President pardons 59 Christian prisoners on appeal of “Life for All”

Islamabad: November 12, 2009. (PCP) President of Pakistan Mr. Asif Ali Zardari approved pardon for 59 Christian prisoners here today who were falsely accused of minor crimes and were in jail without any bail or no one provided them support of legal aid or they were so poor to hire any attorney for them. These 59 Christian inmates were in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar ans Sialkot Jails. Rizwan Paul, President of “Life for All” a civil society organization based in Lahore have petitioned government of Pakistan to pardon these Christian prisoners and sought mercy for them.From Adyala Jail, Rawalpindi: 1. Shamsher Mashi, 2. John Gill, 3. Samuel Pervaiz, 4. Rana Riaz, 5. Shahid Gill, 6. Jamshed John, 7. Pastor Samuel John, 8. Jalal Mashi, 9. Peter Riaz, 10. Rizwana Kohkar,11. Saqib Adeel, 12. David Simon, 13. Robert Mashi, 14. Asher Bhatti, 15. Nadeem Bhatti, 16. Rehmat Bhatti, 17. Paster Asher MehangaFrom Kot Lakhpat jail Lahore: 1. Sohail John, 2. Rana Maqsood, 3. Mary Aqsa, 4. John Sadiq, 5. Gorge Mashi, 6. Samuel Victor, 7. Shahid Anwer, 8. David Javed, 9. Saleem John, 10. Asif John, 11. Noman Mashi, 12. Joshua Mall, 13. Asher John, 14. Sadia Yousaf, 15. Yousaf MashiFrom Sialkot Jail, Sialkot :1. John Peter, 2. Shahid John, 3. John Asif, 4. Asher Anwer, 5. Suleman Gill,6. Shahid Gill, 7. Sunil Sabistian, 8. Sajid Riaz, 9. John MallFrom Peshawar Jail:1. Justin Javed. 2. Rana Nawaz, 3. Adrish Nawaz Khan, 4. Raymond Khan, 5. Victor Mall, 6. John Rehmat, 7. Khalid George, 8. Daud GeorgeFrom Karachi Jail: 1. Riaz Javed, 2. Reynolds Dean, 3. John Mall, 4. Sam Mall, 5. Shama Gill, 6. Daniel Mall, 7. Peter Christie, 8. David Christie, 9. John lala, 10. Solomon GillThere are hundreds of Church based and Christian/Muslim civil society organizations who claim to provide legal aid assistance to Christians and other poor people but its truth that poor in Pakistan are implicated in false cases and go behind bars for years.The organizations getting huge sums of funds from foreign donor agencies only follow cases which can give them publicity and poor are left without any legal aid.There are hundreds of Christians and thousands of poor Muslims in jails from years without any assistance of lawyer who may fight their cases.The implication of Christians in false fabricated cases in different minor charges is routine of police and they stay in prisons for years when their families can not afford any attorney.