Media
Data plea over Pakistan’s forced marriages, conversions
The head of an official Pakistani minority commission has directed provincial police chiefs to keep a separate record of data regarding forced marriage and conversion of minority girls.
The Commission on Implementation of Minority Rights was set up by Pakistan’s top court in 2014 to ensure implementation of its landmark 2014 ruling on protection of non-Muslim Pakistanis.
Shoaib Suddle, who heads the commission, chaired a meeting of the police inspector generals of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan on Feb. 22 to review cases of forced marriages and conversions, state-run news agency APP reported.
He directed the police to modify investigation patterns and official hierarchy while probing these cases.
The commission also demanded implementation of the Supreme Court’s judgment in a minority rights case in 2014.
The court ordered the federal government to constitute a task force tasked with developing a strategy of religious tolerance; develop curricula at school and college levels to promote a culture of religious and social tolerance; ensure that hate speech on social media is discouraged and offenders are brought to justice; constitute a National Council for Minorities’ Rights; establish a special police force to protect minorities’ places of worship; and enforce policy directives regarding reservation of quota for minorities in all services.
“Forced religious conversions and marriages with Hindu and Christian girls are mostly taking place in Punjab and Sindh. This is damaging the country’s image at the global level,” Suddle told the police chiefs.
He called for separate data on such crimes in order to formulate recommendations for proper legislation.
“A foolproof mechanism should be devised to ensure proper age determination of the victim girls and, in cases of forced marriages, there should be a thorough investigation to verify whether the girls had given their consent willingly or under coercion,” Suddle said.
Sources:ucanews
മൈസൂര്‍: കഴിഞ്ഞ 17 വര്‍ഷമായി മൈസൂര്‍ ബന്നിമണ്ഡപ് ഇന്‍ഡസ്ട്രിയല്‍ ഏരിയയില്‍ പ്രവര്‍ത്തിച്ചു കൊണ്ടിരുന്ന ചര്‍ച്ച് ഓഫ് ഗോഡ് ഇന്‍ ഇന്ത്യാ മൈസൂര്‍ സഭ, മൈസൂര്‍ ഹെബ്ബാള്‍ ഏരിയയിലേയ്ക്ക് മാറി പ്രവര്‍ത്തനം ആരംഭിച്ചു. ഹെബ്രോന്‍ ചര്‍ച്ച് ഓഫ് ഗോഡ് എന്ന് അറിയപ്പെട്ടിരുന്ന സഭ ഇനി മുതല്‍ ചര്‍ച്ച് ഓഫ് ഗോഡ് (ഫുള്‍ ഗോസ്പല്‍) ഇന്‍ ഇന്ത്യ,മൈസൂര്‍ എന്ന പേരിലായിരിക്കും അറിയപ്പെടുന്നത്. ദൈവസഭ കര്‍ണാടക സ്റ്റേറ്റ് ബൈബിള്‍ കോളേജ് ഡയറക്ടറും കൗണ്‍സില്‍ മെമ്പറുമായ പാസ്റ്റര്‍ റോജി ഇ സാമുവേല്‍ ഈ സഭയില്‍ ശുശ്രൂഷിക്കുന്നു. മൈസൂര്‍ പട്ടണത്തില്‍ മലയാളം ആരാധനയ്ക്കായി ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവര്‍ ഈ സഭയുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെടുക.
വിശദ വിവരങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് : 9446084572, 9902198959, 9886164904
India – According to Morning Star News, a pastor in India’s Jharkhand state was bound and publicly beaten by fellow villagers after he refused to contribute funds to the ritual worship of tribal deities. Despite this intense persecution, the pastor remained steadfast in his faith.
On January 24, Pastor Lakshman Oraon was called before the elders of Jungur village, located in the Latehar District of Jharkhand. The elders of the village demanded he contribute funds to the ritual worship of the village’s tribal deities. When he refused, his arms were tired behind his back and he was beaten.
“When they tied me and started kicking me, I was not at all angry,” Pastor Oraon told Morning Star News. “The Lord reminded me of the verses in Matthew 5:11-12. I received great strength from these words. There was a smile on my face all through.”
After the beating, village elders threatened to excommunicate Pastor Oraon and the other Christians of the village if they continued to refuse to contribute to the tribal rituals.
Facing expulsion, Pastor Oraon reached out to the Alliance Defending Freedom India (ADF). ADF contacted the local police station. Officers called Pastor Oraon and the village elders to the station to work out the situation.
“At the police station, we were asked to give the money, and we gave it,” Pastor Oraon told Morning Star News. “We are praying for the salvation of village leaders and the devotees of tribal deities. The police assured us that they will be a phone call away if any problem arises, and that we will not face any troubles from the villagers after giving the money.”
Sources:persecution
Two Indian-Americans have been named as Biden’s domestic policy advisers
New York: A day after US President Joe Biden joked that Indian-Americans were taking over the US, he appointed two...
Roman Orthodox Church rejects demands for baptism changes after infant’s death
The leadership of the Romanian Orthodox Church has decided not to change its ancient practice of full-immersion baptism of babies...
ചര്‍ച്ച് ഓഫ് ഗോഡ് മൈസൂര്‍ ആരാധന പുതിയ സ്ഥലത്ത്
മൈസൂര്‍: കഴിഞ്ഞ 17 വര്‍ഷമായി മൈസൂര്‍ ബന്നിമണ്ഡപ് ഇന്‍ഡസ്ട്രിയല്‍ ഏരിയയില്‍ പ്രവര്‍ത്തിച്ചു കൊണ്ടിരുന്ന ചര്‍ച്ച് ഓഫ് ഗോഡ് ഇന്‍ ഇന്ത്യാ മൈസൂര്‍ സഭ, മൈസൂര്‍ ഹെബ്ബാള്‍ ഏരിയയിലേയ്ക്ക്...
Christian Woman Assaulted in Pakistan After Months of Harassment
Pakistan– According to local sources, a Christian woman was attacked at home by a Muslim man in Pakistan. The attack...
SBI Payments has partnered with NPCI to launch ‘Rupee Soft POS’
Mumbai: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has partnered with SBI Payments to announce the launch of ‘RuPay SoftPoS’ for...
Nigerian pastor freed by Boko Haram hours before execution: ‘I thank God’
Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria freed a Christian pastor on Wednesday evening who had been held captive since Christmas Eve,...
