Bharat Rakshak

There is not even a single monastery in Pakistan, which once remained a hub of Buddhism.

It is said that this part of the subcontinent where Gandhara civilisation nurtured has an eminent place in the theology of Buddhism. However, the sad part of the story is that not even a single place of worship for Buddhists exists in Pakistan.

Several years ago, Swat and other parts of NWFP, where terrorism is reigning, used to be the hub of Buddhism and are said to be the birthplace of the second Buddha.

Goethe-Institut Pakistan on Monday organised a visual presentation of Buddhist relics in order to give the citizens of Karachi some knowledge about the historical background of the subcontinent and the Buddhism and Gandhara civilisation under the title, 'Gandhara: The Buddhist Heritage of Pakistan'.

The presentation that was delivered by Assistant Director, Department of Archaeology and Museums, government of Pakistan, Mehmood-ul-Hassan focused on the life of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha and the development of the Buddhism in the region.

He supported his arguments by the presentation of visuals of some of the relics of that era.

Citing evidence from the history Hassan informed the audience that Buddha was born somewhere on the border of the India and Nepal.

He said Buddhism was heavily destroyed in the region after the invasion of White Huns.

These people had some commonalities with Hinduism and they promoted Hinduism in the region.

"After invasions of these people Buddhists started migrating to Far-East Asia," he went on to say.

He said second Buddha was born in Swat and that is the reason why this region is rich with Buddhist relics.

Answering a question he said that Buddhism in the later stage was greatly influenced by the Greek mythologies.

The statue of Buddha in Bamyan has been destroyed.

He hoped that the government would soon introduce courses of arts and heritage in the schools and colleges so that students could know about their culture and heritage.

"We have no other option but to save these relics, these are our cultural identities," Hassan said.

Pakistan 'army death squad hangs Taliban body from lamp post'

Pakistani security forces have been accused of sending death squads to execute suspected Taliban militants, in one case hanging a body from a lamp post.

By Dean Nelson in Islamabad and Emal Khan in Peshawar
Published: 6:00AM BST 19 Aug 2009

The country's leading human rights lawyer, Asma Jahangir, accused the armed forces of waging a campaign of extra-judicial killings in the Swat valley and called for an independent inquiry after reports that 20 bodies were found in a mass grave at the weekend.

The Human Right Commission, which she founded, said it had compiled evidence that at least six of the dead had been shot by the security services.

It also alleged that more than 100 bodies have been found dumped in the streets of towns and villages in Swat since July 13 ………………

In Dargai in the neighbouring Malakand district, the body of a Taliban militant was left hanging from a lamp post with a note pinned to his body saying "anyone who joins the Taliban will meet the same fate". …………..

One man from Swat's capital, Mingora, told The Daily Telegraph his brother, a Taliban fighter, had been arrested by soldiers two weeks ago. He alleged that four days later his dead body was found dumped on wasteland by neighbours. Locals said the bodies of four more militants were found in similar circumstances.

An army spokesman denied any of those killed had been in its custody. But Asma Jahangir said she had hard evidence and challenged army claims that local mass graves contained the bodies of militants killed by other Taliban fighters.

"We have allegations to the contrary, from eyewitnesses, that these were militants but they were not killed by other militants. We're asking for an investigation because no-one should be above the law," she said. ………..

Telegraph, UK

Frontier to move court against Punjab on flour ban

By Ali Hazrat Bacha
Thursday, 20 Aug, 2009 | 04:47 AM PST |

PESHAWAR: Taking strong notice of the ban imposed by the Punjab government on supply of flour to other provinces, the Frontier government on Wednesday warned to move the court if the decision was not taken back.

Speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday, NWFP Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain said the ban was in violation of Article 151 of the Constitution.

He said the Punjab government had imposed Section 144 on the movement of flour from the province, describing it as an unwise decision on part of the provincial government.

‘It is ironic that on one hand the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) considers itself a country level party and on the other it takes steps protecting the interests of Punjab only and neglecting the people of the other provinces,’ he maintained...................

Dawn

To save Islamic militants in Punjab: Police registers cases against Gojra Christians

Gojra, Pakistan: August 24, 2009. (PCP Breaking News) The Punjab police on directions of government registered a case of murder and riots against 129 Christians of Gojra here today. In this FIR 29 Christian religious leaders and laymen have been nominated while 100 have been unknown according to police.

Bishop, Inayat Munawar, Kahif Gill and Gibran Inayat are among 29 Christian nominated in FIR to kill Christians and burning homes of Christians.

