Christian MPA not allowed to speak on Blasphemy law in Punjab Assembly

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Lahore: December 6, 2010. (PCP) Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz group selected members on Christian seats in Punjab Assembly Kamran Michael and Khalil Sindhu kept silently sitting in house when other Christian members of parliament staged walked out against attitude of Speaker Punjab Assembly who not permitted Joel Amir Sohtra MPA to speak on point of order to express his views on blasphemy law and conviction of Asia Bibi during house proceedings on December 3, 2010. Mr. Kamran Michael was selected member of Punjab Assembly by PML(N) and nominated as Minister for Minorities after seeking power in Punjab with support of Pakistan Peoples Party PPP. When Joel Amir Sohtra wanted to speak about the case of Asia Bibi, a 45-year-old mother of five who was sentenced to death after being convicted under a controversial blasphemy law, Speaker Rana Iqbal Ahmed refused to allow Sahutra to speak on the issue, describing it as "sensitive". However, when Ali Haider Noor Niazi of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan party began speaking emotionally on the same issue, the Speaker did not stop him. Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan JUP, Jamat Islami JI, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam JUI(F), JUI(S) and other religious parties are demanding death for Asia Bibi and threatening to make streets of Pakistan red with blood if any revision or repeal is made to blasphemy law. Asia Bibi was sentenced to death in a blasphemy case on November 8, 2010, by AJDJ Nankana on a case registered against her after a personal dispute with neighbor Muslim woman on June 2009. The Muslim members of PPP, PML(N), PML(Q) and others remained silent when JUP Muslim member Ali Haider was calling Asia Bibi a blasphemers and supporting death sentence for her. According to media reports, on a request from Pakistan People's Party lawmaker Sajida Mir, the Speaker sent two members to bring the minority legislators back to the House. Though they ended their boycott of the proceedings, the minority lawmakers submitted a resolution to the assembly secretariat in which they demanded the formation of a judicial commission to investigate all cases registered under the blasphemy law. The resolution also demanded the framing of a new law to stop misuse of the blasphemy laws. How power hungry Christian members of Punjab Assembly not dared to walkout with other minority members and kept hearing remarks about Asia Bibi by Muslim members is an eye opening for millions of Christians in Punjab province of Pakistan?

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"Trial of Pakistani Christian Nation" By Nazir S Bhatti

On demand of our readers, I have decided to release E-Book version of "Trial of Pakistani Christian Nation" on website of PCP which can also be viewed on website of Pakistan Christian Congress www.pakistanchristiancongress.org . You can read chapter wise by clicking tab on left handside of PDF format of E-Book.

nazirbhattipcc@aol.com , pakistanchristianpost@yahoo.com