Pakistan's Christian community is increasingly coming under attack. The Pak mission at the UN is facing calls to take concrete action. Molly Gambhir reports.

Gravitas: The Abysmal state of Christians in Pakistan

Terming as "reprehensible" the reports of food being denied to Hindu and Christian communities in Pakistan amidst the coronavirus crisis, a US government organisation has urged Islamabad to ensure that food aid from distributing organisations is shared equally with all religious minorities in the country.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/afghanistan/covid-19-cases-in-afghanistan-surge-to-714-imf-gives-debt-relief-292444" hreflang="en">Covid-19 cases in Afghanistan surge to 714, IMF gives debt relief</a>

"As COVID-19 continues to spread, vulnerable communities within Pakistan are fighting hunger and to keep their families safe and healthy, food aid must not be denied because of one's faith," the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Commissioner, Anurima Bhargava, said here on Monday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-reports-5478-coronavirus-cases-punjab-region-worst-hit-292278">Pakistan reports 5,478 coronavirus cases; Punjab region worst-hit</a>

The USCIRF said it is "troubled" by the reports of food being denied to Hindu and Christian communities in Pakistan amidst the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

"These actions are simply reprehensible," Bhargava said.

"We urge the Pakistani government to ensure that food aid from distributing organisations is shared equally with Hindus, Christians, and other religions minorities," she said.

In Karachi, there have been reports that the Saylani Welfare International Trust, a non-government organisation established to assist the homeless and seasonal workers, has been refusing food assistance to Hindus and Christians, arguing that the aid is reserved for Muslims alone.

USCIRF Commissioner Johnnie Moore said that in a recent address to the international community, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has noted that the governments in the developing world are facing the challenge of saving people from dying of hunger, while also trying to halt the spread of COVID-19.

"This is a monumental task laying before many countries. Prime Minister Khan's government has the opportunity to lead the way, but they must not leave religious minorities behind. Otherwise, they may add on top of it all one more crisis, created by religious discrimination and inter-communal strife," Moore said.

In its 2019 Annual Report, the USCIRF has noted that Hindus and Christians in Pakistan "face continued threats to their security and are subject to various forms of harassment and social exclusion".

Terming as "reprehensible" the reports of food being denied to Hindu and Christian communities in Pakistan amidst the coronavirus crisis, a US government organisation has urged Islamabad to ensure that food aid from distributing organisations is shared equally with all religious minorities in the country.

Terming as "reprehensible" the reports of food being denied to Hindu and Christian communities in Pakistan amidst the coronavirus crisis, a US government organisation has urged Islamabad to ensure that food aid from distributing organisations is shared equally with all religious minorities in the country. Also read: Covid-19 cases in Afghanistan surge to 714, IMF gives debt relief "As COVID-19 continues to spread, vulnerable communities within Pakistan are fighting hunger and to keep their families safe and healthy, food aid must not be denied because of one's faith," the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Commissioner, Anurima Bhargava, said here on Monday. Also read: Pakistan reports 5,478 coronavirus cases; Punjab region worst-hit The USCIRF said it is "troubled" by the reports of food being denied to Hindu and Christian communities in Pakistan amidst the coronavirus outbreak in the country. "These actions are simply reprehensible," Bhargava said. "We urge the Pakistani government to ensure that food aid from distributing organisations is shared equally with Hindus, Christians, and other religions minorities," she said. In Karachi, there have been reports that the Saylani Welfare International Trust, a non-government organisation established to assist the homeless and seasonal workers, has been refusing food assistance to Hindus and Christians, arguing that the aid is reserved for Muslims alone. USCIRF Commissioner Johnnie Moore said that in a recent address to the international community, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has noted that the governments in the developing world are facing the challenge of saving people from dying of hunger, while also trying to halt the spread of COVID-19. "This is a monumental task laying before many countries. Prime Minister Khan's government has the opportunity to lead the way, but they must not leave religious minorities behind. Otherwise, they may add on top of it all one more crisis, created by religious discrimination and inter-communal strife," Moore said. In its 2019 Annual Report, the USCIRF has noted that Hindus and Christians in Pakistan "face continued threats to their security and are subject to various forms of harassment and social exclusion".

