Strasbourg:

According to news portal The White Post Pakistan, the European Pakistan Christian Action Committee staged a protest outside the European Parliament, bringing up issues such as the misuse of blasphemy laws, a culture of impunity, discrimination, inciting violence in the name of religion, coerced faith conversions, and forced marriages of Christian and Hindu girls in Pakistan.

Protesters called for the European Union to press Pakistan to uphold its human rights duties under the Generalized System of Preferences citing concerns over breaches of religious freedom. The internet portal highlights the difficulties and little-known tales of Pakistan's religious minority. White Post Pakistan works to give experienced journalists and editors a venue to publish well-researched pieces, with a focus on journalists from religious minority backgrounds.

People holding placards shouted slogans during the rally demanding justice for the Christians who were victims of the Jaranwala attack. The protesters called for reforms to the Pakistani legal system. They added that Pakistan had to think about revising all of its anti-blasphemy laws, easing limits on religious liberty, and making sure that blasphemy defendants are not prosecuted under anti-terrorism statutes.

The demonstrators demanded that legislation prohibiting the forced conversion of minority women and girls to Islam be passed in Pakistan. Joining the demonstration, Swedish member of the European Parliament Charlie Weimer denounced the forced conversion and child marriage of Christian girls in Pakistan. He demanded the unconditional release of prisoners unfairly detained under blasphemy laws.

The European Pakistani Christian Action Committee discussed Anwar Kenneth's case, a Christian who was found guilty of blasphemy and given a death sentence of over 22 years. According to White Post Pakistan, the committee has requested that the Pakistani government immediately acquit him and release him without any conditions.