Visit our new British Pakistani Christians website

Visit our new British Pakistani Christians website
This site will no longer publish new material. Please join our new website www.britishpakistanichristians.org

Wednesday 7 March 2012

Protest March and Trafalgar Square Peace Rally 10th March 2012




MEP Jean Lambert and Bishop Emeritus of Rochester Dr Michael Nazir Ali.






The BPCA is organising it's next annual Peace Rally on the 10th March 2012. The event is held on the closet date available after the anniversary of the Assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti (RIP).



The event will start with a 1 hour static protest outside the Pakistan Embassy, Lowndes Square calling for abolition of the Blasphemy Law of Pakistan that has been used to persecute faith minorities living there.



After this visitors will be expected to journey to 10 Downing Street for a 1 hour static protest followed by a Peace rally to Trafalgar Square. We will then hold a 3 hour peace rally concert there and have hired a stage, lighting and a PA system.



Below we list the itinerary:



10:30: Set up to the fore of Pakistan Embassy, Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge (feel free to join us and to assist)
11:00:
1 hour worship service (Christian Only)

12:00: Submission of petition at Pakistan Embassy

12:00 - 13:00: 1 hour for political representations and group remonstrations.

13:00 - 14:00: Visitors to make their own way to 10 Downing street for 14:00 start.

14:00: Political and religious talks from guests

14:10: Submission of Petition at 10 Downing Street

14:15: Political and religious talks from guests

14:30: Peace Procession leaves for Trafalgar Square

15:00 - 18:00 Peace Concert at Trafalgar Square






Guests include:


  • Right Reverend Bishop Vahan Hovhanessian (Armenian Church)

  • Baroness Cox of Queensbury

  • Stuart Windsor (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)

  • Revd. Dr. Darrell D. Hannah (All Saints, Ascot)

  • Canon Toby Crowe (St James Alperton)

  • John Pontifex (Aid to the Church in Need)

  • Irshad Manji (Moral Courage Project - Muslim Reformist)

  • Kasim Hafeez (The Israel Campaign)


  • Julia de Blaauw (Global Human Rights Defence, The Hague)

  • Lyn Julius ( HARIF a group representing Middle East and North African Jews)

  • Dr Helmy Giurgius (President UK Copts)

  • David Dean Nelson Church

  • Gareth Wallace (Public Affairs Advisor to the Salvation Army)

  • Rev Kevin Logan (Christian Peoples Alliance and Lancashire Telegraph)

  • Andrea Minichiello-Williams (Christian Concern)

  • Dr Shahzavar Baloch (International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons)

  • MP Lee Scott (Conservative Party)

  • Martin Mawyer Founder and President of the Christian Action Network (USA)

  • Alan Craig (Christian Peoples Alliance)

  • Rev Stephen Green (Christian Voice)

  • Desmond Fernandes (Genocide Scholar)

  • Imam Dr Hargey (Oxford Islamic Congregation)

  • Dr Desmond Fernandes (Genocide Scholar)

  • Upkar Rai (Chairman British Sikh Council)

  • Jesbir Singh (Free Sarabjit Singh Campaign)

  • Ranbir Singh (Chairman Hindu Human Rights Group)

Worship to include; Hamad and Sally Baily, Ooberfuse, Coptic Choir, Nelson Catholic Choir, George Eliot Dancer and Gerry Coates and Choir.


We will also have Punjabi Dholl drummers leading our protest






Previous events have been a real success and MEP Jean Lambert has attended both events, Baroness Cox attended our first event, while former Bishop of Rochester Dr Michael Nazir Ali joined us on the last event.

We have previously enjoyed company with Women Against Fundamentalism, The Hindu Human Rights Group, Sikh Human Rights Group, British Sikh Council, United Sikhs, Bishop Michael Read, Canon Toby Crowe, Alan Craig Christian Peoples Alliance and many other senior figures.



For 2012 the date of the 10th March commemorates the martyrdom of Shahbaz Bhatti the former Federal Minister for minorities, who was slain, while seeking justice and equality for minorities in Pakistan,





This year we will also hold a 1 minute silence for Shahbaz Bhatti with a few tributes - to our former brother.



Please complete a comment below if you will be coming to encourage others

9 comments:

  1. Its really nice I will be attending peace march and peace concert.

    ReplyDelete
  2. great idea. I support this.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear all at BPCA, we wish all the best for all those who are going to participate in the Peace Rally on the 10th March 2012. Stephen Anjum from Birmingham

    ReplyDelete
  4. Freedom for Asia Bibi!

    I am sleepy, the men and the women of the world we are equal and free; but they are the totalitarian, fascist, repressive, manipulative and corrupt governments with his weapon, his flags and his fundamentalist religions the cancer that starts the hearts.

    ¡Libertad para ASIA BIBI!

    <<A los más diversos verdugos, dictadores, fanáticos, demagogos, que luchan por el poder con una pocas consignas, pero repetidas a gritos, también les gusta su trabajo y también lo realizan con celoso ingenio, claro que sí, pero ellos saben, saben y lo que saben les basta de una vez para siempre. No se interesan en nada más, porque eso podría debilitar la fuerza de sus argumentos. Y cualquier saber que no provoca nuevas preguntas se convierte en algo muerto y pierde la temperatura que propicia la vida…
    Wislawa Szymborska, El Poeta y el Mundo.

    Regards: J. J. Danwcer, seudónimo literario de José Javier Díez
    Spain, España

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am unable to attend but i would request to mention aboutthe new bill recently tabled in PUNJAB PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY, PAKISTAN, "TO MAKE THE STUDY AND READING OF QURAN COMPULSARY IN THE SCHOOLS IN PUNJAB" THIS WILL BRING TERROR AND FEAR TO NOT ONLY TO CHRISTIAN STUDENTD BUT THIS WILL CREATE A HUGE RELIGIOUS TENSION AND PUNJAB IS ALREADY A CENTER OF PERSECUTION AND HATERED. PLEASE VOICE IT FOR NOT TO MAKE IT COMPULSARY READING AT SCHOOLS. IT SHOULD BE DONE ONLY IN RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am unable to attend but will be with you all in the Spirit of our living Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ at this festival of Purim
      Shalom
      Helen

      Delete
  6. Apart from this website, I can't find any mention or publicity of this protest and peace event on the web.
    One mention on Premier is hardly publicity:-(
    Come on media savvy friends please make sure that friends, churches, organisations and the mainstream media are properly briefed.
    I was fortunate to catch the tail end of an interview with the band Ooberfuse, re performing at Trafalgar Square, otherwise, I'd be none the wiser. See you there.

    ReplyDelete
  7. great I wish I could attend u guys r doing a great job tc

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lawyer moves court for bail of blasphemy accused girl

    ReplyDelete