Denial of food to Hindus, Christians in Pakistan 'reprehensible': US govt

Pakistani Christians living in parts of Europe held a protest rally in Geneva to raise their voice against Islamic hardliners who are persecuting minorities in the name of blasphemy.

The protesters including women and children carried out a rally from Palais Wilson, the current headquarters of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to Broken Chair, during the 40th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

They demanded that the Pakistan government must abolish the 'dangerous' law misused by the state and non-state actors to target the minorities.

Frank John, a Pakistani Christian and Chairman of Drumchapel Asian Forum in NW Glasgow, said, "We are unhappy with the functioning of the government in Pakistan because the mindset of 'maulvis' towards Christians is immoral. Every day, atrocities are being committed against our children, especially girls, which is not acceptable. Our girls are being kidnapped by misusing PPC 295C and they are converted into Islam," He added.

"Every person in Pakistan is unhappy with Act 295C because we always remain in fear of its misuse. If we have an altercation with any person, they put us under PPC 295C. This is a dangerous law and needs to be abolished, " he said.

Christians in Pakistan have been facing systematic persecution as not only their churches were being targetted but also girls who are being kidnapped and forcibly converted into Islam.&nbsp;

Samuel Aziz, Head of Overseas Pakistani Christian Association in Germany said, "We are protesting here as we are not getting our rights in Pakistan because of fundamentalist forces."

He added, "We have a demand that this law (blasphemy) should be abolished. These incidents get exposed at international level. In the case of Asiya Bibi, we are thankful to the Supreme Court of Pakistan that she got justice because of the government's efforts. The government is not abolishing this law but is helping us to get justice. But, since there are fundamentalist forces, we are facing persecution."

Many members of European Parliamentarians and human rights activists also joined the protest by Pakistani Christians.&nbsp;

Dr Mario Silva, Executive Chairman of International Forum for Rights and Security said, "Pakistan systematically discriminates against minorities. Christians are particularly targetted by the blasphemy law. Christian persecution is a real threat to democracy and it's a real threat to human rights. It's something the world community needs to take a look at."

"I do believe what's happening is a slow genocide which will eventually eliminate all Christians from the country. Last, the government does something about the fundamentalism that spread into the system both in the education system, political system and social system in the country. It will never be able to fully functional democracy," He added.

"The state has a responsibility to protect its minorities rather destroying them. They have to go against the perpetrators of crimes against Christians. There are attacks on Christians, suicide bombings are taking place and the government is doing nothing to investigate the persecution of Christians in the country."

Criticising the blasphemy law, Dr Mario said, "Blasphemy law should in fact never be a part of any democratic system of government because blasphemy law is meant to target minorities. It was designed to target the Christian minority and also the Ahmadiyya community as well. These communities are suffering a lot because of the blasphemy law. Because the blasphemy law is there, it has led to intolerance. It has led to the growth of extremists in the country who continue to use this as a tool to harass, intimidate and jail minorities in the country."

Christians make up less than two per cent of the population in Pakistan. Their numbers are decreasing as many of them are migrating to other countries for their safety.

Pakistani Christians living in parts of Europe held a protest rally in Geneva to raise their voice against Islamic hardliners who are persecuting minorities in the name of blasphemy.

