Geneva, 26 September 2002-Franciscans International and Dominicans for Justice and Peace condemn without reservation the brutal murders of seven Christians at the Committee for Justice and Peace (Idare-e Amn-O-Insaf) office in Karachi, Pakistan on 25 September 2002.

For the past 30 years, the Committee for Justice and Peace, an organisation supported by Roman Catholic and Protestant churches, has worked for poor and marginalised Christians and Muslims, labouring to obtain for them basic employment rights. It has also assisted women, provided information on issues such as the discriminatory Blasphemy Laws, and undertaken programmes with local human rights groups.

The seven Pakistani Christians murdered at the Commission for Justice and Peace office were: Iqbal Allah Rakha, Benjuman Talib, Kamran Anjum, John Munir, Aslam Martin, Mushtaq Roshan and Adwin Foster. Another person was seriously wounded.

These vicious, premeditated murders are the latest in a series of egregious acts of violence targeting the Christian minority community in Pakistan. Throughout the past eleven months, Pakistani Christians have suffered from the mass murder of 16 (and a Muslim policeman) in Bahalwapur (28 October 2001) five in Islamabad (16 March 2002), six in Murree Christian School (5 August 2002) and four in Mission Hospital Texila (9 August 2002).

Only three days ago, police arrested two suspected militants of Harakat ul-Mujahidin, who disclosed that they planned to attack Christian institutions. However, Pakistani security forces have not acted sufficiently to provide for the safety of Pakistani Christians and their communities, as the Karachi murders demonstrate.

In Pakistan, religious discrimination is codified in repressive legislation that promotes a culture of divisiveness and sectarian violence. This legislation is contained in the Blasphemy Laws 295 B and 295 C of the Pakistani Penal Code that includes the death penalty for violations of these laws. Moreover, under the discriminatory Law of Evidence, the courts operate under a biased legal procedure, since court witnesses are judged by their religion, as well as their gender. For example, the testimonies of two non-Muslim male court members are equivalent to the testimony of one male Muslim. Further, the testimonies of four non-Muslim women are equivalent to one male Muslim. The oppressive and unfair Blasphemy Laws and Law of Evidence represents an attack on all religious groups and an affront to the promotion and protection of human rights for all, regardless of religious affiliation.

Franciscans International and Dominicans for Justice and Peace strongly urge the Government of Pakistan to:

1) Bring the murderers of the seven Pakistani Christians of the Committee for Justice and Peace to justice, in line with international human rights norms and standards;
2) Provide genuine protection for Pakistani Christians and their communities from further attacks;
3) Repeal all discriminatory laws that promote this culture of sectarian violence and divisiveness, including the Blasphemy Laws sections 295 B and 295 C of the Pakistani Penal Code and the Law of Evidence;
4) Work without delay to promote a culture of peace between all Pakistanis, irrespective of their religion, gender, political or other opinion, social origin, property, birth or other status, without distinction.

Since 1997, Franciscans International and Dominicans for Justice and Peace, in collaboration with partners at the grassroots level, have closely monitored ongoing human rights abuses and violations, including religious intolerance issues, in Pakistan.