The Human Rights Commission at the launch of its annual report, State of Human Rights in 2017 — dedicated to the late activist Asma Jahangir says people continue to disappear in Pakistan
An independent rights group in Pakistan said Monday that the country has failed to make progress on several issues over the past year, ranging from forced disappearances to women’s rights and protection of religious minorities.
The damning report card issued by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan says people continue to disappear, sometimes because they criticize the military or advocate better relations with neighboring India.
It said a controversial blasphemy law continues to be misused, especially against dissidents, with cases in which mere accusations that someone committed blasphemy against Islam led to deadly mob violence. While deaths directly linked to acts of terrorism declined in 2017, the report says attacks against minorities were on the rise.
The 296-page report was dedicated to one of the commission’s founders, Asma Jahangir, whose death in February generated a worldwide outpouring of grief and accolades for the 66-year-old activist.
Monday’s report also took aim at religious bigotry in Pakistan and the government’s reluctance to push back against religious zealots. It said conservative groups continue to resist laws aimed at curbing violence against women, giving greater rights to women and reducing gender segregation.
“Freedom of expression and freedom of association is under attack, except for those who carry the religious banner,” commission spokesman I.A. Rehman said at the release of the report, which accused Pakistani authorities of ignoring “intolerance and extremism.”
The report pointed to a few signs of progress, including a “landmark development” in the country’s largest province, Punjab, where authorities now accept marriage licenses within the Sikh community at the local level, giving the unions protection under the law.
But it said religious minorities continue to be targeted by extremists, citing attacks on Shiites, Christians falsely accused of blasphemy against Islam, and Ahmedis, a sect reviled by mainstream Muslims as heretics. Gunmen attacked Christian worshippers as they left Sunday services in Quetta a day before the report was released, killing two and wounding five others.
“In a year when freedom of thought, conscience and religion continued to be stifled, incitement to hatred and bigotry increased, and tolerance receded even further,” the report said.
Last year was a troubling year for activists, journalists and bloggers who challenged Pakistan’s military. Several were detained, including five bloggers who subsequently fled the country after their release. From exile, some of them said their captors were agents of Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI. The agency routinely refuses to comment on accusations it is behind the disappearances. The bloggers were also threatened with charges of blasphemy.
In December, Raza Mehmood Khan, an activist who worked with schoolchildren on both sides of the border to foster better relations with India was picked up by several men believed to be from the ISI after leaving a meeting that criticized religious extremism.
In recent weeks, Pakistan’s Geo Television has been forced off the air in much of the country. Many activists have blamed this on the military, which took umbrage when the outlet criticized the country’s security institutions.
“Press freedom is under attack in Pakistan and the situation has worsened in the last few years, with attacks against journalists intensifying, especially those orchestrated by the powerful military establishment,” said Taha Siddiqui, a journalist who was forced into exile after an attempted kidnapping earlier this year. He blamed the ISI, which denied any involvement.
“Earlier, journalists were attacked, abducted or killed __ now channels like Geo News, and even news articles are going missing,” said Siddiqui, who was the Islamabad bureau chief of a New Delhi-based TV network. He also worked for France 24.
Last year, a government-mandated commission on enforced disappearances received 868 new cases, more than in two previous years, the report said. The commission located 555 of the disappeared but the remaining 313 are still missing.
“Journalists and bloggers continue to sustain threats, attacks and abductions and blasphemy law serves to coerce people into silence,” the report said.
(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed)
Categories: Ahmadiyyat: True Islam, Asia, Pakistan, The Muslim Times
Reblogged this on Progressive Islam. and commented:
Rafiq— before too late, you better suggest or urge Ahmadiyyah in Pakistan to create ally with Syah, Christian and others to protest and demand the right of minority to worship their believe, or freedom of religion. Ahmadiyyah has million members in Pakistan.
Do not be silent— Allah will not change Ahmadiyyah bad condition.
I pray for Ahmadiyyah to get help from Allah.
Malala is a good model to fight the truth, she do not be afraid of Taliban. She knows that Allah will help her course to fight the right education for girls.
Whereas Ahmadiyyyah has millions members, do not be afraid of—
All❤️
It is prophesied that out of the 73 sects all will be against one. Consequently the Shia leaders are equally against the Ahmadis. Still, we are not silent, but do a lot. openly and quietly.