Pakistani Christians living in parts of Europe held a protest rally in Geneva to raise their voice against Islamic hardliners who are persecuting minorities in the name of blasphemy. The protesters including women and children carried out a rally from Palais Wilson, the current headquarters of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to Broken Chair, during the 40th session of the UN Human Rights Council. They demanded that the Pakistan government must abolish the 'dangerous' law misused by the state and non-state actors to target the minorities. Frank John, a Pakistani Christian and Chairman of Drumchapel Asian Forum in NW Glasgow, said, "We are unhappy with the functioning of the government in Pakistan because the mindset of 'maulvis' towards Christians is immoral. Every day, atrocities are being committed against our children, especially girls, which is not acceptable. Our girls are being kidnapped by misusing PPC 295C and they are converted into Islam," He added. "Every person in Pakistan is unhappy with Act 295C because we always remain in fear of its misuse. If we have an altercation with any person, they put us under PPC 295C. This is a dangerous law and needs to be abolished, " he said. Christians in Pakistan have been facing systematic persecution as not only their churches were being targetted but also girls who are being kidnapped and forcibly converted into Islam. Samuel Aziz, Head of Overseas Pakistani Christian Association in Germany said, "We are protesting here as we are not getting our rights in Pakistan because of fundamentalist forces." He added, "We have a demand that this law (blasphemy) should be abolished. These incidents get exposed at international level. In the case of Asiya Bibi, we are thankful to the Supreme Court of Pakistan that she got justice because of the government's efforts. The government is not abolishing this law but is helping us to get justice. But, since there are fundamentalist forces, we are facing persecution." Many members of European Parliamentarians and human rights activists also joined the protest by Pakistani Christians. Dr Mario Silva, Executive Chairman of International Forum for Rights and Security said, "Pakistan systematically discriminates against minorities. Christians are particularly targetted by the blasphemy law. Christian persecution is a real threat to democracy and it's a real threat to human rights. It's something the world community needs to take a look at." "I do believe what's happening is a slow genocide which will eventually eliminate all Christians from the country. Last, the government does something about the fundamentalism that spread into the system both in the education system, political system and social system in the country. It will never be able to fully functional democracy," He added. "The state has a responsibility to protect its minorities rather destroying them. They have to go against the perpetrators of crimes against Christians. There are attacks on Christians, suicide bombings are taking place and the government is doing nothing to investigate the persecution of Christians in the country." Criticising the blasphemy law, Dr Mario said, "Blasphemy law should in fact never be a part of any democratic system of government because blasphemy law is meant to target minorities. It was designed to target the Christian minority and also the Ahmadiyya community as well. These communities are suffering a lot because of the blasphemy law. Because the blasphemy law is there, it has led to intolerance. It has led to the growth of extremists in the country who continue to use this as a tool to harass, intimidate and jail minorities in the country." Christians make up less than two per cent of the population in Pakistan. Their numbers are decreasing as many of them are migrating to other countries for their safety.

Blasphemy laws being used to harass Christians in Pakistan: Activists

South Asia Minority Alliance Foundation (SAMAF) Chairman Nadeem Nusrat has warned that Pakistan would plunge into further diplomatic isolation if immediate measures are not taken to address the grievances of the country's ethnic and religious minorities.

He expressed deep concern over reports of unlawful arrests and enforced disappearances of 24 young Christians in Pakistan.

In a statement issued to media, the chairman of US-based advocacy group strongly condemned these acts and demanded immediate recovery of the missing Christians.

South Asia Minority Alliance Foundation is an advocacy group raising awareness about the rights of ethnic and religious minorities in the region.

State brutalities against Mohajirs, Balochs, Pashtoons and the people of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) have been a common occurrence in Pakistan. Unfortunately, these brutalities have now been extended to country's religious minorities as well, and Christians, Hindus, and Ahmadis are being targeted on a daily basis in different parts of the country, the statement quoted Nadeem Nusrat, as saying.

"For years, Mohajirs, Balochs, and Pashtoons have been the victims of enforced disappearances in Pakistan. Hundreds of young Mohajir men have gone missing in Karachi alone having been abducted by Pakistan's Punjabi-dominated security agencies," the statement added.

As per reports emerging from Karachi, Pakistan's Christian minority has also become a target of the notorious practice of enforced disappearances, as at least 24 Christian men have gone missing after being allegedly abducted by Pakistani law enforcement agencies in pre-dawn raids.

"These reports suggest that mask-wearing raiding officers routinely barge into houses of Christians in Karachi, often by forcibly breaking the doors, drag male members out of their beds and take them away," read the statement.

The whereabouts of these men have not been revealed to their family members, lawyers and none has been produced before any court of law as yet.

Nusrat said that there have been numerous armed attacks on churches in Pakistan and the target killing of Christians is on the rise.

In Quetta, the heavily militarized capital city of restive Balochistan province, many Christians have been killed by militants belonging to state-sponsored religious extremists in the last few weeks, alleged Nusrat.

The controversial blasphemy law is also being used to suppress the voice of religious minorities in Pakistan. Many members of religious minorities have been killed by religious zealots or arrested on false charges under the blasphemy laws.

