Toronto: August 13, 2009. (PCP) A delegation led by Shadab Khokhar, Chair, International Christian AWAZ, Canada met Tasadduq Hussain, Consul General of Pakistan, Toronto. The members of the delegation were, Akhtar Din, Chair, ‘Asian Christian Alliance Church’, Mississauga, Ontario, Romilla Mallo, Vice Chair, Canadian Christian Association, Mississauga, Ontario, Samson Marcus, Executive member, ‘First Asian Canadian Bible Church’, Brampton, Ontario, Kanwal Dean, Executive member, Redeemer South Asian Fellowship, Hamilton, Ontario, Rev. Wilson Nazim, ‘First Asian Canadian Bible Church’, Brampton, Ontario, Pastor Javed Akhtar, Redeemer South Asian Fellowship, Hamilton, Ontario, Pastor Salim Arthur, South Asian Bible Church, Mississauga, Ontario, Pastor Samuel Gori, All Nations Bible Church, Mississauga, Ontario, The Muslim community of GTA was represented by Ahsan Qureshi, Acting Chair, Canada Pakistan Friendship Association, Mississauga, Ontario. A petition signed by all the delegates was presented to the Consul General to be sent to the Foreign Office, Islamabad, Pakistan. On August 1st, 2009, In Gojra, Punjab a Muslim mob of 3000 attacked a Christian settlement, firing indiscriminatingly at the fleeing Christians, burning their houses, burning down a Church, desecrating the Christian holy book, ‘The Bible’, this religiously motivated violence left 7 Christian individuals burnt to death and 18 severely burnt but still struggling to survive. The petition outlined the series of recent attacks on Christian neighborhoods, towns, villages and each time the intention is religious harassment and alleged desecration of the Muslim holy book, ‘The Quran’. The delegation collectively and individually was of the opinion that the Christians in Pakistan are targeted to instill fear in the Christian population living in Pakistan with the intention to convert the Christians to Islam. The infamous ‘Blasphemy Law’ which is a part of the Pakistan Penal code since 1987, was pointed out to be the root cause of such religiously motivated burnings and killings of the economically poor and politically powerless Christians living in Pakistan. ‘When the Christians have been loyal to Pakistan since the inception of Pakistan, then why are we persecuted in Pakistan’, says Pastor Javed Akhtar. ‘Contribution of the Christians in the field of education, health and the armed forces has been second to none’, says Romila Mallo. The Church burnt in Gojra was a part of Pastor Salim Arthur’s ministry and he had tears in his eyes when he shared with the Consul General the suffering of the congregation of the Christian settlement in Gojra. ‘We are fed up of this ongoing persecution and the suffering of Pakistani Christians at the hands of Islamic fundamentalists’, says Akhtar Din. The Consul General shared the worrisome sentiments with the Christian delegation and highlighted the role of the Pakistan government to ensure that such hideous crimes would be prevented in the future. The Consul General defended the ‘Blasphemy Law’ in Pakistan to a certain degree, putting forward an argument that such laws existed in Europe and such laws are for the protection of the general public. At the same time he agreed that the ‘Blasphemy Law’ in Pakistan is severely abused by the Muslim population of Pakistan. A petition presented by ‘International Christian AWAZ’, Canada, duly signed by each member of the delegation, asked a blunt question to the government of Pakistan, ‘If the government of Pakistan unable to provide protection to the Christian minority in Pakistan or chooses to be an audience to the pain and suffering of the mainly marginalized population of Pakistan, please make a declaration’. On behalf of the Muslim community of the Greater Toronto Area, Ahsan Qureshi expressed his deepest concern and condolences for the injured and deceased in the Gojra incidence. ‘We are all proud Pakistani’s’. says Marcus., ‘We love our language and our country’ says Kanwal Dean, as the delegation took turns expressing their feelings of confusion and fading hope for the Christians living in Pakistan. Pastor Samuel Gori, read 1 Timothy 2:1-3 from the scriptures and said a short prayer for Pakistan, strengthening of faith of the persecuted in Pakistan and the martyrs who have lost their lives for their faith. ‘Pakistan is our country and we as a community expect Pakistan to safeguard the lives and properties of Christians living in Pakistan’, says Pastor Wilson Nazim. The Consul General was very receptive and he promised to forward the concerns of the community to Islamabad. ‘I will forward what you have given to me in writing at the same time I will write forceful comments condemning the Gojra incidence’. The Consul General offered condolences for the Christian martyrs. The delegation was informed by Ahsan Qureshi that Mr. Tassaduq Hussain, the Consul General was promoted to be the High Commissioner and has been posted to Turkmenistan. The delegation congratulated the Consul General and the meeting ended with a positive note but in the spirit of mourning.(Petition filed on August 4, 2009)