The Muslim militants attacked Gojra Christian Town on August 1, 2009, burning alive women and children when 11 Christian were martyred and 76 homes were burnt……………….

Pakistan Christian Post

Bodies of 30 Taliban found in Pakistan's Swat valley

South Asia News
Aug 31, 2009, 14:07 GMT

Islamabad - The bodies of 30 Taliban were found on Monday in Pakistan's restive Swat valley, a day after a suicide bomber killed 16 police recruits in the same region.
A spokesman for the Pakistan Army said the militants were killed during clashes with the security forces.

But the locals suspected they were summarily executed by the troops who have been fighting with Islamist militants in Swat, located some 140 kilometres north-west of the capital Islamabad, for three months.

The locals found the bullet-ridden bodies lying along the streets in Banjot and two nearby areas in Charbagh sub-district on Monday morning, said local journalist Fayyaz Zafar.

'Our troops launched an operation after the suicide bombing and exchanged fire with the militants in these areas,' Colonel Akhtar Abbas, an army spokesman in Swat, told reporters. 'The clashes left 30 Taliban dead and one soldier was martyred.'

But a resident from Banjot said at least three of the bodies he saw bore signs of torture. 'There were no weapons near the corpses which clearly show that they did not die in a fight,' said the local who spoke on condition of anonymity fearing reprisal from the authorities. …………………

DPA via M&C

Musharraf: Ramadan strikes risk Muslim backlash

November 7, 2001 Posted: 9:02 AM EST (1402 GMT)

...................... “The attacks should not go on during Ramadan because that would have very negative effects on the Muslim world," .....................

CNN

Pakistani Police Arrest Two Christians for Eating During Ramadan

Washington, D.C. (September 1,2009) – International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on August 25, police in Pakistan arrested two Christians for eating during the Islamic fasting season of Ramadan in the city of Silanwali.

Gull Masih and Ashir Sohail were traveling to Lahore when their bus stopped at the Bismillah Hotel to let off passengers. After the waiter served them tea and a snack, several policemen started to question them as to why they were desecrating Ramadan by eating during the Islamic fasting season. The two Christians told the police that since they are Christians, they are not supposed to fast during Ramadan.

The police then threw them in a van and took them to the Silanwali police station and registered a case against them, alleging that the Christians desecrated the Islamic fasting month. ………………….

Azzaq Bhatti, the father of Gull Masih and paternal uncle of Ashir Sohail, in an interview with ICC said that, “during Lent, all Muslims eat, drink and smoke publicly and neither police nor government authorities take notice of it. And none of the Muslims are arrested for desecrating Christians’ Lent season.” ………………….

International Christian Concern

Dozens of people from the Hindu Maheshwari community gathered outside the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday to demand the safe return of Bano, a young Hindu nurse working at a private hospital, who went missing three weeks ago. Carrying placards and banners, the protestors feared that Bano might be killed or forced to convert her religion. The elders of the community, Rajo, Narain and others, told the media that Bano had a row with the owner of the hospital where she worked before she went missing. “Though the police have registered a case, nothing has been done for her return so far,” the protestors said. The protestors demanded the federal and provincial government, law enforcement agencies and civil society organizations to ensure the safe release and return of Bano.

Militants kill 4 Shia students in NW Pakistan

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:21:59 GMT

Four Shia schoolchildren have been killed in Pakistan's Orakzai Agency, as pro-Wahhabi insurgents continue to terrorize Shia Muslims across northwestern Pakistan. .....................

Press TV

It started as a trickle in 2006, the year the Thar Express was flagged off. In the first year, 392 Hindus crossed over.
This grew to 880 in 2007. The next year, the number was 1,240, and this year, till August, over 1,000 have crossed over. They just keep extending their visas and hope to become Indian citizens.

Ranaram, who used to live in the Rahimyar district of Pakistan’s Punjab, says he fell prey to the Taliban. His wife was kidnapped, raped and forcibly converted to Islam. His two daughters were also forcibly converted. Ranaram, too, had to accept Islam for fear of his life. He thought it best to flee with his two daughters; his wife was untraceable. Dungaram, another migrant, says atrocities against Hindus in Pakistan have increased in the past two years after the ouster of Musharraf. "We won't get permanent jobs unless we convert to Islam."

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Church torched in Sialkot over ‘desecration’

LAHORE: An angry mob torched a church in Sambarial area of Sialkot over alleged desecration of the holy Quran, a private TV channel reported on Friday. ......................

Daily Times

“Masih, being accused of blasphemy, was put in a separate cell where he committed suicide by using a string,” Sialkot District Jail Superintendent Farooq Lodhi said.

