Pakistan : "We will burn them alive"
The body of Shazia. She was twelve years old.
"We will burn alive those who will defend Shazia Bashir". This is the threat sent by the Muslim lawyers of Lahore to the defenders of a young Christian servant assassinated by her employer. Following these threats made by the powerful Association of the lawyers of Lahore, which has taken the defence of the assassin, a rich Muslim lawyer, no lawyer, Christian or Muslim, is prepared to get involved in this affair that cost the life of a twelve year old girl. January 23 she died as result of violence —which was sexual, revealed the Catholic press agency, Asia News — inflicted on her by her employer. The Centre for Legal Assistance declared the impossibility for it to have access to the tribunal where the proceedings are taking place because a group of Muslim lawyers "barred the way". Already, before that, even her own family did not receive permission to see the young servant before she died.
In an interview with the Vatican press agency, FIDES, Francis Sada, director of the Centre of Christian Studies of Rawalpindi - the fourth largest city of Pakistan, in the northern part of the country - commented on the incident : "Christians in the country, especially the poorest families, suffer all sorts of violence and brutality. We have documented a series of cases, all supported by witnesses. The police and the government aren't doing much to protect us and several cases end up with no one being punished". Initially police had refused to accept any complaint whatsover concerning the case of Shazia Bashir, but some Christians and Muslims protested for three hours before the Assembly of Punjab January 23, demanding police action in the affair. Thousands of people assisted at the funeral of the young girl on January 25 at Lahore. (Sources : apic/asian)
More informations about this case in the next DICI.
On the same topic :
Iraq : Silence regarding the murder of Christians
Egypt: Six Copts killed
Catholic Churches Attacked in India
Algeria: No reciprocity
