– Wichaar

We, the undersigned Canadians of Pakistani origin, strongly condemn the massacre of over eighty and the wounding of many more Ahmadi citizens of Pakistan assembled in their mosques in Lahore to offer Friday prayers on May 28, 2010. Our heart-felt sympathies and condolences go to the loved ones of those killed and injured in the brutal and unprovoked attacks.

The harassment, persecution and killing of Ahmadis which began in the early 1950s- and has come to include Christians Zikris and Shias n the intervening six decades- is partly an attempt to divide people and partly to divert their attention from the pressing issues of poverty and inequality and denial of national rights fostered by an undemocratic and exploitative set-up.

We deplore the escalating trend in Pakistan to promote hatred and religious bigotry against the Ahmadi community through the media of mass communication press and pulpit.

We condemn the negligence at all levels of the government of Pakistan to restrain and prosecute under law all those who openly incite violence against the Ahmadi, or any religious community, through their inflammatory speeches sermons and fatwas.

As the Asia Human Rights Commission points out Ahmadi citizens of Pakistan do not have the right to vote under the eighth amendment of the 1973 Constitution and have no freedom to practice their faith, belief, practice or worship. In spite of its claim to be a democracy the government of Pakistan has shown no inclination to repeal its disgraceful laws and regulations against the Ahmadis.

We demand that the present democratically elected parliament of Pakistan remove from the constitution of the country and all statute books discriminatory clauses and regulations referring to the religious beliefs and institutions of minority citizens, and withdraw forthwith the much abused blasphemy law’.

We urge the present government of Pakistan to take full responsibility for the protection of life and liberty of all its citizen, irrespective of their religious beliefs, national or ethnic affiliation or political creed and stop hiding of behind phony assertions of “foreign hands.”

We demand that the political leadership of Pakistan return to the golden rule enunciated by Quaid-e-Azan Muhammad Ali Jinnah that religion has no place in the affairs of the state.”

May29,2010

Abdul Hamid Bashani Khan (South Asian People’s Forum)

Abbas Syed( Committeeo f ProgressiveP akistani{anadians)

Anwar Ahmad (Societyo f PakistaniP rofessionalsa nd Academics)

Frenk Saptel (The trft Institute)

HaiderNizamani

Hassan Nawaz Gardezi

Khair Mohammad Kolachi

Munir Pervaiz (Saami)

NadeemAhmed

Nazeer Chaudhry

Omar Latif (Committee of Progressive Pakistani-Canadians)

Pervaiz Salahuddin (Family of the Heart)

SyedA zeem( South Asian People’s Forum)

Tariq Amin Khan

Z,ahid Makhdoom

ZrulfrqarGilani

June 1st, 2010

Courtesy: http://www.wichaar.com/news/287/ARTICLE/20416/2010-06-01.html

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