A European Parliament delegation has visited the family of the convicted woman in Pakistan. The Union says human rights must be respected if trade agreements to continue (Paolo affatato, vaticaninsider, 8/11/2015)
“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
It came something of a surprise to find this verse from the Sermon on the Mount – in the 5 chapter of Matthew’s Gospel – in the letter written by a European Parliament delegation. The delegation (Peter van Dalen, Netherlands; Arne Gericke, Germany; Marek Jurek, Poland) which visited Pakistan in recent days delivered the letter to Ashiq Masih, the husband of Asia Bibi, the Christian woman who has been sentenced to death for blasphemy and is awaiting the Pakistani Supreme Court’s verdict which will draw the tragic case of this innocent woman destined for the gallows, to a close.
There is nothing bureaucratic or formal in the letter addressed to Asia, which Vatican Insider was able to read. The three members of the Parliamentary delegation informed themselves of the state of Asia Bibi’s health and needs, expressing the concern that an institution such as the Strasbourg Parliament feels for the woman’s case.
“For millions of people across the world, Asia is an example of authentic and genuine Christian faith,” European leaders said. Her case has become emblematic in a campaign underway in Pakistan and abroad, which calls for a review of the blasphemy law. The aim is to prevent people abusing this law as, in the vast majority of cases, it is used to conveniently and without penalty resolve disputes that have nothing to do with religion.
The delegation also met Muslim lawyer Saif-ul-Malook who is heading Asia’s defence team in the final phase of the case. The lawyer described the case from a legal point of view, saying a favourable verdict was still possible and that he had faith in this.
The EU delegation’s interest in the condition of Christians in the “land of the pure” is unexpected, it has to be said: its three members visited two churches in Lahore’s Youhanabad neighbourhood, which were the scenes of two suicide bombings last Spring.
The MEPs confirmed the approach the European Union’s various institutions have towards Pakistan: as Jean-François Cautain, the EU’s Ambassador in Islamabad, remarked, the special status the country enjoys, which gives it access to privileged trade agreements with the Union (the so-called Generalized System of Preference Plus (GSP+)), could be suspended or revoked if Pakistan does not respect the UN Convention on human rights. This would mean an abrupt halt to exports of Pakistani products to EU countries.
During the Italian Presidency of the Council of the EU about a year ago, the Asia Bibi case and the blasphemy law were at the centre if a debate that presented them as prime examples of the lack of respect for basic human rights standards in Pakistan.
A press release issued by the European Commission, reads: “The most fundamental criticism levelled against the laws is that the punishment (death penalty) is disproportionate to the nature of the crime. However, another major concern is that a considerable number of the blasphemy cases are based on false claims. Cases are filed against Muslims, in the majority of cases, as well as non-Muslims as a way to settle personal scores, or to stoke up sectarian and inter-faith tensions. Such misuse seems to have risen sharply in the last decades.”
Cathy Ashton, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has, on a number of occasions expressed regret and deep concern over the conviction of Asia Bibi, expressing the hope that the Supreme Court would quickly overturn the verdict.
The European Parliament work group on religious freedom, which has been following Asia’s case closely for years, has called for “all those involved in the case to show courage and not to give in to any pressure or external threat,” inviting the Pakistani government “to safeguard the independence and effective functioning of the Lahore High Court” and “to provide adequate protection for all persons involved in the case, now and after a possible, future judicial decision”.
The fact remains, observers say, that the adoption of stances and political proclamations are more effort that they are worth and remain a “dead letter” if they are not accompanied by concrete economic action. Putting pressure on Pakistan will only yield fruits if the country sees its scope of action and the volume of trade with the EU actually reduced.
