Day of prayer launched for victims of anti-blasphemy law in Pakistan

thebostonpilot.com ^ | 04/13/2011 | Sara Angle

[massmike]

Catholics and human rights activists have called for a worldwide day of prayer for Asia Bibi and other victims of the anti-blasphemy law in Pakistan.

The Masihi Foundation, a Pakistani group that works to protect minority rights in Pakistan and is providing legal assistance to Bibi, said the idea was to rally prayerful support April 20, the Wednesday of Holy Week.

Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy, has been jailed since June 2009 and still awaits a trial date for her appeal.

The day of prayer "intends to bring into communion all believers and all people of goodwill in prayer and to light a candle, imploring God's salvation and the freedom of this woman and all who suffer the consequences of being falsely accused of blasphemy," Haroon Masih, the Masihi Foundation's director, told Fides, the news agency of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

Catholic leaders in Pakistan and human rights activists have said the country's anti-blasphemy law has been misused to persecute Christians and other minorities.

[Mandingo Conservative]

Savages. I bet when “Pakistan” did not exist and that region was part of British India there where no crazy laws like that and anyone could practice whatever religion they wanted. What’s so holy Muslim about Pakistan anyway? In reality it’s really India under a made up name - like a man who gets a sex change - might look like a woman but deep down inside still a man. Someone needs to conquer them and convert them to something other than Islam.