Presbyterian bishop to act as Shazia family lawyer

Published Date: February 11, 2010

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Bishop Timothy Nasir, of the Presbyterian Church in Pakistan, will lead a team of lawyers following the case of Shazia Bashir, the Catholic girl who was allegedly tortured, raped, and killed last month by her Muslim employer.

Bishop Nasir is the Moderator of the United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan, a canonist and a jurist, and Rector of the Theological Seminary of Gujranwala, in Punjab, Fides reports.

He is also a well-known columnist and defender of the rights of religious minorities in the country.

His appointment was deemed necessary owing to the pressures and threats from other Christian lawyers, contacted by the family of Shazia and organizations who are following the case, in proceedings against lawyer Naeem Choudry, who is accused of the violence and murder.

Choudry is the former President of the High Court of Lahore with close relations with the Pakistani Army, the government in Punjab, and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Fides says.

In recent days, lawyers’ associations and trade unions have largely defended him. There have even been acts of intimidation and threats against lawyers who would side with the defence of Shazia Bashir.

“There was a stalemate, and an initial hearing called by the magistrate had been postponed for lack of a lawyer for the victim’s family, who pressed charges against Choudry,” Fides sources note.

Some doctors in the service of the defense of the lawyer have already indicated that there were no signs of torture or rape on the body of the child. It is feared that even the authorities themselves in Punjab want the case thrown out or manipulated in order to save the lawyer Choudry.

The associations active in defending the rights of Christians are ready for a legal battle to “not let the case of Shazia go unpunished” and “the presence of a prominent figure like Bishop Nasir to follow the case, presents a guarantee and a hope for us all,” say Fides sources from the Church in Pakistan.

SOURCE

A Bishop will serve as Shazia Bashir’s family lawyer (Fides)

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