Please Show me that it is prophesied ! Rafiq
❤️
check out: https://www.alislam.org/library/book/73-divisions-islam-one-true-jamaat/ and https://www.alislam.org/library/book/73-divisions-islam-one-true-jamaat/the-prophecy/
The Prophecy
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) among many of his prophecies has mentioned, in one hadith, a prophecy which many of us have seen fulfilled in our life time. More than 1400 years ago, our beloved master, Muhammad (peace be upon him) made a prophecy in the following words[1]:
Abdullah bin Amar(ra) relates that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said “Surely things will happen to my people as happened earlier to Israelites, they will resemble each other like one shoe in a pair resembles the other to the extent that if anyone among the Israelites has openly committed adultery to his mother there will be some who will do this in my Ummah as well, verily the Israelites were divided into 72 sections but my people will be divided into 73 sections, all of them will be in the fire except one.” The companions asked, ‘Who are they O Messenger of Allah,’ Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “They are those who will be like me and my companions.“
In this hadith there are quite a few things to be noted. Firstly, it mentions the resemblance of Muslim Ummah with the Israelites (i.e. Jews). In another hadith [2] this resemblance is mentioned in the words that as among the Jews a prophet was raised in every century among Muslims a reformer will be raised and as among the Jews at the end of the chain of prophets a Messiah was raised a Messiah will be raised among Muslims. Among Jews there were 12 tribes each divided into six sects making a total of 72 sects at the time when the Messiah (i.e. Jesus(as)) was sent to Israelites (A full list of the Jewish sects at the time of Jesus, peace be upon him, is included in Appendix I). After the appearance of the Messiah among Jewish people the list of sects increased considerably. So while talking about 73 divisions among Muslims and taking into account the resemblances of Muslim Ummah to the Jewish people mentioned in both of the above tradition, it appears that these two ahadith relate to the time of the Promised Messiah(as).
Rafiq— thank you for your effort and respond .
But unfortunately what you have shown to me is not Allah’s word, only Allah’s word is the truth.
If you can find for me s verse from Al Quran as a prophesied , I will solute you, I will learn Ahmadiyyah in depth.
What I find in Holy Quran as I posted before that our ptophet Muhammad pbuh is a human being like us— he did not know what will happen tomorrow, he did not know how he will die and where he will die—
1. Say, “Surely, I am but a human being like you; it is revealed to me that your God is the One God. So the one who hopes to meet his Lord must do righteous deed and must not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord.” Q.18; 110.
Prophet Muhammad say; I have no power to bring a benefit.
2. Say, “I have no power to bring a benefit or a harm to myself, except that which Allah wills. If I had the knowledge of the Unseen, I would have accumulated a lot of good things, and no evil would have ever touched me. I am but a Warner, and a herald of good news for a people who believe.” Q. 7:188.
You refer to Hadith, I believe that Hadith are false hadith ( I am sorry ). Because that Hadith are against Holy Quran as above.
Think about that Rafiq! Dont you believe God’s words above? Why? Tell me !
I expect your respond Rafiq. I want to seek the truth.
All love ❤️
You like to argue, rather than see the truth. Pray to Allah for guidance and Inshallah He will show you.
These are another proof that our prophet was human being that he could not make prophecy and he can make some mistakes see below!
Say thou: “I am but a man like you: it is revealed to me by inspiration, that your God is One God: so stand true to Him, and ask for His Forgiveness.” And woe to those who join gods with Allah, Q.41:6.
The (Prophet) frowned and turned away. (1) Because there came to him the blind man (interrupting). (2) But what could tell thee but that perchance he might Grow (in spiritual understanding)? (3) Or that he might receive admonition, and the teaching might profit him? (4) As to one who regards himself as self-sufficient, (5) To him dost thou attend; (6) Though it is no blame to thee if he grow not (in spiritual understanding). (7) But as to him who came to thee striving earnestly, (8) And with fear (in his heart) (9) Of him wast thou unmindful. (10) By no means (should it be so)! Q.
Prophet was defeated by his enemy
What you suffered on the day the two armies met, was with the leave of Allah, in order that He might test the Believers. Q.3:166.
It is very clear Allah and prophet Muhammad pbuh say that: he was a human, he can make mistake like human, he lost the battle of Uhud.
It is clear that Prophet Muhammad pbuh could not see the future or prophecy.
This is my respond—what do you think? Rafiq
All❤️
Prophet Mohammad, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, was of course a man, but, being a Prophet he was rightly guided and protected from Allah. He did not commit any sins. But Allah let all prophets be human. Not ‘super-human’. Which, by the way, applies to Prophet Issa / Jesus also. That is why he died like all other humans.