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beenasarwar · 8 years ago

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The horrific murder of a journalism student lynched on a university campus in Mardan on April 13 after being accused of ‘blasphemy’, 2017 has revived the urgency of coming together on a joint platform with a minimum common agenda to uphold humanitarian values. Nothing will bring back Mashal Khan, a poet, self-declared humanist and “voice of the voiceless”, but we can at least try to ensure that no other mother loses her Mashal (light) to such barbaric ignorance and orchestrated violence.

Mashal Khan: student, poet, humanist, “voice of the voiceless”

We drafted this statement a few months after the massacre of schoolchildren in Peshawar, signed by over a hundred activists, teachers, lawyers and other professionals as well as students in March 2015: Pakistanis against terrorism: Minimum common agenda against violence in the name of religion – below. Does it need to be amended or updated?

Pakistanis against terrorism: Minimum common agenda against violence in the name of religion

The organisations and individuals represented here are part of a global movement of concerned Pakistanis opposed to violent extremism in the name of religion. We stand by the victims of such violence and aim to provide them with moral and other forms of support to alleviate their suffering. We envision a Pakistan free of hatred and oppression, where all Pakistanis can coexist peacefully and where diversity in religious thought and belief is accepted and respected. We agree on the following minimum agenda:

We stand for human rights and equal citizenship rights for all Pakistanis

We oppose Takfir (declaring anyone a non-Muslim/Kafir) and subjecting anyone to persecution on that basis. We demand that takfir be treated and tried as hate-speech.

We demand that the Government of Pakistan take immediate action against all forms of hate speech which may be defined as words, spoken or written, that incite violence and hatred against any community based on their religious affiliations.

We demand that the Government of Pakistan act against any extra-judicial killings or violence in the name of religion and false accusations of “blasphemy”. We demand the reform of Pakistan’s laws specifically related to the “blasphemy laws”.

We support the rule of law and due process. We demand that the Government enhance the capacity of law enforcing agencies to deal with crime and violence at the local level. Such crimes feed violent extremist groups at other levels.

We demand that educational curriculum at all levels should include teachings that promote compassion, tolerance and respect for human rights. Text books should be revised to expunge any material that incites or preaches hatred and/or violence against any community or section of society.

We demand that the Government of Pakistan act against banned outfits and individuals operating in the name of religion. The Government must also publicize the list of banned outfits engaged in sectarian and religious violence and proceed legally against them.

We demand that Pakistani electronic media cease giving airtime to those who engage in hate speech and who openly incite violence in the name of religion.

We demand that the Government immediately freeze assets of banned outfits and of those who are associated with them and take all measures to permanently cut off their sources of domestic and international financing. The Government should impose sanctions, including travel restrictions, on such outfits and individuals.

Endorsed (alphabetical order):

Aaliya Naqvi-Hai, Finance and Nonprofit professional, San Francisco

Abdul Qadeer, Software Engineer, Frankfurt, Germany

Abdur Rehman, Teacher, Lahore

Adam Malik, Forum for Secular Pakistan, Karachi

Ahsan Butt, self-employed (freelance English to Urdu translator), Lahore

Ahmer Shaheen, Journalist / Editorial Advisor Geo and Jang Group, Pakistan

Ali Abbas Sikander, Banker, Karachi

Ali Alam. Architect. Karachi, Pakistan

Ali Ashtar Naqvi, Lawyer, Lahore/Boston

Ali Kazmi, Activist, Lahore

Ali Naqvi, Investment Manager, New York City

Anis Haroon, former Chair, Pakistan Womens Commission

Anjum Mansoori, Peace Activist, VR1 – Alliance against Terrorism, Lahore

Aquila Ismail, Author, Karachi

Arafat Mazhar, Activist at Engage, Lahore

Asif Alam, Financial Services, New York

Asifa Tirmizi, Architect, New York City

Asma Jahangir, advocate, Supreme Court Pakistan, ex-Chair Human Rights Commission of Pakistan

Asma Maladwala, Educationist, Student, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA

Atif Mian, Economist/Professor, Princeton

Ayesha Ahmed, Teacher, Camp Hill Pennsylvania/Islamabad

Ayesha Ijaz Khan, Lawyer/Writer, London

Beena Sarwar, journalist, Boston/Karachi

Dr. Eric Rahim, honorary lecturer in economics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland

Faisal Sherjan, media specialist, Lahore/Karachi

Farhana Shakeel. Religious Scholar. Edison, New Jersey.

Farahnaz Ispahani, Politician and Human Rights advocate. Karachi/Washington,DC

Fawzia Naqvi, Economic Development, New York City

Fayeza Khan, Scientist, Perth

Fereshteh Feri Rawanian, Textile Buyers Agent, Karachi, Pakistan

Ghayur Naqvi, PhD student, Santiago de Chile

Dr. Habiba Hasan, Paediatrician and human rights activist. Karachi. Pakistan

Hassan Raza – Student – Soical Activist – Islamabad

Huma Ahmar, Educationist, Activist & Writer, Karachi Pakistan

Huma M. Thaver, Educationist and Activist, Karachi, Pakistan

Husna Zafar, Life Long Educationist, Los Angeles

Ibrahim S. Malick, Technologist/Writer, New York, NY

Ilmana Fasih, Dr., Gynecologist, health activist, Mississauga, Canada/Karachi

Iqbal Alavi, Forum for Secular Pakistan, Karachi

Javed Qazi, advocate, Forum for Secular Pakistan, Karachi

Junaid Zuberi, Financal Advisor, Toronto ON Canada

Kamila Nasiruddeen Mazari, Educationalist, Singapore

Kashif Haqqi, Healthcare, Boston MA

Lubna Sami, Lead Interior Stylist & Business Owner, Mississauga Canada

Madeeha Channah, health worker, Boston/Karachi

Madiha Waris Qureshi, development writer/editor, Washington, D.C.

