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HRFP'S HISTORY OF PEACEFUL FIGHT:


Human Rights Focus Pakistan ,CSO & HA has been fighting peacefully for severely discriminated believers of  Jesus Christ  and other non-Muslim minorities since 1988.
Since the US attacks on Taliban in Afganistan and the terror movement Al-Qaeda after September 11th,christians have become a common target for Islamists,hrfp struggled to safe gaurd the christians and minorities.For the first time since pakistan was founded in 1947,socially and lawfully opressed christians,hindus,buddhists,Ahmdis and other religious minorities have a unified platform in the hrfp defend their rights before theopressive muslim majority .Some of hrfp's other achievements are the abolition of seperated identity cards in 1992 for members of individual religions in order to prevent the discrimination of non-Muslims at work or during the search for housing.hrfp also worked for the prevention of parliamentary bill in 1998,which declared the islamic sharia with the draconian criminal law as the only valid law in pakistan,and he effected last year's abolitions of the "segregated elections system" during the elections in the house of commons of national parliament and the four provincial parliaments.Until then,the Muslim majority was only allowed to elect muslims and the Christian minoroty only allowed to elect the christians .The fatal consequences were as follows .After winning the elections ,a new member of parliament was only able to represent the interests of his fellow believers ,which pre-determined the outcome of all islamic parliamentary interests.
Human Rights Focus Pakistan has benn fighting peacefully ,for christians and minoroties ,among Pakistan's poorest inhabitants ,are arbitrarily accused by islamists of uttering statements of blasphemy against Islam or the prophet Mohammad and of thereby disregarding Articles 295A and 295C of pakistani criminal law(vehemently fought against by hrfp with collabration other organizations).Christians are arrested and sentenced to death or life in prison .Hrfp provides those imprisoned with spiritual support and free legal representation.The families of those imprisoned receive material aid ,and sometimed even a change of address in order to protect them from attacks .HRFP's Lawyers fight for the complete solution of crimes against minorities and the hrfp carries all victims medical expenses.Lastly,hrfp organizes seminars,conferences,walks,worksops,printliterature ,informing Pakistan's religious minorities of their constitutional rights.
Several times hrfp and its president Naveed Walter has been threatened by leading Islamic politicians .In many mosques ,Imams encourage their congregations during their friday prayers to take revenge on christians .But hrfp is fighting.....................................

PROGRAMMS ORGANIZED BY - HRFP

(Since 1998 we are fighting peacefully in the form of CSO,HA,and HRFP.
Here, only we are giving the dates and programms,we organized by HRFP,we can also say that HRFP is fighting from 1998)
1)-All Pakistan debate competition on the topic of"A Century of liberation this is..''-(14 August 1994).

2)-Start to publish quarteraly News paper'HRF'-(18 November 1994).

3)-Seminar 'Modern Visions & Religions'and 'All Pakistan Mushaira'.-(22,23 December 1994).

4)-A special Annual Scholar ships deliver programme for needy & deserving students.-(Easter 1995).

5)-Conference on Human Rights of Pakistan.(10 December 1995).

6)-A special Annual Scholar ships deliver programme for needy & deserving students,and Conference 'Position of minorities in Vision + Education'.-(18 April 1996).

7)-Seminar'Sayings of the founder of Pakistan & their fullfilment),about minorities and Secularism.Conference was presided by Martyor Bishop Dr.John Joseph.-(23 August 1996).

8)-'National Unity Walk 1996 ' for the restoration of Human Rights .-(10 December 1996).

9)-Incident of Shantinagar and movement of hrfp for their help.-(22 February 1997).

10)-Seminar on Christian women in Pakistan (8 march 1998)

11)-Seminar on 1st may 1998 on labour day.

12)-Xmass party and Variety programm.(22 December 1998)

13)-Christian youth conference(23 january 1999)

14)-Seminar "Christians situation in pakistan"(15 september 1999)

15)-National unity walk for the restoration of human rights in pakistan(10 December1999)

16)-Seminar "minorities and their constitutional rights " (2nd march 2000).