He further said that religious extremist groups working under the patronage of military establishment are fueling hatred and terror against the minorities including Christians. Hardliners within Pakistan's military establishment are using these proxies to impose their hardline religious agenda in the country.

The statement even noted that the minorities in Pakistan are at the mercy of these jihadi groups who are operating freely without any fear.

The SAMAF Chairman said that our organization believes in religious harmony and equal rights for all minorities and is striving for the rights of all deprived classes in the region.

Nusrat said that SAMAF members are raising voice for Christians in their meetings with US lawmakers and at decision-making forums.

Nadeem Nusrat urged the US administration and world community to put more pressure on Pakistani authorities to stop human rights abuses and protect the lives and interests of all minorities in the country.&nbsp

&nbsp

He expressed deep concern over reports of unlawful arrests and enforced disappearances of 24 young Christians in Pakistan

South Asia Minority Alliance Foundation (SAMAF) Chairman Nadeem Nusrat has warned that Pakistan would plunge into further diplomatic isolation if immediate measures are not taken to address the grievances of the country's ethnic and religious minorities. He expressed deep concern over reports of unlawful arrests and enforced disappearances of 24 young Christians in Pakistan. In a statement issued to media, the chairman of US-based advocacy group strongly condemned these acts and demanded immediate recovery of the missing Christians. South Asia Minority Alliance Foundation is an advocacy group raising awareness about the rights of ethnic and religious minorities in the region. State brutalities against Mohajirs, Balochs, Pashtoons and the people of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) have been a common occurrence in Pakistan. Unfortunately, these brutalities have now been extended to country's religious minorities as well, and Christians, Hindus, and Ahmadis are being targeted on a daily basis in different parts of the country, the statement quoted Nadeem Nusrat, as saying. "For years, Mohajirs, Balochs, and Pashtoons have been the victims of enforced disappearances in Pakistan. Hundreds of young Mohajir men have gone missing in Karachi alone having been abducted by Pakistan's Punjabi-dominated security agencies," the statement added. As per reports emerging from Karachi, Pakistan's Christian minority has also become a target of the notorious practice of enforced disappearances, as at least 24 Christian men have gone missing after being allegedly abducted by Pakistani law enforcement agencies in pre-dawn raids. "These reports suggest that mask-wearing raiding officers routinely barge into houses of Christians in Karachi, often by forcibly breaking the doors, drag male members out of their beds and take them away," read the statement. The whereabouts of these men have not been revealed to their family members, lawyers and none has been produced before any court of law as yet. Nusrat said that there have been numerous armed attacks on churches in Pakistan and the target killing of Christians is on the rise. In Quetta, the heavily militarized capital city of restive Balochistan province, many Christians have been killed by militants belonging to state-sponsored religious extremists in the last few weeks, alleged Nusrat. The controversial blasphemy law is also being used to suppress the voice of religious minorities in Pakistan. Many members of religious minorities have been killed by religious zealots or arrested on false charges under the blasphemy laws. He further said that religious extremist groups working under the patronage of military establishment are fueling hatred and terror against the minorities including Christians. Hardliners within Pakistan's military establishment are using these proxies to impose their hardline religious agenda in the country. The statement even noted that the minorities in Pakistan are at the mercy of these jihadi groups who are operating freely without any fear. The SAMAF Chairman said that our organization believes in religious harmony and equal rights for all minorities and is striving for the rights of all deprived classes in the region. Nusrat said that SAMAF members are raising voice for Christians in their meetings with US lawmakers and at decision-making forums. Nadeem Nusrat urged the US administration and world community to put more pressure on Pakistani authorities to stop human rights abuses and protect the lives and interests of all minorities in the country.

Pakistan in deeper isolation if minorities issue remains unaddressed: SAMAF Chairman Nadeem Nusrat

&ldquo;The year 2017 will be one of peace and love,&rdquo; Naheed Naz told me. &ldquo;There is nothing in the scriptures about it, but Jesus puts feelings in your heart about what is going to happen. It is a matter of faith and we believe in it.&rdquo;

I met Naz, in her 40s, and a nursing teacher with a Masters degree in Public Health, at the All Saints Church in the heart of Peshawar&rsquo;s old city. She sounded optimistic despite the last days of 2016 bringing more turmoil in Pakistan for Christians.

