Accusations of blasphemy made against three Christian nurses in Pakistan have been dropped. ACN spoke with Fr. James Channan OP, director of the Lahore Peace Centre, about the incident. Fr. Channan praised senior imam Allama Muhammad Zubair Abid for the vital role he played in having the accusations against the nurses dropped.

By ACN Staff.

The director of the Lahore Peace Centre, Fr. James Channan OP, has praised senior imam Allama Muhammad Zubair Abid and other officials for refusing to back the accusation of blasphemy made against three Christian nurses by Muslim colleagues at the Punjab Institute of Mental Health in Lahore. The three Christian nurses, Sakina Mehtab Bibi, Jessica Khurram and Treeza Eric, were accused of blasphemy after a video was circulated on a WhatsApp group belonging the nursing staff at the mental health institute.

The video was recorded by someone in France and condemned the Pakistani Government’s reaction to the EU highlighting the violations of human rights in Pakistan. The European Commission has been asked to consider suspending Pakistan’s trading privileges because of violations of human rights in the country.

The video also highlighted Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, a religious political party in Pakistan, was also criticised in the video. This video created a backlash against Christian staff at the institute. Institute staff protested against their Christian colleagues and shouted Islamist slogans.

Christian staff were threatened and were put under pressure to convert to Islam. The three Christian nurses accused of blasphemy were forced to go into hiding for their own safety. Some of the Muslim staff even demanded that the institute’s chapel be turned into a mosque. They took the chapel’s key and shouted Islamic chants inside the chapel.

Fr. Channan received appeals for the fearful Christian staff at the institute. At this stage a requested intervention was made to Mr. Zubair Abid, vice-president of the Pakistan Ulema Board (a group of Islamic scholars). Mr. Zubair Abid is also chair of the Pakistan Peace Foundation. He agreed to help mediate. After consulting with those involved, the senior imam declared that the Christian nurses had not committed blasphemy.

After this a hearing was held at the institute that included Christian and Muslim staff, Church leaders, police officials, and representatives of the federal and provincial governments. The government representatives included Shunila Ruth, Parliamentary Secretary for Inter-religious Harmony and Dr Nausheen Hamid, Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Health. Fr. Channan said there was what he described as a reconciliation held in the chapel on Friday the 8th of May following the hearing.

Fr. Channan said the following of the intervention made by Mr. Zubair Abid:

“Mr Zubair Abid played a vital role in defusing the situation which so easily could have flared up and caused riots in different parts of the country.”

The priest also praised the interventions made by the officials. Fr. Channan lastly thanked ACN for supporting the Lahore Peace Centre:

“I have had good relations with ACN for many years and the charity has done a lot to help our pastoral outreach to young people.”