, from her residence in Pak Colony, Lassi Road, Hub, Baluchistan, has been denied the opportunity to reunite with her family by the court. Despite Adeeba’s expressed desire to return home, the court has ruled otherwise. Adeeba, who, after passing her intermediate examinations, was…
The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) Chairman, Dr Qibla Ayaz, reiterated the CII’s demand for the establishment of special courts to expedite cases related to incidents like the tragic Jaranwala incident. During the 234th special session of the CII, titled ‘Interfaith Harmony: State and Society’s Responsibilities,’ Dr Ayaz emphasized the importance of upholding the law…
In a distressing incident that occurred on September 18, 2023, at 8 am in the early morning, a group of Muslim men entered the fields of the Christian community in the village of Hari Haar, wielding sticks, pistols, and iron rods. Their target: the innocent Christian field workers who were present in the area at…
