“Live your beliefs and you can turn the world around.”- Henry David Thoreau"Do you really believe that what you believe is really real?" Because if you do, then you should be living in a way that turns the world around and upside down. This is what happened when Asia Bibi took a stand for her faith. While she was working on a farm in Pakistan, many of the Muslim women working with her began to pressure Asia to renounce Christianity and accept Islam. There was an intense discission among the women about their faith. The Muslim women told Asia about Islam. Asia responded by telling them about her faith in Christ. Asia told the Muslim women Christ had died on the cross for sins, then asked them what Mohammad had done for them, according to VOM sources. She told them Jesus is alice, but Mohammad is dead. "Our Christ is the true prophet of God," she reportedly told them, "and yours is not true." Since that statement her life has not been the same. She was arrested and blasphemy charges were filed against her due to pressure from the local Muslim authorities. Swventeen months after Asia's arrest, she was convicted of violating subsection C of Pakistan's 295 blasphemy law-blasphemy against the prophet Mohammad-and was sentenced to death. No Christian in Pakistan has ever been executed under the blasphemy law, but in several cases, extremists have murdered Christians after their release from prison and Asia does have a price on her head. Asia's conviction and death sentence have brought international attention to the country's blasphemy laws. Christians have called for Asia's release from prison and a repeal of the blasphemy laws, while extremists in Pakistan continue to demand that she be executed. Even those who have spoken out on her behalf have put their lives at risk. In early 2011, Salman Taseer, governor of Punjab province, and Shahbaz Bhatti, Minister of Minority Affairs, were assassinated, allegedy for speaking out against the controversial blasphemy law, and Asia's case in particular. Through all this Asia has kept her faith and she says, "I am praying every day. I am strong in my faith. I know that this is the testing of my faith and I know to make gold, it must be purifies...in the fire. I am strong in my faith, and I know that God will release me. I pray that God forgives the people who blamed me." May we be so accepting of our trials, knowing that the testing of our faith refines it to pure gold, making it of great worth in God's sight. If anyone would like to send Asia a letter of encouragement to let her know that she is not forgotten, this link will take you to her page.
http://www.prisoneralert.com/pprofiles/vp_prisoner_197_profile.html?_nc=123231181272541571a9eca54049df2d
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Pakistan
Basic Info: Pakistan is located in Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north. Slightly less than twice the size of California, Pakistan has a varied climate. It is mostly hot, dry desert, but it is temperate in the northwest and arctic in the north. The country suffers from frequent earthquakes, which occasionally are severe, especially in the north and west. Other problems include water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff. There are limited natural freshwater resources and most of the population does not have access to clean water. The population break down is: Punjabi 44.68%, Pashtun (Pathan) 15.42%, Sindhi 14.1%, Sariaki 8.38%, Muhajirs 7.57%, Balochi 3.57%, other 6.28%. Of the 190,291,129 population 36% is urban and only 49.9% are literate. From the half of the population that is literate 63% are male and only 36% are female. The region of Kashmir has been one of contention for many decades, and Kashmir remains the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China, India, and Pakistan. The UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949. By 2005, Pakistan, with UN assistance, repatriated 2.3 million Afghan refugees leaving slightly more than a million, many of whom are choosing to remain. Pakistan has sent troops across and built fences along some remote tribal areas of its treaty-defined Durand Line border with Afghanistan, which serve as bases for foreign terrorists and other illegal activities. Afghan, Coalition, and Pakistan military meet periodically to clarify the alignment of the boundary on the ground and on maps. Pakistan is a significant transit area for Afghan drugs, including heroin, opium, morphine, and hashish, which are bound for Iran, Western markets, the Gulf States, Africa, and Asia. The country also struggles with financial crimes related to drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling
Government: The Indus Valley civilization which is spread over much of what is presently Pakistan is one of the oldest in the world and dates back at least 5,000 years. The area has undergone successive invasions from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. India-Pakistan relations have been rocky since the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, but both countries are taking small steps to put relations back on track. Pakistan is a federal republic. In February 2008, Pakistan held parliamentary elections and in September 2008, after the resignation of former President Musharraf, elected Asif Ali Zardari to the presidency. Pakistani government and military leaders are struggling to control domestic insurgents, many of whom are located in the tribal areas adjacent to the border with Afghanistan. In January 2012, Pakistan assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2012-13 term. The country has a bicameral parliament, and the National Assembly has 342 seats, 60 which are reserved for women and 10 seats are reserved for non-Muslims. Pakistan has common law with Islamic law influence. The Pakistani Air Force and Pakistani Navy inducted their first female pilots and sailors in 2009.
