[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 21 (Thursday, March 5, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H854]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                PAKISTAN

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to focus attention on the 
situation facing minority religious believers in Pakistan. Although the 
country's constitution upholds religious freedom, section 295(c) of the 
penal code states that defiling the sacred name of Mohammed is 
punishable by death. Unfortunately, reports suggest that some 
Pakistanis use this law, which carries with it a mandatory death 
penalty, to falsely accuse Christians of blasphemy.
  Let me illustrate with several photographs. The first photograph 
reveals a young woman sitting in the midst of the destruction caused 
when the government bulldozed the Christian church and surrounding 
community buildings. The second photograph shows the view of Reverend 
Noor Alam, a Christian clergyman lynched by extremists recently in 
Pakistan. The next photograph depicts the treatment of Pakistani 
Christians who protested last year's destruction of churches in 
Shantinagar. Members can see the ropes around their necks.
  Mr. Speaker, freedom of religion is a fundamental human right and 
should be protected by all governments of the world, including the 
government of Pakistan.

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