Christmas messages were received with death threats and a Christian man was arrested on December 30 for allegedly desecrating the Koran. He currently faces the death penalty.

I could feel this tense atmosphere as I approached the All Saints Church on Christmas Day. The 19th-century building of Islamic Saracenic style reflecting in the brilliantly sunny day outside.

As I entered the the church&rsquo;s hall, the faithful were taking seats in anticipation of the Christmas mass. I had to come in through heavy security. The street where the church stands was blocked at both ends by sand barriers and guarded by security personal. On 22 September 2013, a twin suicide bomb attack during a Sunday mass at the church killed 127 people.

I asked Naz how the Christmas of her childhood differed from now. She recounted memories of her childhood and her sister&rsquo;s: the letter to Santa, her mother and father who used to make their life loving and rich, and the moral values of love and peace Christmas used to bring. Naz lost her mother in the 2013 bombing.

A little later, as I sat in the church, I met Shafi Maseeh, 75, who also lost his son in the same terror attack. He had little to say. Shafi is the real prototype of a Christian in Pakistan. A janitor by trade, he had no good memories to share of anything.

Most Christians I talked to felt a loss of identity, isolation and a deep sense of alienation. There was no nostalgia for the past, nor any enthusiasm for the present.

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Pakistan is roughly 1.6% Christian. (Others)
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In the All Saints Church, I was not alone at the Christmas ceremony. The local media had come too. Father Patrick Naeem was happy to see them and thanked the government, the media and the chief of the Pakistani army, while also asking journalists to respect the parishioners as they took photos of the ceremony.

One reporter asked me what I was doing there. When I told her I was going to do a story on Christmas and would like to interview her too she angrily replied, &ldquo;I am not a Christian, do I look like one?&rdquo; I was shocked for a moment. &ldquo;There is nothing wrong with being a Christian,&rdquo; I said.

Another reporter warned me as I was leaving the place: &ldquo;Be careful, liberals are on the hitlist.&rdquo; I just kept quiet.

Pakistan&rsquo;s Christian minority

There is no definitive figure, but Christians make up roughly 1.6% of the population of Pakistan, as many as Hindus, according to the latest official statistics.

Christians mostly converted from Hinduism to escape the caste-dominated Indian society before the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. But changing religion didn&rsquo;t help: the roots of discrimination based on caste run deep in both Indian and Pakistani society.

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The Christmas ceremony is an event on its own as media gathered to film. (Others)
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The plight of Christians has persisted for decades, but there has also been a rise of hatred against Christians since the late 1980s, when the dictator Zia ul Haq introduced Pakistan&rsquo;s blasphemy law, particularly used to persecute Christians.

A double oppression

Pakistani society is still marred by racism and questions of caste, even among Muslims, despite the Qur&rsquo;an setting out radical equality for all.

Across South Asia, Muslims remain divided up by various hierarchical systems. This long trail of caste-related injustice goes back to the beginnings of subcontinental societies and seems impervious to the intrusion of other sources of identity such as the nation-state or religion.

So the Christian community reels under a double oppression of racism, based on the low castes many Christians come from, and religious intolerance towards their belief system.

But even among minorities, Christians are particularly singled out, for a number of reasons. They are visible: they live mostly in urban areas and are often employed in low-wage jobs. They are also the poorest of the community.

In December 2015, the Capital Development Authority of Islamabad submitted a report suggesting that the Christian &ldquo;ugly slums&rdquo; of the capital be destroyed to keep the city clean. The CDA, in this unprecedentedly stupid move (&ldquo;their Trump Moment&rdquo; as the English daily Dawn put it), argued that the campaign of destruction would preserve Islamabad&rsquo;s aesthetics and maintain its Muslim-majority demographic balance.

The proposal was rightly contested by political parties, activists, and NGOs and thwarted by the Supreme Court, but it was a worrying sign of just how poorly Christians are thought of by the Pakistani elite.

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The street outside All Saints Church. Poor Christians live in this quarter of the city. (Others)
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Adding insult to injury, Christians in Pakistan are also seen as representatives of the US and other Western powers who are often held to be responsible for the plight of Muslims around the globe.

