Some 20 million Christians mark ‘black day’ against persecution in Pakistan

(Aug.12,20009): In Pakistan,Tuesday, Aug. 11 was a ‘black day’, or a day of protest, for some 20 million Christians in the country and around the world, who want the country’s blasphemy laws repealed for being a virtual “constitutional genocide”. Numerous minority lawmakers and administrators attended prayer meetings and religious functions to mark this day of protest. Nazir S Bhatti, president of the Pakistan Christian Congress (PCC), launched an appeal to the US government and the European Union, to press upon the Pakistani government, the need to repeal the blasphemy law and ensure the peace and safety of the country’s Christian community.
Peter Jacob, executive secretary of the Catholic Church’s National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), said a number of additional initiatives are planned over the next few days, involving a variety of Christian groups, as well as activists and leading members of civil society. The NCJP has launched a signature campaign to repeal the blasphemy laws. On Wednesday, Christian denominations took part in a memorial Mass in Lahore’s Naulakha Church to honour the victims of the Gojra massacre. On 18 August, civil society groups will hold a protest in Lahore against religious extremism and the blasphemy laws.. In a recent statement Amnesty International has expressed its support for Pakistani Christians. In its press release the human rights organisation called on the authorities in Islamabad to take “ meaningful action to protect religious minorities,which have increasingly been the target of religiously-motivated attacks and persecution. To this end,” the statement said, “the Pakistan government should introduce a comprehensive education programme, at all levels of society, which promotes equality and respect for the diversity of beliefs in Pakistan”.