FAISALABAD, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- Two Christian brothers who were gunned down outside district courts Faisalabad on Monday, July 19, 2010 after being accused of “blaspheming” the Prophet Muhammad were laid to rest on Tuesday, July 20, 2010.

The two brothers in their coffins during the church service

A large number of Christians paid tribute to Rashid Emmanuel, 30, and his brother Sajid, 27, at the memorial service on Tuesday, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, in Faisalabad, and later at their burial.

The brothers, who were displayed in an open coffin, had been accused of distributing pamphlet containing derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad, a charge they both denied.

According to Babar Sahotra of Christian Strategic Institute (CSI) Pakistan, the situation remained tense late on Monday night as rioters from both sides maintained their presence on the roads.

Mr. Sahotra said that the police was not able to disperse the rioters until 3 am on Tuesday morning.

The Christian rights activist alleged to ANS that the Catholic Church attempted to keep funeral service of the deceased "secret."

According to the Minorities Concern of Pakistan (MCOP) the deceased were buried at 8:00 am on Tuesday to avoid further clashes between Christians and Muslims.

Mr. Sahotra also alleged that the ambulance that carried the deceased to the graveyard had a Kalma [Proclamation of Islamic faith] emblazoned on its back.

“There was no sign of cross on the coffins. The lid of coffin box had not been nailed,” said Mr. Sahotra.

He said the Catholic Church seemed to be acting at the behest of government “who wanted to ensure burial of Rashid and Sajid Emmanuel as quickly as possible.”

He alleged that it was the local administration that decided the cemetery where the deceased were buried on Tuesday.

“It was far from the area and a Muslim grave digger dug the graves of the two Christian brothers,” he claimed.

Mr. Sahotra went on to say that the killers managed to escape despite presence of “policemen” at the scene of incident.

Set up

Christians are claiming that the blasphemy charges against the murdered brothers were untrue. The complainant in the case, a local trader, Khurram Shehzad, alleged that one of his employees was handed a pamphlet by someone at Faisalabad's general bus stand.

ANS has discovered that the pamphlet, it was claimed, had been signed by the two brothers, whose addresses and mobile phone numbers were also given.

However, Atif Jameel, spokesman for the Pakistan Minorities Democratic Foundation, told the BBC: “No-one in his right mind would issue a derogatory pamphlet against the Prophet and put his name and address on it. This appears to be a conspiracy against peace and religious harmony in Faisalabad.”
 

Christian man injured during outbreak of violence

The Christians of Warispura, a thickly populated Christian area in Faisalabad, housing some 100,000 Christians, had been living in fear and uncertainty after the deceased were accused of blasphemy.

ANS has learned that the situation prompted some Christian families to flee the area especially the ones who were living close to Rashid and Sajid’s family.

The killing of the two brothers then sparked riots in Faisalabad.

According to CSI Pakistan the news of the murder of the Christian brothers outraged Christian youth, who took to the streets to condemn killings of the two brothers.

The spokesperson of the CSI Pakistan said that some angry Christians caused damage to Muslims shops by pelting stones at them.

Muslims, in retaliation, he said destroyed Christians’ shops and hurled stones at the homes of Christians.

Mr. Sahotra alleged that local mosques continued to churn out provocative statements.

According to CSI Pakistan family members of the deceased are reluctant to lodge murder complaint.

Minorities Concern of Pakistan has strongly condemned the killing of the two brothers and termed it as a “heinous incident” and demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits.

According to MCOP at least ten Christians and Muslims were injured as result of clashes that broke out between the two communities on Monday night.
 

The home of a Christian destroyed during clashes

The MCOP said that angry Muslim rioters caused extensive damage to a church and shops.

It cited police sources as saying that around 60 Muslims were arrested in connection with the clashes. An exchange of fire was also reported between the both communities, said MCOP.

According to MCOP a local newspaper reported that Aftab Cheema, Regional Police Officer and Tahir Hussain, Commissioner have held a meeting with Catholic Bishop, Joseph Coutts of Faisalabad.

It said that the two men assured the church leader of arresting the culprits soon.

It also quoted Shahbaz Bhatti, the federal minister for minority affairs of Pakistan as saying that the suspected men were falsely accused of blasphemy by people with a "grudge" against them.

Mehboob Sada, director Christian Study Centre Rawalpindi told Minorities Concern of Pakistan, “It is not possible that somebody can put his name and telephone number on any blasphemous material.”

The MCOP said that according to National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), 35 Christians and Muslims have been killed extra judicially in connection with allegations involving blasphemy since 1992. Moreover, since 1987 at least 1035 men and women including Muslims, Ahmadis, Christians and Hindus have been accused though none of the allegations sustained or sentence was held by the higher judiciary of the country.

Father Emmanuel Yousaf and Peter Jacob, the Director and Executive Secretary of National Commission for Justice and Peace, a human rights body of Catholic Bishops Conference of Pakistan told MCOP that the Christian community in Pakistan is "deeply concerned over the apathy on part of the government about the abuse of blasphemy laws."

It said the two men demanded an immediate action to deal with situation.

MCOP said that the Asian Human Rights Commission demands that the government should also follow the amendment made in the blasphemy laws that no Police First Information Report (FIR) for blasphemy can be filed without an officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police.

Human Rights Focus Pakistan has also condemned the killing of two Christian brothers and urged Christians across Pakistan to observe a week of mourning.

Dan Wooding, 69, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 46 years. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS). He was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC., and now hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on KWVE in Southern California and which is also carried on the Calvary Radio Network throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK. Wooding also a regular contributor to The Weekend Stand on the Crawford Broadcasting Network, and a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 192 countries. He is the author of some 44 books. Two of the latest include his autobiography, “From Tabloid to Truth”, which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, press this link. Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel “Red Dagger” which is available here