Christianity in politics

The plight of Christians is linked to the political foundation of Pakistan and the much criticised Two Nation Theory which became the basis of Partition in 1947. Partition aimed to create a state for Hindus (India) and one for Muslims (Pakistan).

Christians are historically considered to have positively contributed to Pakistani statehood, thus helping the development of the Pakistani society, but today they, along with other non-Muslims, are forbidden from holding high office.

The Christian vote in Pakistan is around 1.3 million, second to the Hindu vote, which is around 1.5 million. While the Hindu vote is mostly concentrated in the Sindh and Punjab regions, Christian voters are more scattered. Since the minority vote is restricted to a few electorates, political parties are not generally interested in serving them, though there is a lot of lip service to minority issues.

Minority representatives protest the problem of segregation from mainstream politics. There is no doubt that the electoral system adds to the problems of already frustrated minority communities in Pakistan. Minorities don&rsquo;t have the right to place their own candidates in elections. They can vote for any Muslim candidate in their constituency from within the general seats, and they also have the right to vote for a minority candidate, but they don&rsquo;t have the right to choose these. They are instead given minority seats for which tickets are allotted by mainstream political parties.

Fractured communities

While talking to various Christians, I observed very little sense of community. All identity revolves around the personal and in Pakistan, that is steeped in the psychology of status.

Christians in Pakistan are faced with both victim-blaming from without and the self-loathing it generates within the individual.

Continuous repression as a community within social and political life in Pakistan has led some to blame themselves for their problems. Self-incrimination, a shallow sense of belonging to the mainstream and the loss of the social self-were often apparent in my conversations for this article.

&ldquo;Our people are not serious about their studies; they don&rsquo;t save money,&rdquo; a priest who works as a waiter at my university&rsquo;s student accommodation told me. &ldquo;I do save, though I am usually in debt, while keeping my needs to the minimum.&rdquo; When I asked if it is because of the loss of hope that some Christians struggle in school and work, he replied, &ldquo;No, I have made it from a janitor to a waiter. My boys are going to school. Isn&rsquo;t it an environment conducive to success?&rdquo;

Living with contradiction

Christians are often the recipient of local charities. &ldquo;Yes, we like them, because they grew up with us,&rdquo; a high-level political activist in Peshawar told me. &ldquo;They clean our homes and we give them our used clothes, and also food. They are good people. We also offer them gifts for Christmas. We just did this year, too.&rdquo; The activist was also a trader in the market in front of the All Saints Church.

Christians often feel the same way. &ldquo;The political parties don&rsquo;t care for us,&rdquo; the priest at Peshawar University said. &ldquo;Some politicians do, though. They offer us gifts for Christmas. I also got my package. They change the carpets of our church every now and then. This is good.&rdquo;

In the present environment of hopelessness and fear, the only option left for Christians is to learn to live with Pakistan&rsquo;s deep contradictions &ndash; discrimination from the state, but charity from politicians.

Centuries of continuous repression have left many without any sense of identity within their home country. Many Christians here just want to breathe &ndash; being able to truly live is a distant dream.

This article was originally published on&nbsp;<a href="https://theconversation.com/au" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/breathing-without-living-the-plight-of-christians-in-pakistan-70892" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

Images credit: Altaf Khan (Author)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Christians' plight in Pakistan reflects the confused identity and ideologies of the country they live in