17)- seminar "Human rights situation in pakistan" (14 August 2000)

18)-Seminar "Minoroties situation in Pakistan"(10 December 2000)

19)-Walk againsts discriminatory laws(15 march 2001)

21)-Seminar on Human rights (10 December 2001)

22)-Seminar on christian women in pakistan (8 march 2002)

23)- seminar on " religious minorities and human rights in pakistan"(10 dec.2002)

24)-Conference on rights of minoroties in pakistan (15 feb 2003)

25)-We started a programm for the orphan and street kids to help them and giv ethem and shelther ,education,medicines and every thing they neeed. (March8,2003 )

26)-Widows help programm launched on the permanent basis (April18,2003)

27)-Labour Day Seminar (May,1st 2003)

28)-Conference on Independence Day of Pakistan (August 14,2003)

29)-Meeting for the net working of Christian Organizations.15 Organizations participated in it. ( October 13,2003)

30)-National Unity Walk on Human Rights Day (December 10,2003)

31)-Christmas Get Together WITH WIDOWS & POOR PEOPLE2003 (December22,2003)

32)-Happy New Year with Christian Prisoners  ( January 4,2004)

33)-Seminar on Women Day (March 08,2004)

34)-Meeting with 10 Social NGO's (April 17,2004)

35)-Conference on Labour Day (May 1st 2004)

36)-Independence Day Programm (August 14,2004)

37)-Start the legal aid to persecuters with the help of Lahore  Bar .(October 12,2004)

38)-Conference on Human Righst Day .(December 10,2004)

39)-Christams Get Together with Widows & poors (December 23,2004)

40)-Happy New Year with orphans ans street Kids (january 06 ,2005)

41)-Seminar on "Women & Christian Women in Pakistan" (March 08,2005)

42)-Conference on Labour Day (May 1st,2005)

43)-Seminar on Peace & Social Harmony (June 18,2005)

44)-Seminar on Religious Minorities & Independence (August 13,2005)

45)-A Help programm started on th epermanent basis for the Children who canot afford their Scholl Costs & Expenditures. (October 18,2005)

46)-Help The Poor ,A movement started in remote areas specially (November 17,2005)

47)-Religious minorities and basic Human Rights ,a seminar on (December 10,2005)

48)-Christmas Get Together with widows & poors (December 22,2005)

49)-A new year with orphans and handicapped Kids ( January 15,2006)

50)-Seminar on women Day (March 8,2006)

51)-Net working with Christian Organizations,Churches, Church Leaders ,Christian Business men/Professionals .(April ,2006)

52)-Seminar on labour Day ( May 1st,2006)

53)-Welcome to Crown Leaders and arrange meetings with Church Leaders & Christian Professionals in Lahore & Islamabad(May 21-25) 

54)-Christians and other  religious minorities in Pakistan ,a Conference (August 6,2006)

55)-Net working,meetings  and Crown seminars in different cities ,and areas for the CE .(Sep 2006-March2007)

56)-Christmas Get Together with widows ,Orphans and poors (December 22,2006)

57)-New Year with women in jails (January 7,2007)

58)-Crown Catalytic Events in Lahore & Islamabad (March 14,15,16,17,2007).HRFP was one of the partner Organization.

59)-Seminar on Labour Day (May 1st,2007)

60)-Started a Ruth Donlan Sewing  Center & Vocational training programm for the young girls with the help of US Heirs of God(July 15,2007)

61-Happy independence Day, Programm on (August 09,2007)

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PRESS RELEASES

Human Rights Day: HRFP demands equal citizenship and rights for Christians & other minorities in Pakistan

 Faisalabad, December 10, 2008: On the International human rights day, HRFP demands equal citizenship and rights for minorities in Pakistan. In a new release HRFP also urged the government to pay attention to minorities and reiterated the long standing demand that all discriminatory laws especially the notorious blasphemy laws of Pakistan should be immediately revoked.

HRFP president said in the statement that "All discriminatory legislation, especially the sections of 295B and C should be repealed from the Penal Code of Pakistan."

 The communiqué said that the founding father of Pakistan Mr Jinnah's historic speech delivered in the first Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947 should be added to the Constitution of Pakistan, which sets basics of a real democratic state and provides equal citizenship to all Pakistanis without any discrimination of religion, cast and creed.

 During the coming population census special attention should be given to religious minorities because it is widely believed that actual number of minorities is not known that is a root cause of most of the problems non-Muslims are facing in Pakistan, the news release said.

 Non-Muslims should be given representation in the upper house of the parliament, the Senate, the statement signed by Naveed Walter, HRFP president said.

 Mr. Walter said that main stream political parties should give party tickets to non-Muslims on general seats, in the constituencies where minority vote can play a vital role.

 The complex proportional representation system of political parties, according to which non-Muslims are selected on reserved seats is debatable because this system has practically cut of the minority leaders from the voters and these leaders, has become merely the representatives of political parties. That is why they had not raised their voice for minority rights in assemblies, Walter said.