Economy: Decades of internal political disputes and low levels of foreign investment have led to slow growth and underdevelopment in Pakistan. Agriculture accounts for more than one-fifth of output and two-fifths of employment. Textiles account for most of Pakistan's export earnings, which means the country is vulnerable to shifts in world demand. Official unemployment is 6%, but since much of the economy is informal and underemployment remains high, this gives a false impression. Over the past few years, low growth and high inflation, led by a spurt in food prices, have increased the amount of poverty - the UN Human Development Report estimated poverty in 2011 at almost 50% of the population. Also the Pakistani rupee has depreciated more than 40% since 2007. Foreign investment has not returned, due to investor concerns related to governance, energy, security, and a slow-down in the global economy. Remittances from overseas workers, averaging about $1 billion a month since March 2011, greatly helps, but Pakistan must figure out its revenues and energy production in order to spur the amount of economic growth that will be necessary to employ its growing population. Other long term challenges include expanding investment in education and healthcare, and reducing dependence on foreign donors. The telecommunications infrastructure has improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments in fixed-line and mobile-cellular networks. Subscription to mobile/cellular devices has skyrocketed, exceeding 110 million by the end of 2011, up from only about 300,000 in 2000. More than 90 percent of Pakistanis live within areas that have cell phone coverage and more than half of all Pakistanis have access to a cell phone, but there are still difficulties getting fixed-line service to rural areas. The media is government regulated with 1 dominant state-owned TV broadcaster which operates 5 channels. Private TV broadcasters are permitted and to date 69 foreign satellite channels are operational.
Religion: Muslim (official) 95% (Sunni 75%, Shia 20%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 5% Pakistan is an Islamic republic with a Sunni majority. Previous governments pursued Islamization of the legal system, taxation and public life as well as discrimination against all religious minorities. Despite its infringement of the constitution, Shariah law is increasingly applied -- even to Christians and Hindus -- especially in areas where Islamist groups have control or influence. While there is a notable degree of religious freedom promised to minorities by law, non-Muslims and non-Sunnis must practice their faith cautiously and under varying degrees of threat from Islamists. Christians face severe opposition from militant Islamic groups, including imprisonment, torture and even death. Many Christians have been falsely accused under the Blasphemy Law, or Law 295. Law 295a, blaspheming Islam, and Law 295b, blaspheming the Qur’an, are criminal offenses. Law 295c makes blaspheming Mohammed a crime punishable by death. Courtrooms packed with militants have often pressured judges into returning a guilty verdict or continuing trials indefinitely. Christians are regularly barred from jobs or face troubles from their employers and co-workers. Christian merchants are often harassed. In November 2010, a Christian woman, Asia Bibi, was sentenced to death on charges of blasphemy. She is the first Pakistani woman ever to receive a death sentence for blasphemy. Her life has been threatened by many, with a Muslim cleric putting a price on her head. In early 2011, Salman Taseer, governor of Punjab province, and Shahbaz Bhatti, Minister of Minority Affairs, were assassinated, allegedly for speaking out against the controversial blasphemy law.
Information compiled from CIAWorldFactBook “Pakistan”, VOMC “Pakistan” www.persecution.net
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http://persecution.tv/video?task=videodirectlink&id=185 Multiple Pakistan Videos
Pakistan: Cry Justice!
Blasphemy law targets Christians (released in 2009)
Pakistan: Pakistan's sole Christian minister assassinated
The return of the church in the northern area
Evangelists Risk Their Lives for the Gospel in Afghanistan and Pakistan
People and Power
