Asia Bibi, the first woman to be sentenced to death for blasphemy in Pakistan, has called on the Prime Minister to help Christian girls in her country who are abducted, raped and forced to marry their captors.
“[Mr Pervaiz] has been in prison for seven years and [his children] haven’t been able to spend time with him. His youngest twins were born when he was arrested and he hasn’t held them in his lap or his arms,” said Mr Christopher.
"Two of us died in that prison," – Mr Arif.
Imran has protested his innocence and appealed the verdict. His lawyer said that the case against him has “substantial contradictions” in eyewitness statements about the date and time of the alleged incident.
I am trying my very best for the case. Maira’s mother is so very sad – in fact she is a picture of sadness. You cannot imagine the shock of losing your daughter and losing all contact with her – lawyer Khalil Tahir Sandhu.
Why did [the NGO] discriminate against Christians? Are they not citizens of Pakistan? We are all suffering from COVID-19 – Adnan, a Muslim in Karachi, quoted by AsiaNews.
The Church of the Nativity and other places of worship in Bethlehem are shut, all tourism and religious sites across the West Bank are closed and all tourists banned from the West Bank for an unspecified period.
During my detention, I held the hand of Christ. It is thanks to him that I have stayed standing, says Asia Bibi.
These laws are formulated and approved only to improve the image of the country in front of the international community, ask for development funds, and freely trade Pakistani products on the European market – lawyer, Tabassum Yousaf.
"Please think of our child as though she were your own daughter. Please help us," – Huma's parents.
More than 245 million Christians live in a place where they experience high levels of persecution – IDOP.
Google’s social media quotes Sr Ruth Pfau who said about her first impressions of a Pakistani leper colony: “I could not believe that humans could live in such conditions.”
"Isolation and depression, combined with a lack of a supportive environment, affects the mental health of seafarers, sometimes with tragic and heart-breaking consequences."
“She taught Muslim, Christian, Parsi, and Hindu children to promote education, empowerment, and interfaith harmony. She deserves recognition at all levels.”
Asia Bibi and her husband had been in protective custody since she was freed from prison in October, and there were fears for her health and safety.
“Widespread evidence shows that today, Christians constitute the most widely persecuted religion.”
“If you meet the criteria, if you have the regular documentation requested and you get a visa, a citizen must be free to leave.”
“We thank God very much that he’s heard our prayers – and the prayers of so many people who have longed for Asia Bibi’s release over all these years of suffering and anguish.”
Pakistani Christian mother has been locked up in solitary confinement since 2010 after she was condemned to death under the country’s draconian blasphemy laws.
ACN is running a Go2Mass campaign where Catholics go to an extra Mass to pray for one of the 200 million Christians who are facing the threat of persecution or even death for their faith.
Catholic lawyer Tabassum Yousaf highlights case of 18-year-old Binish Paul who was allegedly thrown from the roof of a second storey building after refusing to convert to Islam and marry a Muslim.
Trócaire and Christian aid support women parliamentarians from Myanmar, Pakistan and Sierre Leone attending recent International Congress of Women’s Caucuses in Dublin.
About 10,000 families from around Pakistan had applied for visas; 600 from the archdiocese of Karachi alone. All requests were rejected.
“Like a free press, a free civil society is fundamental to democracy.” - Éamonn Meehan, executive director of Trócaire
‘Sister India’ recounts the story of Sr Loreto Houlihan, a 91-year-old Irish missionary, who has spent 70 years teaching in India.
The Catholic Church is contributing much to society and to the development of the country, especially through education, hospitals and other charitable works such as with the handicapped and drug addicts.
Meeting between Pontiff and the husband and daughter of Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy, as well as Nigerian Rebecca Bitrus, who escaped from Boko Haram after two years in captivity.
There was a focus on the post-war years when there were appeals for the Congo, Biafra and East Pakistan.
It is the first time that a Catholic has received this honour in the predominantly Muslim country.
“Today too the Church, to bear witness to the light and the truth, is experiencing severe persecution in different places, up to the supreme test of martyrdom.”