 Walter explained that many national and international reports have proved that the syllabus of our text books is biased and has been creating hate and discrimination against non-Muslims of the country who are no doubt are equal citizens of the country. Consequently, it should be revised thoroughly.

 The great services of non-Muslims for the creation and construction of Pakistan should also be acknowledged and be included in the syllabus history books, Mr. Walter stressed.

 Compulsory religious education in schools and colleges should be stopped and this subject should be introduced as an optional subject, Mr. Walter said.

 Mr. Walter urged the government that special concessions and marks to Hafiz-e-Quran (learning Quran by heart) in educational institutions, prisons and other fields of life should be abolished or similar facilities should be also provided to Non-Muslims, according to their own religions.

 All the nationalized educational institutions of non-Muslims should be returned to their real owners. The religious feasts and critical issues of non-Muslims in Pakistan should be given coverage in state run and private media, the Mr.Naveed Walter  urged.  

 CHRISTIANS PROTEST IN FAISALABAD-PAKISTAN

FAISALABAD: Human Rights Focus Pakistan (hrfp) took out a rally in Faisalabad and Sammundri and demonstrated against what they called the Okara police's apathy.
Carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the Okara administration and their demands, the protesters marched through various roads.
They chanted slogans all the way through against the police, saying "the actual murderers of Fr Ibrahim are yet to be arrested." Some of the Christian youths were beating their chests, holding the police responsible for worsening the law and order situation in Okara by arresting the "innocent" people.
Those who participated in the rally,Naveed Walter president HRFP, Bishop Joseph Couts(Diocese of Faisalabad),Fr.khalid Rashid Asi,Fr.Bonnie Mendes( Joint Action Committee), Caritas Faisalabad,Johnson Michael (Former MPA),Khalil Tahir (Advocate),Rafiq Randhawa Advocate(Member Tehsil Council),Hameed Rashid(Member Tehsil Council)and many other organizations and leaders belong to minorities.
(August 5,2003)

 

A YOUNG PRIEST SHOT DEAD BY SOME TERRORISTS

Faisalabad.Pakistan, July 05, 2003:

A 38 years old diocesan priest Rev. Fr. George Ibrahim was shot dead at Renala Khurd-Okara at 1:30 a. m. this morning. After having his different pastoral activities, he reached the parish house at about 12:05 a. m. He sat on a bed in front of his room in the parish compound, had some water and fruits, and lied down to rest. At about 1:30 a. m., six unknown people, loaded with weapons, came in to the compound and fired three bullets on his hand and chest, injuring him very badly. Though his young cook was also there, but they did not harm him, because their target was Fr. George. After hearing the sound of the bullets, the other people living in the compound, ran to the parish house. When they saw the wounded priest, they rushed him to the local hospital, but due to the serious injuries, he died.

Renala Khurd is the only Parish which is situated in the Mitchells Fruit Farm. This Parish was found in 1947 and is 68 miles east of Faisalabad. Even Francis Benedict Cialeo (1960-1976), 1st Bishop of the Faisalabad Diocese, had served this parish for many years after his retirement. The Sisters of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary are serving this parish from the beginning. They have four fold apostolate: 1)- Hostel for High School Girls, 2)- Dispensary, 3)- Pastoral Work, 4)- High School for Girls.

Just for information, this high school (Convent High School) was nationalized in 1973. When the Government de-nationalized the school in July 2002, the Headmistress of the school got together with some other Islamic Fundamentalists Movements and started threatening the sisters and Fr. George. Since Fr. George was backing the sisters, so the fundamentalists started harassing him. They were behind him day and night. Ultimately, they killed him, throwing aside the heavy stone that was in their way.

The Christians in the country are very much frightened now, because this type of brutalities can happen at other places as well. In the past, common people were harassed and killed, but now the religious leaders are the targets of the fundamentalists. The higher officials have assured that they will trace out the killers and will finish out the fundamentalism from this area.

Fr. George was born on July 10, 1965 and was ordained priest on September 03, 1993. He was the son of Catechist Ibrahim, who had served the Catholic Diocese of Faisalabad for many years. One of his sisters, Rev. Sr. M. Angelina Ibrahim OP, is working as the principal of Sacred Heart English High School-Faisalabad. The funeral of Fr. George Ibrahim will take place tomorrow morning (July 6, 2003) at 10:00 a. m. at Khushpur, his home place.


 
Human Rights Focus Pakistan