8th April, 2015
The president of a Christian political party and lobby group in Pakistan has condemned authorities for failing to investigate violence against a Christian journalist by suspected Islamic hardliners.
Nazir S Bhatti, who leads the Pakistan Christian Congress (PCC) party, said reporter Shamim Masih was attacked on 29th March while visiting a Christian neighborhood in Islamabad, the capital.
He said two "unknown people on a motorbike" halted the journalist and told him to stop covering Christian persecution.
"The motorbike riders got down from their bike and started beating Shamim Masih. (They) broke his arm and warned him that if he not stopped reporting on Christian issues, they knew his family and home and would teach him and his family a lesson," Bhatti added in a statement.
Shamim Masih covers Christian persecution in Pakistan for several media besides reporting for a national newspaper and television.
“If such attacks or threats were directed against a Muslim journalist then police would…(immediately) investigate the incident and (try to) detain attackers," Bhatti claimed. "But as Shamim Masih is a Christian journalist…the police and administration are not paying any attention or interest to investigate this incident.”
Nazir said the PCC has demanded immediate registration of what is known as a ‘First Information Report’ by police, a procedure leading to a criminal investigation, and to provide him with security.
The incident came just days before the brother of prominent Christian rights advocate Sardar Mushtaq Gill was shot. Pervaiz Gill suffered a bullet wound to his lower back, and was rushed to Jinah Hospital in Lahore (city) where it was removed.
Following the 1st April shooting, Gill said he had received a message from the local police leader, or ‘station house officer’, that he has "apologised" for not having "authority to provide security."
