Islamabad, 7 October (). A major minority rights group highlighted the tragic death of a Christian spiritual leader in Pakistan on Tuesday, who spent the ’13 painful year ‘in jail for a crime that he had not done, and then acquitted from allegations of false blasphemy, which took away his freedom, health and peace.
According to the Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), the death of Pastor Zafar Bhatti is not the only tragedy, it is a mirror of institutional harassment of minorities in Pakistan.
Bhatti died on 5 October, two days after release, heart rate stopped. In Pakistan’s horrific jail system, years of torture, insult and neglect destroyed their health.
The Adhikar Sanstha highlighted how his wife Nawab Bibi’s grief appeared to rip the silence of such tragedies. Emphasizing that his voice is not only a mournful wife, but also the voice of every Christian, Ahmadiyya, Hindu or Shia in Pakistan who lives in the constant fear of allegations, violence or imprisonment.
VOPM said, “Pastor Zafar’s suffering began not with the evidence, but with the allegations that arose from hatred. Like the countless Christians and minorities of Pakistan, he became the target of the country’s misused blasphemy laws- laws that have made faith and justice a spectacle.”
It further states, “For 13 years, he was kept locked in the dirty jail cells, deprived of proper healthcare and criminals for a crime that never happened. His appeals were delayed, hearing was postponed and his health fell continuously due to the state’s neglect.”
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MS/DKP