Torture marks: Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs Kamran Michael said the police had not handled the case properly. “I have seen the body and there were torture marks on it,” the minister said.

Responsibility: “This is death in custody and the police authorities are responsible,” said Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Chairwoman Asma Jahangir.

Meanwhile, a private TV channel reported that Masih’s family had claimed that he was tortured to death by the jail staff. Local Christians snatched the body from the police and shifted it to a private hospital for an autopsy, the channel reported. It said the police inspector general had constituted an inquiry committee to probe the death.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the commission demanded registration of a murder case against police officials concerned.

The Muslim holy month of Ramazan / Ramadan seems to have no impact in halting IED Mubarak’s aka Sucide Bombings in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

The deathtoll in todays demonstration of the IEDology of Pakistan where it appears that the minority Shia Muslim sect has been targeted by the majority Sunni Muslim sect, has climbed from 10 to 25:

Official: Suicide bomb kills 25 in NW Pakistan

The Thatta police was directed by a division bench of the Sindh High Court comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Mohammad Ather Saeed to protect a Hindu girl who embraced Islam and married a Muslim man.

Earlier the bench heard the counsel for petitioner Ayesha who maintained that being an adult lady, she married to a Muslim man after embracing Islam. She maintained that the Jhirk police in district Thatta lodged an FIR of abduction etc on a complaint filed by her father Sham Lal, brother Khem Chand, and others. She expressed fear that the police will arrest the couple or harass them in some other manner. The bench after hearing the counsel for the petitioner while adjourning the hearing of the petition allowed an application by the petitioner for provision of protection to her.

The parents of a young Hindu nurse, who disappeared over a month ago after leaving her Karachi home for the welfare hospital where she worked, continue their search for the daughter. So far their efforts have proved futile. They are not alone. The Sindh Assembly was told in its last session that during the last four months of the current year, 30 to 35 members of minority communities – most of them Hindu – had been kidnapped; eighteen girls had converted to Islam and one was killed. The fate of the others is presumably unknown.

The pattern is one that has accelerated sharply in recent years. Christians in Punjab have made similar complaints centred around the issue of young girls, some mere teenagers, who have been forced to convert and marry Muslim men. The details compiled by rights groups indicate that the life of such women is often grim. Some have tried to escape, others have been murdered. This is one part of the growing violence against minorities that we are seeing.

Pakistan's Persecuted Minority

Written by Jo Baker
Wednesday, 30 September 2009

Ahmadis face serious danger and death, some of it possibly fomented by the government

Last month Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari observed the country's National Minority Day by calling minority groups "a sacred trust for Pakistan" and lamenting the 'extremist elements' responsible for their insecurity in the country. But his words fell flat for Pakistan's Ahmadis, for whom a fresh surge of hostile incidents, some linked to the state itself, is capping decades of persecution. ……………

The depredations in Pakistan have been particularly distressing. Since the mid 1980s, the Ahmadis have been dying in droves. Some 104 have been murdered in targeted attacks or lynchings and 117 others have escaped murder attempts, according to the community's records. Other forms of harassment are also common: mosques have been demolished, set on fire and forcibly occupied and Ahmadi corpses have been dug up from Muslim graveyards. ………………

Asia Sentinel

LONDON, 29 September 2009

PRESS RELEASE

AHMADI MUSLIMS DECLARED ‘WAJIBUL QATL’ IN PAKISTAN OCCUPIED KASHMIR

Persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Azad-Kashmir has markedly increased in recent weeks and months, particularly in the Bhimber District.

A number of extremist organisations banned by the Government of Pakistan have continued to preach their hate filled messages by virtue of simply altering the names of their organisations. All available evidence strongly suggests that they are being supported, financially and otherwise, by a number of local politicians.

The situation has become extremely dangerous for the local Ahmadi population as the local clerics are issuing regular Fatwas pronouncing that all Ahmadis are ‘Wajibul-Qatl’ which means they can and should be lawfully killed due to their beliefs. Furthermore hateful and provocative literature is being published and disseminated amongst the masses in opposition to the Jamaat.

Ahmadis in the region are living in constant fear for their safety; their businesses and places of worship are becoming regular targets. The local authorities are urged to take action to bring an immediate end to all forms of persecution against the Ahmadi minority in the region.

The Press Secretary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Abid Khan said:

“It is a great tragedy that in Pakistan both the government and clerics continue to violate the rights of their fellow citizens. Ahmadi Muslims are now facing heightened persecution in Azad-Kashmir due to the acts of terrorists and extremists who are spreading the teaching that Islam, God forbid, allows arbitrary murder in the name of Allah. They realise not that they themselves are the root cause of the misery that currently pervades Pakistan and continues to escalate.

