They called a pastor “rasool,” which means “messenger,” and is a title of Muhammad. The Pakistani blasphemy laws are the occasion of numerous human rights abuses, including the unjust imprisonment and murder of innocent people, but the world “human rights community” shows scant concern about that — after all, it isn’t as if some serious crime like “Islamophobia” were being committed.
“Pakistan: Pastor Aftab and four others charged with blasphemy,” Pakistan Christian Post, August 19, 2015:
London: August 19, 2015. (PCP) A blasphemy case has been registered against Pastor Aftab Gill, and three other people from Nai Abadi, Bandith Road, Gujrat (Punjab).
They have been accused of using the word “Rasool” (apostle) in relation of Pastor Gill’s later father, Pastor Fazal Masih, who had established the local Biblical Church of God several years ago.
In preparation of ordination ceremony for several people in the Biblical Church of God the event was advertised and the management committee had published some posters that were pasted in the town, which offended the local Muslims because of the use of the word Rasool, as this word is mostly used for the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Unitan Gill, Pastor Aftab’s younger brother was arrested, but CLAAS has been able to get him released on the bail until September 25 and CIA inspector Anar Khan is investigating the matter.
Unitan told CLAAS that he runs a grocery shop in local area and also has English teaching academy, and they are doing very well but Muslim businessmen are jealous of their success and it was local grocers Rukhsar Butt, Umer Butt, Iftikhar Butt and Faisal Munir who brought this matter to the police’s attention.
He also told the team that the police is threatening and harassing family members and relatives of those nominated in the FIR, and building pressure for their arrest.
Interestingly, Mukhtar Ahmed a local police officer has become a complainant in the case, but when approached by CLAAS, refused to speak.
CLAAS’s team is still trying to reach other police officers, while a copy of the FIR has been received so bail can be applied for on behalf of Pastor Aftab and the others mentioned in the FIR.
Eyewitness, Shoukat, the owner of a local motorcycle shop told CLAAS’ team that Muslims were very angry and they were planning to burn Christians alive and set their houses and church on fire. But because of the timely intervention of the police, the situation was controlled. The Christian population is very small in this area – about 100 to 115 families. A few families have fled for security reasons.
Nasir Saeed, Director CLAAS-UK, said that it is very sad that Muslims have misunderstood the meaning of the word and taken it in the wrong sense.
“The word Rasool has been used several times in the Urdu Bible as a translation of Apostle and disciples etc, and Christians, lay and clergy used this word in their sermons and even in their writings.
“This is not an Islamic word but of the Urdu language, the national language of Pakistan and spoken by all Pakistani citizens, Muslim and non-Muslims alike, and cannot be attributed to Islam or the Muslim.
“To be offended over the use of such and other words and subsequently charging someone under the blasphemy law is very unfortunate.
“Since we know this law is being misused, the police and authorities need to be careful and avoid registering a case against anyone because of pressure from the public.”
Mr Saeed further said that the government and Islamic Ulemas must interfere and get the case dismissed. Ulemas must play their role to develop the understanding of Muslims over such issues, while the government must take steps to stop the ongoing misuse of the blasphemy law to avoid any further loss of lives and properties.
Angemon says
As always, muslims shoot first and ask questions later – after all, in a muslim-majority society, what’s the lives a d reputations of a few Christians compared with the hurt feelings of muslims?
Westman says
Islam is the most useful tool for personal revenge ever invented.
Of course, that was Muhammad’s intent when he instituted the “verse of the sword”, death for blasphemy, death for leaving Islam, draconian punishments for minor offenses, assigning women to a religious and literal Hell, giving all children born to Muslims no choice except being Muslim, and making all infidels worthy of death, to give him absolute power that both he and the Ummah could use to rob infidels and eliminate competitors.
This is a “religion” of Multilevel Exploitation.
Exploitation begins at home.
When no appropriate rule applies, make one up.
When the messenger comes to appropriate your profits… kill the messenger.
A good lie is easier to believe than the truth.
If you believe it, they believe it.
If that’s what’s written, then that’s what’s written.
Karen says
Good heavens, they used a WORD!!! Let’s all convulse with rage…..
Jay Boo says
Isn’t this great.
The US stepped in and aided our “Muslim friends” in neighboring Afghanistan with the theory that Pakistan might be next to fall under Russian invasion.
Our Muslim friend gave us 911 and behave like full-on pig bath Muslims.
Don Foss says
I lived in Lahore for two years several years ago. (Worked at the Consulate.) I’ll never forget about one of the few Christians financially able to live outside of a squalid Christian village – a self employed man who imported from China and sold to retailers who did not know he was Christian. His neighbors, all Muslims, found out because he never appeared in the neighborhood mosque and didn’t participate in Ramadan or Eid Fitr. His neighbors and the entire neighborhood would dump their trash at his front gate every day. He finally complained to the police about it. The police came into Shadman Block and told the neighbors, door-by-door, that the Christian was complaining about the trash. Within a week the Christian was accused of blasphome and arrested. He was still in jail when I’d left about a year later. So it goes with Pakistani Muslims who cannot tolerate an infidel in their midsts.
Walter Sieruk says
For a Christian to be accused of blasphemy by Muslims ,many times, can in reality ,nothing less then truth telling. That is teaching the truth as to that the Bible really teaches about the Nature of Jesus. Just for one example out of many is that Islam ,in essence, is a religion of denial as that Islam denies that Jesus is the Son of God. Being that of the Son of God Who is God the Father. Islam’s denial of this basic Bible doctrine is a great contradiction to the written Word of the scriptures. As seen in Mathew 3:16,17. 16:15,16 John 3:16,17,36. First John 2:22,23. 4:14,15. 5:12,13,20.So that is the warped mindset of the Muslim world. In that a Christian telling people the truths found in the Bible can be called “blasphemy.” Actually the real blasphemy is the strong denial of Islam about the actual Nature of Jesus.
Don Foss says
Proselizing to a Muslim (preaching anything other than Islam) is against the law in Pakistan, as it is in Saudi Arabia and most OIC countries. It can be punishable by death.
Truth Seeker says
The Society that is built on Bigotry churn their mind, how to get a prey to Butcher, for that activity will give them visa to Janaah (Islam’s Paradise). At the same time, they harp for Tolerance to Jihadi Terror Attacks, to Citizens of Non Islamic Countries