Sydney, Australia: Rally On Behalf of Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi, Sentenced to Death under Pakistan’s Sharia-Based ‘Blasphemy’ Law

The British Pakistani Christian Association has provided an account of their rally in Sydney on behalf of Catholic Christian Asia Bibi who sits on death row in Pakistan after having been falsely accused of ‘blasphemy!’ by Muslims in Pakistan and sentenced to death in accord with that country’s sharia-compliant Blasphemy Law, and whose legal team are making a final last-ditch appeal in the supreme court of Pakistan on 13th October.  The Australian mainstream media, so far as I can yet discover, ignored this rally; certainly the ABC did not carry a report nor did our supposedly-multicultural SBS, even though attendees at the rally were mostly from our Pakistani Christian emigre community reinforced by a variety of other concerned persons including a politician of Lebanese ethnicity and Christian profession.

http://www.britishpakistanichristians.org/blog/australians-draw-attention-to-plight-of-mother-facing-death-sentence-in-pakistan-during-peace-rally

“Australians Draw Attention to Plight of Mother Facing Death Sentence in Pakistan, During Peace Rally.  Asia Bibi’s Trial Date Set for 13th October 2016

‘Dozens of Christians of Pakistani origin and their supporters converged outside the New South Wales Parliament House in Sydney at 10 am on Saturday 8th October 2016, calling for [the] freedom of Pakistan’s most famous blasphemy law victims.

Speaking as an Australian, I am ashamed of my country, that only dozens of people attended this rally.  It should have been hundreds; it should have been thousands; it should have been attended not only by Christians but by every person in Sydney and environs who cares about human rights, freedom of conscience and freedom of speech.  I personally did what I could; being unable myself to attend it, as I live too far away, I endeavoured to publicise it in appropriate forums and on social media (where I am linked with a good few persons who reside within easy and convenient travelling distance of the Sydney city centre).  But it seems word was not spread quickly or effectively enough.

Those who did attend are heroes.  They are the few who, on this occasion, stood up in public against this iniquitous sharia-based blasphemy law. – CM

‘Armed with posters and leaflets, demonstrators set out to help free Asia Bibi, a Christian mother of five, who they believe is innocent of the blasphemy charge that led to her incarceration.

‘Protesters called for the Australian Government to intervene on behalf of Asia Bibi, who they say was falsely accused of denigrating the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

There should be more protests and rallies for Asia Bibi, in Australia.  We are in the ‘Commonwealth’, alongside Pakistan.  We give ‘aid’ to Pakistan.  We trade with Pakistan. We play cricket with Pakistan. It’s time we stood up to Pakistan – hideous Islamic Pakistan – and called it out on its gross and flagrant abuses of the human rights of its non-Islamic indigenous minorities.  The next rally should be in Canberra, in front of Parliament House.. and in front of the Pakistani High Commission… and in front of the premises of the largest Catholic, Anglican and other Christian churches in Canberra, summoning their parishioners to stand up, join the rally, and remember the persecuted and those imprisoned for the Faith. – CM

‘They seek diplomatic engagement between the Australian Government and Pakistani Government, to ensure that Asia has a fair trial, and that her family, the judiciary, and legal team representing her are fully protected from any violence from hard-line Muslims (drop the ‘hard-line’, it’s ‘violence from Muslims‘, period – CM) in Pakistan.

‘Demonstrators also demanded that the Australian Government ensures that the principle of “one law for all” is maintained in their country.

Yes.  There should be no accommodation of the inhuman and antihuman sharia of Islam. No dabbling in ‘sharia finance’.  No countenancing of the ‘halal certification’ rackets; halal food and halal anything-else should not be the labelled or unlabelled norm.  NO permission for the wearing of burqas and niqabs.  NO winking at FGM, child and/ or forced ‘marriage’, and polygyny with associated welfare fraud. – CM

‘[They demanded] The preservation of the democratic nature of Australia as a nation and the condemnation of Islamic Sharia law for its imposition on the freedom and equality of adherents and non-Muslims, wherever Sharia is observed.

The only way to be completely sure of countering sharia creep is to put a stop, first of all, to Muslim immigration – hijra, the invasion-migration – into Australia.  And then to find ways of encouraging the departure of Muslims who are already present in the country.  Because demographic jihad is on the march.  Already the lure of the Mohammedan block vote is corrupting politics in certain Australian electorates, inveigling politicians and their parties into accommodation and appeasement of Muslim demands. – CM

‘A letter with these aims was submitted to Parliamentarians based at the Parliament House of New South Wales.  

‘The letter will also call for Australian Government to reconsider the $49 million dollars of aid given to Pakistan.  With a desire that that aid be terminated unless Pakistan significantly improves its poor human rights record.

The oil-rich Muslim countries in the OIC are more than capable of using some of their wealth to assist their poorer brethren (such as Pakistan).  No infidel country should be giving any Muslim country one red cent. – CM

‘Local Councillor Naji Peter Najjar joined protesters at the event, so moved was he by the plight of Asia Bibi.  He has invited Wilson Chowdhry to meet with the Parliamentary Secretary for Justice, Rt Hon David Clarke, on Thursday 13th October, to discuss Asia Bibi’s case, and other persecution in Pakistan.