May God always protect all peace loving people, be they Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh or adherents of any other belief.”

End of Release

The Persecution

In compliance with Supreme Court orders, the Sukkur police on Friday submitted a report to the apex court stating that it had recovered two kidnapped Hindu men, while a third one was found dead.

Taking suo motu action on an application by Sukkur Press Club President Saleha Pat for the recovery of three Hindus – Vikram, Mahendar Kumar and Govinda Lal – Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had ordered the immediate recovery of the abducted men. The Sindh provincial police officer (PPO) submitted a report to the SC on Friday, stating that police had arrested Ghulam Asghar Soomro, Ijaz Ali Jatoi and Zaman and recovered Vikram and Govind Lal safely, but Mahendar was found dead. The report said efforts were being made for the arrest of the remaining accused.

Video appears to show Pakistan army abuses

By ROBERT KENNEDY (AP) – 1 day ago
ISLAMABAD — Video apparently showing Pakistani soldiers beating men detained in anti-militant operations has surfaced on the Internet, drawing criticism from a leading rights group and possibly undercutting support for the army's fight against al-Qaida and the Taliban. ………………….

It shows the officer quizzing one man over whether his brother-in-law is a militant. The man says he does not know. The officer then signals for his deputies to begin attacking the suspect. He is punched, lashed with a leather rope and kicked repeatedly while on the ground.
He screams "Have mercy on me, oh God" in Pashto, the language of the northwestern tribal areas close to the Afghan border where the Pakistan army is engaged in anti-militant offensives. Two of the men who were beaten appeared to be in their 50s. ……………….

AP via Google

UPDATED ON:
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
14:16 Mecca time, 11:16 GMT

Pakistan jets 'bomb S Waziristan'

Pakistani fighter jets have bombed the northwest tribal region of South Waziristan, killing six suspected Taliban fighters and wounding three others, according to a military spokesman. …………………

Al Jazeera

Tortured bodies of suspected militants found in Swat valley

Mingora, Pakistan — Special to The Globe and Mail Last updated on Tuesday, Oct. 06, 2009 08:22PM EDT

The tortured bodies of suspected militants have been found in Pakistan's Swat valley after a campaign by the Pakistani army against the Taliban, raising concerns that a hard-won victory may be sullied by accusations of extra-judicial killings.

There are also at least two mass graves where Taliban are buried, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

Separately, an Internet video emerged recently that appears to show Pakistani soldiers, likely in Swat, beating prisoners, including elderly men. The army was forced to announce an investigation into the video. …………………

According to Pakistani press reports, sourced to unnamed officials, 251 such corpses were found before the beginning of September. The bodies continue to be found, and locals estimate that the tally of bodies dumped in Swat could now be 300 to 400. ………………

The army denies executing its prisoners, suggesting that they were either killed in combat or at the hands of revenge-seeking citizens, including the lashkars , or tribal militias, which formed in recent weeks to defend against a return of the Taliban.

The military doesn't deny the existence of the mass graves, but says they were created by retreating Taliban killing their injured co-fighters rather than leave them behind to give away information to the authorities.

Some of the bodies found had their hands tied behind their backs. ………………

“Dead bodies are being found every day. … Even if these are reprisals by the lashkars , these lashkars have been formed by the government themselves, and they're being patronized by the government,” said Asma Jahangir, chair of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. ………………………

Globe & Mail

Growing extremism has played a pivotal role in destabilising religious harmony in the area. Recently, in March, Hindus – who comprise half of the total population of Umerkot – were attacked by Muslims on the day of Diwali, on charges of blasphemy.

The forced conversion of Hindus to Islam has never been a widespread practice in Sindh, but in recent years, thousands of Hindu girls have been forcibly converted. Many Hindu girls in upper Sindh have also been encouraged to marry Muslims. Amrot Sharif in Shikarpur district has become a shelter of sorts for converted Hindu women and, Aziz Shah, the sajjada nasheen, provides all kinds of support and legal aid to the converts. In the past, he has even ensured that their weddings were celebrated and highlighted in the media to help spread the practice.

Similarly, Gulzar-e-Khalil, the village of Pir Ayub Jan Sarhandi in Umerkot, is home to several Hindu women who have been converted to Islam. Pir Ayub Jan Sarhandi claims that he has seen more than 10,000 such conversions. These practices, which threaten the secular fabric of society, have never been publicly condemned by any local organisation or civil society institution, while the religious parties and institutions have actively extended their moral and monetary support for the continuation of such practices.

