Killing of Christian couple condemned

Special prayers were offered for Shehzad Masih and his wife in local churches on Sunday. Priests vehemently condemned the killing of Christian couple in Kot Radha Kishan (Kasur District).Various civil society network, Labour Party of Pakistan and Christian organisations staged demonstrations outside the Multan Press Club and other areas of the city on Sunday, to protest the killing of a Christian couple accused of blasphemy in Kasur district.
The demonstrations were organised by All Pakistan Minority Alliance, Civil Society network, Tehrik-i-Insaf, Mutahidda Shehri Mahaz, Caritas, Women's rights organisation and Human rights & Democracy Education Foundation and attended by more than 500 activists collectively. The protesters expressed anger and grief at the incident and chanted slogans against killings in the name of religion. They demanded all culprits involved in this inhumane act should be apprehended and brought to justice.
Mohsin Bhutta, Human Rights & Democracy Education Foundation, said the incident raised a sense of insecurity among the religious minorities and demanded the superior judiciary take sue motu notice and ensure that the perpetrators will be punished according to law.
Samson Salamat said: "This is yet another painful story where human lives have been degraded in the name of religion." He said the misuse of blasphemy laws had been continuously highlighted in dozens of cases, but successive governments, politicians and state institutions could not formulate any policy to control the damage and save the lives of the people, especially those belonging to minorities. They also condemned the killing of an alleged blasphemer in police custody by the Investigation Officer.
The Christians announced observing a black day on November 9 and staging a rally against the killing from Lahore press club to Punjab Assembly building. The rally may be turned into a sit-in outside the Assembly Hall, they said.
The PTI workers and supporters also chanted slogans against the government and demanded to apprehend the culprits at earliest and bring them to justice. The protesters were carrying banners and placards condemning the brutal killing of the couple accused of desecration of the Holy Quran. Tariq Naeem-ullah Khan of PTI said that the party strongly condemn the incident and demanded to arrest the killers and give financial assistance to the bereaved family. He said that the government should also support the future of victims' children. He added that the PTI is standing with the Christian community.