Christians rally to protest Pak laws

They were of the viewpoint that if this is not done then these nations should not hesitate in imposing economic sanctions against Pakistan.

The speakers at the impressive protest rally, organised outside the main gate of the post hailed at a martyr Bishop John Joseph who had committed suicide last month in protest against the conviction of a Christian youth.

The speakers also demanded that the death sentence ofAyub Masih for whom the bishop sacrificed his life should be withdrawn.

The Christians wearing black ribbons and carrying anti-Pakistan banners demanded that international human rights organisations should take concrete and effective steps in halting the prosecution of the minorities across the border. An effigy of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was also burnt at the protest rally.

Father Daniel Gill, the head of the Sacred Church at Amritsar while addressing the protestors alleged that Bishop John Joseph had not committed suicide but had in reality been murdered. Human rights organisations should be allowed to conduct an impartial enquiry by the Pakistan government into the mysterious death of the bishop, a champion of human rights, he added.

The strength at the rally clearly showed the high level of dedication and the motivation of the Christians of Punjab, particularly of those belonging to the Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts which have a sizeable Christian population. Priests and nuns leadingtheir individual groups included a large number of women and children came from various parts of the State.

Priests belonging to the church of north India, in their speeches regretted that the Christian nations had not put enough pressure on Pakistan following the recent violent incidents targeting the community.

Peaceful demonstrators mourning the death of Bishop John Joseph were attacked by Muslims at the instance of the fundamentalists, he alleged.

Father Daniel Gill even went to the extent of claiming that girls from their community are being kidnapped from their homes and are forced to marry Muslim youth. They are then converted to Islam, he alleged.

The protestors who had intended to hold the demonstration close to the zero line were not allowed to proceed beyond the main gate of the post which is at a distance of about three hundred metres from the border. Elaborate security arrangements had been made for the rally.