Pakistan Minority Alliance urges UN to protect Indian Christians

All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) and member of National Assembly, Shahbaz Bhatti, has urged the United Nations to ensure protection to minority Christians and their properties in India.

“Gross mistreatment being meted out to religious minorities in India is a cause of deep concern for all peace–loving people in Pakistan and across the world,” said Bhatti in a statement issued on Sunday.

Castigating the Indian government for its failure in controlling the vehement attackers who burnt and looted church properties, Bhatti said, targeting of minorities communities in India that has become a norm of the day is diametrically opposite to Indian rulers’ claims of secularism.

“You cannot go on claiming to be secular, democratic and liberal if minorities in your country continue to be victimized, threatened, harassed and pressured,” said the APMA Chief.

The anti–minorities violence has shaken the conscience of moderates, liberal, progressive and enlightened people across the globe, he added.

Calling for immediate end to victimisation of Indian minorities, Bhatti said, the incidents of manhandling, hurling of threats, attacks on lives and properties of people and brazen attacks on the places of worship in India has left him deeply concerned.

“While violence continues in Orissa, on India’s east cost, anti–Christian extremists have unleashed another wave of attacks on Christians in Karnataka, a state on India’s west coast. At the same time, churches are under attack in Jharkand and other states,” he regretted, calling for stringent action on elements causing division and damage.