Blasphemy accused Pakistani Christian woman's plight triggers demonstration in Australia

• 28-Sep-2016
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The plight of a Pakistani Christian mother of five who has been jailed for seven years under the notorious blasphemy laws of Pakistan, has led to a demonstration in Sydney Australia. The demonstration coincides with the start of a Supreme court appeal against the blasphemy charge laid against her.

FREE Asia Bibi and ANTI SHARIA LAW RALLY SATURDAY 8th OCTOBER 2106

The rally will Start at 11am on the steps of the Parliament House of NSW 6 Macquarie St Sydney.

A petition will be presented to the Pakistani Consulate at 109 Pitt St Sydney at 12.30 pm - a short walk from Parliament house.

We ask Australians to Step Up and involve themselves in the Campaign To Save Asia Bibi From the Blasphemy Death Sentence and oppose Sharia Law in Australia.

This is REAL Sharia Law in Action.

Protesters are calling for the Australian Government to intervene on behalf of Asia Bibi, who they say was falsely accused of denigrating the Islamic prophet Muhammed.  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 in Pakistan.

Demonstrators are also demanding the Australian Government ensures that the principle of 'one law for all' is maintained in their country. 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.  

A letter with these aim is to be submitted to Parliamentarians based at 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 the aid be terminated unless Pakistan significantly improves its poor human rights record.

Australian Justice of the Peace, Michael Andjelkovic, said:

"This case demonstrates the cruelty, unequality and divisiveness of Blasphemy Law under islamic sharia law towards non muslims and is something that we do not want in Australia."

During the protest Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Association, will lead a delegation to the Pakistan Consulate in Sydney, where a petition calling for freedom for Asia Bibi will be submitted. The electronic petition can be signed by (clicking here)

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

"Asia Bibi has suffered the ignominy of seven years of imprisonment on trumped up charges because her faith was offensive to Muslims.

"People of good conscience everywhere have demanded justice for Asia, moved by the plight of an innocent mother of five.  

"Pakistan's government have failed in their duty to Asia and the Christian minority amongst them as a whole, their failure has been a blight on Pakistan's already tarnished reputation. 

"Please pray that this appeal is expedited and that the judge is able to reach a rational verdict, based on evidence heard without any duress. "

He added:

"Major donors such as the UK and the USA are starting to use aid as leverage for better human rights, and as a major donor to Pakistan ($47 million), 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 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 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 MP Andrew Hastie during his ten day trip and 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.

Asia Bibi is a Christian mum-of-five sentenced to death by hanging and currently on death row in a Pakistani prison. Her crime? She had been picking berries for paid work in the village of Itan Wali, Punjab, in June 2009. Then she offered water to a fellow human being after drinking at a rural well - without realizing followers of Christ were not allowed to relieve their thirst there, only Muslims. The harsh social norms of Pakistani culture means that Christians are 'untouchables' – the lowest. Many Muslims in the country believe, to put it crudely, that members of churches are akin to dogs. Christians are seen as a mat upon which you can wipe your feet.