Death sentence for the Christian Sawan Masih: politics is deaf but dissent is increasing
April 5, 2014: "The Christian Sawan Masih was sentenced to death on false charges
of blasphemy. But what happened to those who were found guilty? This question is still
unanswered. Religious minorities in Pakistan would appreciate an appropriate response
from the government": This is what was said in a statement sent to Fides Agency by
Fr. Emmanuel Yousaf, President of the "Justice and Peace" Commission of the Pakistani
Bishops, commenting on the case of Sawan Masih, the 26-year-old Christian jailed for
blasphemy. Fr. Yousaf notes that Pakistani politics has so far remained deaf to the
appeals raised by minorities and civil society: "Out of 342 members of the National
Assembly, only two women parliamentarians of the opposition, Shazia Marri of the Pakistan
People's Party (PPP), and Shireen Mazari of Pakistan Tehreek-i- Insaf (PTI), have
had the courage to protest against the unjust sentence. The two have rightly called
the fact that more than 3,000 Muslims, who burned the Christian district of Lahore
and have been released on bail, 'a travesty of justice', while Masih has been sentenced
to death".