Members of Canada’s minority Pakistani communities celebrated Pakistan Minority Day recently and urged Islamabad to repeal the Blasphemy Law.
The event was organized by International Christian Voice (ICV) in Brampton. Deputy Counsel General of Pakistan in Toronto, Imran Ali was the guest of honour.
The event was attended by Canadians of Pakistani Christian heritage and faith.
A number of Canadian elected officials, representatives of Pakistani political parties in Canada, Church and community leaders, and representatives of other religious minorities of Pakistan were also present.
Tim Uppal, Minister of State for Democratic Reforms; Kyle Seeback, MP, Brampton West; Parm Gill, MP, Brampton Springdale; and a spokesperon for Julian Fantino, Minister of State for Defense, all offered their support for freedom of religion and human rights in Pakistan for the religious minorities.
Pervez Masih, president of ICV, outlined the significance of Minority Day Pakistan. He explained the role and efforts of Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan’s Minister for Minorities, who was assassinated for his efforts to help minorities.
Mr Bhatti - a Christian - was one of the country’s diminishing number of influential liberals prepared to speak out against the laws. The laws carry the death sentence for anyone who insults Islam, and critics say they have been used to persecute minority faiths.
He narrated numerous incidents of violence against the lives and properties of Pakistani Christians. He specifically mentioned Pakistan’s Blasphemy Law, its unconstitutionality, and misuse against Christians and other religious minorities, while petitioning Islamabad’s representative Imran Ali to have it repealed.
Consul Imran Ali accepted the petition on behalf of the President of Pakistan. He regretted this law and its misuse in Pakistan against the religious minorities. He stressed the need for education and development of minorities to overcome persecution.
Several other minority members also shared their experiences. Asher Habib, a successful Pakistani Christian businessman in Canada, gave the most emotional speech of the afternoon. Audiences were teary eyes as he described the treatment of Pakistani Christians at the hands of the majority Muslim population.