Islamabad: (BY PPF) While accepting that internet users in Pakistan faced challenges, Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunic
Karachi; April 10, 2006. The Church of Pakistan (United) have demanded representation in Anglican Consultative Council in a letter to Dr. Rowan D. Williams, President, Anglican Consultative Council, Right Reverend John Paterson, Chairman, Anglican Consultative Council & Bishop of Auckland, New Zealand and The Reverend Canon Kenneth Kearon, Secretary, Anglican Consultative Council, Anglican Communion Office, 16 Tavistock Crescent , London .
It is submitted that Church of Pakistan ( United) is one of the churches/members of the Anglican Consultative Council according to the schedule of membership prescribed in Article 3(a) of the Constitution of the Anglican Consultative Council.
That the Church of Pakistan (United) is presently been represented in the Anglican Consultative Council by Rt. Rev. Dr. Alexander John Malik of `The Church of Pakistan Lahore Diocesan Council` in utter disregard to the Constitutions of the Anglican Consultative Council and that of the Church of Pakistan (United).
It may please be clarified that `The Church of Pakistan Lahore Diocesan Council` and `The Church of Pakistan` are two different churches/bodies/organizations and `The Church of Pakistan` is a United Church and a member of the ACC. Whereas `The Church of Pakistan Lahore Diocesan Council` is an independent and parallel Church, free from any control, legal or legislative or administrative or otherwise of any CHURCH or COUNCIL or SYNOD or SOCIETY external to itself and has not been privileged to be a member of the Anglican Consultative Council.
Please note that the Constitution of the ACC in its Article 3(b) clearly states that:-
"Members shall be appointed as provincial, national or regional machinery provides. Alternate members shall be appointed in a similar manner and shall be invited to attend a meeting if the ordinary member is unable to be present for a whole session of the council. Any appointment of a member or alternate member may be revoked by the body that made the appointment."
While the Article 4(a) of the Constitution of ACC says that:-
"Each of the appointing bodies shall have regard to the desirability of ensuring that any member appointed to represent it on the council shall be a member of its own representative structures and that such person shall be given appropriate opportunity to report the proceedings of the council to its own decision-making bodies and to convey the views of such decision-making bodies to the council."
It may also be noted that the Constitution of `The Church of Pakistan Lahore Diocesan Council` in its Section - I, Article - 10 states that:-
"The Church of Pakistan Lahore Diocesan Council is an autonomous Church and free from any control, legal or legislative or administrative or otherwise of any Church or Council or SYNOD or Society external to itself."
It is respectfully submitted that Rt. Rev. Dr. Alexander John Malik elected and took oath as the eighth `Bishop of Lahore Diocese` in the Church of Pakistan on 12.10.1980, under the Constitution of the Church of Pakistan and the Rules and Regulation framed there-under for the `Elections and Appointments of the Bishops of the Church of Pakistan`. He continued to be associated with the Church of Pakistan as the `Bishop of Lahore Diocese` till 08.09.1996, when he separated from the Church of Pakistan and through some eight persons who were either related to him or were his dependents/workers including himself subscribed to the `Constitution and Bye Laws` for the purpose of setting up an independent and autonomous Church/Body under the name and style of `The Church of Pakistan Lahore Diocesan Council`, registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860 vide a Certificate of Registration No. RP/5734/L/S/96/29/8, in the office of Registrar Joint Stock Companies, Lahore.
It may further be noted that for making any amendments to the constitutions of the Dioceses in the Church of Pakistan , the Constitution of the Synod prescribes a procedure, which demands approval of the Diocesan Council and the Synod of the Church of Pakistan. Whereas the process of alienation of Rt. Rev. Dr. Alexander John Malik along with his Diocese from the Church of Pakistan as also its registration as a parallel and independent Church is done without the approval of the Lahore Diocesan Council and Synod of the Church of Pakistan.
It is worth mentioning that the Constitution of the Synod, Church of Pakistan vides its Chapter XI, Article 8(d) states that:-
"The Moderator shall be the presiding officer of the Synod and of its Executive Committee. He shall be the official representative of the Church of Pakistan during him term of office in relations with other Churches or organizations."
While Chapter XI, Article 8(b) of the Constitution of the Synod, Church of Pakistan prescribes that:-
"All the officers shall be elected by ballot of Synod, the Moderator and Deputy Moderator being elected from among the Diocesan Bishops of the Church of Pakistan ."
That on his alienation from the Church of Pakistan on 08.09.1996 i.e. the date of the registration of the `Constitution and Bye Laws` and declaring free from the discipline of the Church of Pakistan, for the purpose of setting up an independent and parallel Church, under his superlative authority, Rt. Rev. Dr. Alexander John Malik had ceased to be a member of the Church of Pakistan, hence cannot be the Moderator of the Church of Pakistan, as already clarified in the earlier paragraphs that the Moderator the Church of Pakistan can only be elected from amongst the Bishops of the Church of Pakistan.
Thus, presently `The Church of Pakistan (United)` is being represented in the Anglican Consultative Council by Rt. Rev. Dr. Alexander John Malik in utter contradiction the Constitution of the Church of Pakistan as also against the mandate of the Constitution of the Anglican Consultative Council.
It may also be noted that Rt. Rev. Dr. Alexander John Malik is unlawfully and unconstitutionally portraying himself as the Moderator of the Church of Pakistan and it is for this reason that the legitimacy of the Synod of the Church of Pakistan as also of the Lahore Diocesan Trust Association Limited have been challenged in the Courts of Law. Wherein evidential proofs regarding his involvement in the illegal sale transactions of the Church properties have been placed before the Honorable Courts and the Honorable Lahore High Court was graciously pleased to restrain Rt. Rev. Dr. Alexander John Malik from alienating the trust properties (of the Church of England Zanana Missionary Society, Church Missionary Trust Association and Indian Church Trustees vested in the Lahore Diocesan Trust Association Limited) by any means whatsoever.
In view of the aforesaid the representation of the Church of Pakistan (United) by a Bishop, who has alienated from the `Church of Pakistan (United)` and registered an independent and autonomous Church, parallel to the Church of Pakistan (United), is not only affecting the legitimacy of the Synod of the Church of Pakistan (United), but also attempts to harm the benevolence of the Anglican Consultative Council.
It is therefore requested, on behalf of the members of the Church of Pakistan that an impartial discreet inquiry may please be initiated by your Honors to save the Church of Pakistan (United) as also the Anglican Consultative Council from malevolence. In the meantime Rt. Rev. Dr. Alexander John Malik may not be allowed to represent Church of Pakistan (United) in the Ang
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