News & Comments

On Friday, 8th December, Pastor Samuel Barriah Zindani hosted a Christmas Mushairah which was attended by about fifty participants,  Christians and Muslims, many of whom recited their poetry about the Christmas theme. The event took place at The Ridlley Christian Centre, 94 Upton Lane, Forest Gate. The participants who took part in reciting their poems included, Dr Kashif, Syed Absar Ahmed, Sarwat Iqbal, Mehbub A Mehbub, Aslam Zahid, Dr Rahim-ullah Shad, Amjad Mirza, Shikb Mirza, Rev Naeem Waiz, Pastor Asif M Sadiq, while Akhtar Injeeli, the chief-guest for the event closed the night with recitations from Basharat-e Uzma by E.Q. Injeeli. Mr Albert Daniel and Mukhtar Younis presented musical numbers and Pastor Zindani explained the significance of the Christmas event. The event was organized with the help of Mr Ilyas Ayub, Mr Abdul-Aziz and other dignitaries from the host Church.

According to the UK's The Daily Telegraph (10 Oct. 17) vice -president of Balliol's Junior Common Room (JCR) baned a stall of students belonging to the Christian Union (CU), on the grounds ath "Historically,  Christianity's influence on many marginalized communities has been damaging it its metos of conversion and rules of practice, and it still used in many places as an excuse for homophobia and certain form so fneo-colonialism." (p10)

To access the full article:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2017/10/10/oxford-college-bans-harm...

Comments and Analysis:

I would like to call into question the validity of the following  statement in the above article "Historically, Christianity's influence on many marginalized communities has been damaging in its methods of conversion and rules of practice and is still used in many places as an excuse for homophobia and certain forms of neo-colonialism." I am a fifth generation Christian from the part of India which became Pakistan seventy years ago. My ancestors converted to Christianity from "marginalized communities".  I can say with great certainty that  historically, Christianity's  influence on many marginalized communities has been socially life-changing and educationally and economically uplifting. In the life of millions, throughout the world, Christianity has been able to bring positive changes in one generation which otherwise would have taken many.  Its use as "an excuse for homophobia and certain forms of neo-colonialism" is a gross exaggeration, at most  it may apply to a few but not "many places" as alleged.   And of course, the students who come to study at Oxford know that this great institution of learning is steeped in Christian culture, Christian values and Christian ethos.  The presence of Christianity in Oxford is among it's assets and not liabilities.  May be, the vice-president of Balliol's  Junior common room  committee  should be more mindful of  "potential harm" that his bias and ignorance can cause to the great traditions of one the  finest institutions of learning.  In matters like these, I wonder, how accommodating will be the centers of higher learning where traditions of other great religions are  part of their cultural heritage?

CUWAP Report (09 October 2017): We are extremely sad to announce that Mr Naeem Shakir, Awami Workers Party's (AWP) senior leader and a renowned Human Rights lawyer and activist passed away in his Lord's rest on 8th October 2017, after suffering a cardiac arrest while in USA. The members and supporters of the Christian Urdu Writers & Poets' Organization offer our sincerest condolences and deepest sympathies to the family and friends. Mr Shakir has left behind his wife, and two children (a daughter and a son), and of course a very large number of comrades. He was a  Christian by faith, and a committed socialist in matters of political ideology. 

To access the full article: http://awamiworkersparty.org/adieu-comrade-naeem-shakir-a-committed-revo...

Comments and Analysis

As a Christian from Pakistan, I feel the loss of Mr Shakir to be one of our greatest. It's never a good time to loose a legal mind of his stature, but the timing of his death is espacially unfortunate for Pakistani Christians, as he was a brave and ardent defender of minorities. We, all will miss him. And on behalf of Christain Urdu Writers and Poets Organization we would like to acknowledge his services publically and unreservidly. We also extend our heart felt condolences to his family and loved ones.

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The famous columnist, political analyst, writer and theologian, Mr Enayat Masih Badr Sarhadi (popularly known as Ain Meeem Badr Sarhadi), died peacefully in Lahore in the early morning hours of 17th July 2016.  His incisive political analyses, challenging views and prolific expositions will be greatly missed by all those who loved to follow his work. He has left us scores of articles, editorials, essays and critiques, but will be best remembered for his treatise: Nazeriya-e Qaid, Riyasat aur Aqleeyatain.