Christian group members demonstrate outside European Parliament against treatment of minorities in Pakistan, abuse of blasphemy laws
The European Pakistani Christian Action Committee members recently protested outside the European Parliament in France against the abuse of blasphemy laws and other discrimination against minority communities in Pakistan.
Protesters expressed grave concerns over religious freedom violations, and called upon the European Union to encourage Pakistan to comply with its human rights obligations under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Plus status, reported Daily Sun.
During the protest, the members also raised the forceful marriage of Hindu and Christian girls in the South Asian state.
Charlie Weimer, a member of the European Parliament from Sweden, attended the demonstration and strongly condemned forced conversion and child marriage of Christian girls in Pakistan.
He also called for the unconditional release of Anwar Kenneth, Shagufta Kiran and others who unfairly are in prison due to blasphemy laws.
The committee highlighted the case of Anwar Kenneth, a Christian man sentenced to death for over 22 years under blasphemy charges section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code who recently filed an appeal in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, aiming to overturn his conviction. The committee demands his immediate acquittal and release from the Pakistani government without imposing any conditions, the news portal reported.