Pakistan: Christians may lose parliamentary seat; another blasphemy charge
April 05, 2011
The parliamentary seat that was occupied by Shahbaz Bhatti before his assassination last month may be filled by a Hindu rather than a Christian. The seat is reserved for religious minorities. A Hindu lawmaker has said that he will leave his Senate seat to take the vacant seat in the lower house—apparently as part of a political deal with the government leadership.
In a related story, another Christian man has been accused of blasphemy, and gone into hiding, fearing for his life. Masih Gill insists that he did not insult Islam, but merely defended his own Christian faith in an argument. But Muslim neighbors threatened to bring blasphemy charges against him.
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Further information:
- A Hindu or a Christian in Parliament? Controversy about the vacant seat of Shahbaz Bhatti (Fides)
- Christian threatened and accused of blasphemy, forced into hiding (Fides)
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