Malik Omaid, writer/activist. work for Pakteahouse blog

Masood Akhtar, Social activist and working for 1947partitionarchive, Rawalpindi Pakistan

Mehnaz Rokerya, Entrepreneur/Businesswoman, Chino Hill, California

Moaaz Al’ Hasan Khan, Film-Maker/Director/Cinematographer, Karachi Pakistan

Mohammad Jibran Nasir, Lawyer, Pakistan For All

Mohsin Sayeed, Writer/Social Commentator, Citizens For Democracy, Karachi

Mona Kazim Shah Journalist/Human Rights Activist/Physician Dallas TX

Muhammad Hasan, banker, Houston/Toronto/Karachi

Muhammad Arif Khan, student and social activist Mardan

Muhammad Mehdi, Student and Activist, Karachi, Pakistan

Muneer Memon, Forum for Secular Pakistan, Karachi

Mustafa Kamil Kidwai, Technology Consultant, London

Mustafa Menai, Urdu-Hindi Faculty, University of Pennsylvania

Nadia Naviwala, independent researcher, writer, Islamabad

Nadra Huma Ahmar, Educationist, Activist and Writer, Karachi Pakistan

Nafisa Haji, Writer, Turkey

Naheed Moini, Candle Maker, Karachi Pakistan

Najma Siddiqi, Social Activist, Technical Adviser Leadership and Governance at the World Bank – Washington DC

Nasir Shafiq, Solicitor, London.

Nasser Ahmad, Investor, New York City

Naveed Lotia, Banker, Mississauga/Karachi.

Naziha Syed Ali, journalist, Citizens For Democracy, Karachi

Neelum Amin, Chicago

Noman Quadri, Citizens for Democracy (CFD), Karachi

Nuscie Jamil, activist, Lahore

Rahat Saeed Social, Cultural, Literary and Peace Activist, Karachi

Raza Rumi, journalist, Washington DC/Lahore

Raza Ali, Software Developer, Cambridge, UK

Rubab Mehdi Rizvi, human rights activist, London, UK

Saadia Ahmed, activist/blogger, Lahore/Dubai

Sabiha Shaheen, Executive Director, Bargad Organization for Youth Development, Gujranwala

Sabreena Khalid, Law Student, Boston

Saeeda Diep, peace activist, Institute for Peace and Secular Studies, Lahore Pakistan

Sahar Naqvi, Student, New York City/Montreal

Saima S. Hussain, Writer, Toronto

Saima Qadir, sustainable infrastructure finance, Washington DC/Lahore

Sajjad Anwar Mansoori, Communications Strategist, Sufism for Peace And Co-Existence (SPACE), Lahore

Salma Basravi, Realtor, Glendale CA USA

Salma Mahmud / Teacher / Toronto & Karachi

Saleem Ahmad, Banker, London/Lahore

Seema Jaffer, Communications, Karachi,

Saiyid Ali Naqvi, Author, New York City /Karachi

Sehr Salman Sarwar, Public Affairs Consultant, London/Dubai

Sehyr Mirza, Freelance Journalist, Lahore

Seemi Andrabi, Physician, Washington DC

Shaan Taseer, Chartered Accountant, Lahore

Shaila Andrabi, Community Activist, Claremont, California

Shaheen Pirzada, Cambridge MA

Shabih Haider, Assistant Prof. (Retired), Teaching, Karachi,

Shahid Mustafa, Banker, Karachi

Shoaib Taimur, Blogger/Entrepreneur, Karachi

Shumail Zaidi, Trainer Countering Violence Extremism, Pakistan Youth Alliance, Activist, Karachi

Sibtain Naqvi, Blogger and Educationist

Sophie Ali, Media, New York City

Sumbla Pervaiz, Teacher/Trainer, Boca Raton, Florida

Subuhi Asheer, Policy Research, Princeton

Syed Shams Haider, Ex-Parliamentarian/Politician, Lahore

Syed Hussein El-Edroos, Trainer & Consultant, Islamabad

Syed Shehroz Hussain, Engineering student, Worcester, MA / Peshawar, Pakistan.

Syeda Sara, Economist, Detroit/Toronto

Tahira Dosani, Investor, Washington DC

Tahir Andrabi, CEO CERP, Economist/Professor, Pomona College, California

Talal Ahmed, Graduate Student at Brandeis University, Boston, USA

Dr. Taskeen Humayun, pediatrician, Rawalpindi,Pakistan

Tehmina Khan, Physician, Los Angeles ,USA

Tuba Syed, Auditor and concerned Pakistani, San Francisco/Bay Area and Karachi

Umaima Ghori, Student and Blogger, Toronto/Karachi

Waqas Ali Zaheer, Vice Chairman Democratic Students Federation, Karachi

Wasif Rashid, Islamabad

Yamna Rehman, Researcher, Engineer, Islamabad.

Zaineb Majoka, Data Analyst/Development worker, Washington D.C

Zahid Ali Akbar, Barrister and Director ZaakbarLaw Limited. London

Zahid F. Ebrahim, Lawyer, Karachi

Zakia Sarwar, teacher trainer and ESL specialist, Karachi

Don’t snuff out the lights The horrific murder of a journalism student lynched on a university campus in Mardan on April 13 after being accused of 'blasphemy', 2017 has revived the urgency of coming together on a joint platform with a minimum common agenda to uphold humanitarian values.

#blasphemy #journalism #Mashal Khan #mob violence #terrorism #vigilante violence #vigilantism

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