SGPC approaches Pakistan High Commission on atrocities over Sikhs and Gurdwaras

December 21st, 2009 - 9:24 pm ICT by ANI

New Delhi, Dec 21 (ANI): A delegation of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), met the officials of the Pakistan High Commission here on Monday.

The delegation apprised the officials about the cases of a Sikh advocate, whose hair were cut off, and confiscation of land that had been a part of a Gurdwara.
The SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar, said some miscreants in Pakistan had forcefully cut off the hair of a Sikh lawyer, which has hurt the religious sentiments of community.

“Forcefully cutting off the hair of Anup Singh a Sikh advocate in Pakistan has hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikh community. Hair are our religious symbol and the act is an assault on our religious sentiments. We demand is that the people who have done this must be brought to book,” said Avtar Singh.

It also came to the notice of the Sikh body related to control of Gurdwaras that the Pakistan government had confiscated land attached to a Gurdwara. .................................

ThaiIndian News

A bailiff of District and Sessions Judge Tariq Iftikhar raided a private torture cell at a brick kiln at Daska’s Dhaamonkey village and recovered eight persons, including an infant, from captivity.

The bailiff raided the brick kiln owned by Muhammad Aslam and rescued Jehangir Masih, William Masih, Yaqoob Masih, Shakeel Masih, Irshad Masih, Siraj Masih, Razia Bibi and her infant.

Rawalpindi: December 26, 2009. The Muslims attacked Christian worshipers during Christmas prayers in Kalar Kahar Town, near the motorway, about 125 Km from Islamabad. ………………..

PCP

Lahore bans New Year Celebrations

Earlier, it was Basant and now New Year celebrations.

In the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Infidels have no business of making merry when a section of the Momin are in mourning

Militants blow up six shrines in Orakzai

Dawn Report
Wednesday, 06 Jan, 2010

KOHAT: Militants exhumed the body of a spiritual leader and blew up six other shrines in the Stori Khel area of lower Orakzai Agency on Tuesday.

Locals said heavily armed militants came to the area of the Stori Khel tribe, who have raised a lashkar against them, and dug up the grave of spiritual leader Anwarul Haq. They desecrated the remains and then took it to an unknown location.

The militants also blew up six other shrines in the Khwa area of Stori Khel.

The Stori Khel tribe has been fighting the Taliban for over a month to keep them away from their area.

Militant leaders -- Tariq Afridi, chief of Darra Adamkhel and Khyber Agency Taliban, and Maulana Akhunzada Aslam Farooqui, head of Orakzai Agency Taliban -- have been asking the Shia clan of the Stori Khel tribe to expel security personnel recently deployed in the area. .............................

Dawn

Thursday, 7 January 2010, 3:35 pm
Press Release: Asian Human Rights Commission

PAKISTAN: A Retired Ahmadi Professor Murdered In Punjab Province

It is with great sadness that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat confirms that another member of its community, Retired Professor Muhammad Yusuf (aged 70) was killed earlier today by two masked gunmen in Lahore.

At around 7.30am, Professor Yusuf was tending his son's grocery shop near his own home in Rachna Town when two masked persons drove up to the shop on motorbikes. They immediately fired two shots at Professor Yusuf and thereafter fled the scene. ………………………

The Jamaat has faced a great deal of opposition in the Rachna Town area and this opposition has markedly increased in recent times. Banners are seen around the area stating that Ahmadis are 'Wajibul Qatl' that is that they ought to be killed. Further, a number of anti-Ahmadi rallies have taken place in the area inciting others to violently oppose and harass all Ahmadis. One such rally took place yesterday. A number of Ahmadis in the area had also faced death threats. Police have been made aware of all such incidents yet no action has been forthcoming. …………………….

Last year 11 Ahmadis were killed in Pakistan for no other reason than that they belonged to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat. This new year of 2010 is not even a week old and already the blood of another Ahmadi has been shed. ……………………

Scoop

Monday, January 11, 2010

Shias warn of countrywide protest against ‘genocide’

KARACHI: The Shia community staged demonstrations on Sunday to protest against the genocide of Shias across Pakistan and a possible witch-hunt against the youth. The Shia scholars warned of a countrywide protest against the brutalities being committed against Shias all over Pakistan and strongly condemned the raids on houses - violating the sanctity of their homes - harassment of women and children, arrests of innocent youths and merciless torture............................

They said the Pakistani government took no action against the terrorists who perpetrated the genocide against the Shias through terrorism in mosques, imambargahs and congregations, and at sacred processions and other places..........................

Daily Times