Naji Peter Najjar is an Australian Christian of Lebanese ethnicity.  I applaud his attendance at the rally. Good on him! – CM

‘Shaheen Isaac, a resident of Sydney for over 20 years, said:

“As an Australian tax-payer I am disappointed that there is little accountability required for funds sent to Pakistan.  Despite years of support the aid seems to have created an even worse quality of life for minorities in Pakistan.  Fifty percent of funds sent to Pakistan should be earmarked for use towards improving the human rights of Pakistani minorities.”

‘Australian Justice of the Peace, Michael Andjelkovic, said:

“This case demonstrates the cruelty, inequality and divisiveness of Blasphemy Law under Islamic sharia law, towards non-Muslims, and is something that we do not want in Australia.”

Hear, hear! – CM

‘During the protest Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Association, led a delegation to the Pakistan Consulate in Sydney, where a petition calling for freedom for Asia Bibi was submitted.

‘The electronic petition can still be signed [see link in original article at the BPCA website; individual, personal letters to the Australian Federal Government and to the Government of Pakistan on behalf of Asia Bibi would also be advisable in addition to signatures on a petition. – CM].

‘During the rally the group passed the location of the Sydney siege from December 2014.

‘In a symbolic gesture of solidarity for all those affected by extremism (sic: by murderous Muslim aggression – CM) a one minute’s silence was held in remembrance of those killed and injured and their mourning families.  A bunch of flowers was also laid before the entrance of the Lindt Cafe where the siege took place.

‘A prayer was said by Wilson Chowdhry after the minute’s silence.

‘On Thursday 7th October Pakistan’s Supreme Court set Asia’s appeal date for 13th of December – a last-gasp chance for Asia to find freedom through judicial process.

There seems to be some unclarity; is it 13th October or 13th December?  – CM

‘Failing that, her only hope would be the seeking of a presidential pardon through the country’s president, Mr Mamnoon Hussain.  The power wielded by extremists (by sharia-pushing pious Muslims – CM) in the country would make such a process extremely unlikely.

‘Already this year the Government of Pakistan dropped proposed reforms to their notorious blasphemy laws, after over 100,000 Muslims (ah, behold the ‘tinyminorityofextremists’ that we keep hearing about, every time the subject of Muslim aggression comes up among the well-meaning and uninformed in the western world – CM) led by the same extremists (that is: by the most devout Muslims – CM), called for their withdrawal during a sit-in protest outside the Parliament buildings in Islamabad.

‘The cause of the protest was the hanging of Mumtaz Qadri, murderer of former Governor of Punjab Salman Taseer under Pakistan’s new terrorism act.  The protesters hailed Mumtaz Qadri as a Muslim saint for killing a blasphemer – a stance based on Mr Taseer’s support for the freedom of Asia Bibi and abrogation of the blasphemy laws.  They also called for the death of Asia Bibi in exchange for Mr Qadri’s life.

Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Association, said:

“We thank God that a date has finally been set for this ailing mother’s appeal.  We ask people around the world to pray for her release and safe travel to a western nation with her family.  This family have suffered enough and deserve some time to recuperate away from the malice and hatred that has consumed Pakistan.”

That malice and hatred emanate from the foundation texts of Islam. – CM

“Sadly even if set free she will never recover the lost years with her children… Her treatment by the courts and Government of Pakistan is a reminder to us all that sometimes those in positions to protect us fail miserably”.

The courts and Government of Pakistan have abused and persecuted Asia Bibi in conformity with the contempt and hatred that Islam teaches Muslims to deploy toward non-Muslims, in order to make them feel ‘subdued’. – CM

‘He added:

“Major donors such as the UK and the USA are starting to use aid as leverage for better human rights in recipient nations.  As a major donor to Pakistan Australia can have a significant role to play.

“Australia’s official policy involves tackling poverty by generating sustainable growth and employment, as well as focusing on education and health, all worthy goals.  Some of the poorest Pakistani citizens are Christians and unfortunately they (and also other non-Muslim minorities such as the Hindus and Sikhs – CM) are typically kept there by a combination of debt-slavery and direct and systematic religious oppression, frequently including systematic sex slavery and targeting of Christian (and other non-Muslim – CM) girls and women for kidnap, rape, forced conversion and marriage.”

“Australia simply must use their aid budget to remove this social disparity.”

Wilson Chowdhry will be meeting with Senator Eric Abetz on the 11th October and MP Andrew Hastie on 12th October at the Australian (federal) Parliament in Canberra. 

‘During his ten day trip he hopes to discuss a review of Australia’s current risk profile for Pakistani Christians.  He will be calling for a new Policy that confers Pak-Christian Asylum seekers with special status due to a high risk of persecution.”..

Yes. That also should happen. – CM