E/CN.4/1993/62 page 78 Myanmar in the political, social and security context. The Special Rapporteur is, nevertheless, of the opinion that the concrete cases concerning the exercise of the freedom of religion by the members of the Muslim and Christian faiths merits an investigation that would identify the persons, locations and situations concerned, which has not been carried out. The Special Rapporteur believes that the fact that the acts in question have been attributed to terrorist groups does not relieve the Government of its responsibility to conduct an inquiry. Pakistan 48. In a communication of 30 October 1992 addressed to the Government of Pakistan, the following information was transmitted by the Special Rapporteur: "Information concerning Christians According to the information received, members of religious minorities in Pakistan are said to have felt increasingly vulnerable since the passing of the Enforcement of Sharia (Islamic law) Act 1991 which has entailed on 29 July 1991 an amendment to Section 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code concerning the offence of defiling the name of the Prophet Mohammad (Gustakh-e-Rasool). Section 295C was added to the Pakistan Penal Code through the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1986 in order to provide life imprisonment or the death penalty for the criminal offence of defiling the name of the Prophet. By removing the alternative punishment of life imprisonment, the amendment to Section 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code makes the death penalty the mandatory punishment for this offence. It has also been alleged that since the second half of 1991, Islamic law has been invoked with greater frequency against Pakistani citizens of Christian faith although the 1973 Constitution stipulates that it should not be applied to non-Muslim religious minorities. It has further been alleged that commenting on or writing against the Enforcement of Sharia Act 1991 and the amendment of Section 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code may, in the present circumstances, be liable to prosecution under these very laws. According to the information received by the Special Rapporteur, a number of Christians have already been charged under Section 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code. Professional enmity or rivalry in business have been cited as a frequent cause for Christians to be charged and imprisoned under Section 295C, and it is alleged to have compounded their sense of insecurity and fear of intimidation and harassment. Cases of Christian children working as domestic servants who were forcibly converted to the Muslim faith are said to have occurred as well. A nine-year old boy employed in a workshop owned by a Muslim is also said to have been converted to Islam by force. In addition, the Special Rapporteur was informed that a decision has been reached by the authorities to have the religion of all citizens indicated on their identification cards. The following specific incidents involving Christians have been brought to the attention of the Special Rapporteur: Naimat Ahmer, 45, a Christian schoolteacher and well-known author, was killed on 6 January 1992 in Faisalabad, near Lahore in Punjab province, because he had been accused of defiling the name of the Prophet Mohammad on

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