“The year 2017 will be one of peace and love,” Naheed Naz told me. “There is nothing in the scriptures about it, but Jesus puts feelings in your heart about what is going to happen. It is a matter of faith and we believe in it.” I met Naz, in her 40s, and a nursing teacher with a Masters degree in Public Health, at the All Saints Church in the heart of Peshawar’s old city. She sounded optimistic despite the last days of 2016 bringing more turmoil in Pakistan for Christians. Christmas messages were received with death threats and a Christian man was arrested on December 30 for allegedly desecrating the Koran. He currently faces the death penalty. I could feel this tense atmosphere as I approached the All Saints Church on Christmas Day. The 19th-century building of Islamic Saracenic style reflecting in the brilliantly sunny day outside. As I entered the the church’s hall, the faithful were taking seats in anticipation of the Christmas mass. I had to come in through heavy security. The street where the church stands was blocked at both ends by sand barriers and guarded by security personal. On 22 September 2013, a twin suicide bomb attack during a Sunday mass at the church killed 127 people. I asked Naz how the Christmas of her childhood differed from now. She recounted memories of her childhood and her sister’s: the letter to Santa, her mother and father who used to make their life loving and rich, and the moral values of love and peace Christmas used to bring. Naz lost her mother in the 2013 bombing. A little later, as I sat in the church, I met Shafi Maseeh, 75, who also lost his son in the same terror attack. He had little to say. Shafi is the real prototype of a Christian in Pakistan. A janitor by trade, he had no good memories to share of anything. Most Christians I talked to felt a loss of identity, isolation and a deep sense of alienation. There was no nostalgia for the past, nor any enthusiasm for the present. Pakistan is roughly 1.6% Christian. (Others) × In the All Saints Church, I was not alone at the Christmas ceremony. The local media had come too. Father Patrick Naeem was happy to see them and thanked the government, the media and the chief of the Pakistani army, while also asking journalists to respect the parishioners as they took photos of the ceremony. One reporter asked me what I was doing there. When I told her I was going to do a story on Christmas and would like to interview her too she angrily replied, “I am not a Christian, do I look like one?” I was shocked for a moment. “There is nothing wrong with being a Christian,” I said. Another reporter warned me as I was leaving the place: “Be careful, liberals are on the hitlist.” I just kept quiet. Pakistan’s Christian minority There is no definitive figure, but Christians make up roughly 1.6% of the population of Pakistan, as many as Hindus, according to the latest official statistics. Christians mostly converted from Hinduism to escape the caste-dominated Indian society before the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. But changing religion didn’t help: the roots of discrimination based on caste run deep in both Indian and Pakistani society. The Christmas ceremony is an event on its own as media gathered to film. (Others) × The plight of Christians has persisted for decades, but there has also been a rise of hatred against Christians since the late 1980s, when the dictator Zia ul Haq introduced Pakistan’s blasphemy law, particularly used to persecute Christians. A double oppression Pakistani society is still marred by racism and questions of caste, even among Muslims, despite the Qur’an setting out radical equality for all. Across South Asia, Muslims remain divided up by various hierarchical systems. This long trail of caste-related injustice goes back to the beginnings of subcontinental societies and seems impervious to the intrusion of other sources of identity such as the nation-state or religion. So the Christian community reels under a double oppression of racism, based on the low castes many Christians come from, and religious intolerance towards their belief system. But even among minorities, Christians are particularly singled out, for a number of reasons. They are visible: they live mostly in urban areas and are often employed in low-wage jobs. They are also the poorest of the community. In December 2015, the Capital Development Authority of Islamabad submitted a report suggesting that the Christian “ugly slums” of the capital be destroyed to keep the city clean. The CDA, in this unprecedentedly stupid move (“their Trump Moment” as the English daily Dawn put it), argued that the campaign of destruction would preserve Islamabad’s aesthetics and maintain its Muslim-majority demographic balance. The proposal was rightly contested by political parties, activists, and NGOs and thwarted by the Supreme Court, but it was a worrying sign of just how poorly Christians are thought of by the Pakistani elite. The street outside All Saints Church. Poor Christians live in this quarter of the city. (Others) × Adding insult to injury, Christians in Pakistan are also seen as representatives of the US and other Western powers who are often held to be responsible for the plight of Muslims around the globe. Christianity in politics The plight of Christians is linked to the political foundation of Pakistan and the much criticised Two Nation Theory which became the basis of Partition in 1947. Partition aimed to create a state for Hindus (India) and one for Muslims (Pakistan). Christians are historically considered to have positively contributed to Pakistani statehood, thus helping the development of the Pakistani society, but today they, along with other non-Muslims, are forbidden from holding high office. The Christian vote in Pakistan is around 1.3 million, second to the Hindu vote, which is around 1.5 million. While the Hindu vote is mostly concentrated in the Sindh and Punjab regions, Christian voters are more scattered. Since the minority vote is restricted to a few electorates, political parties are not generally interested in serving them, though there is a lot of lip service to minority issues. Minority representatives protest the problem of segregation from mainstream politics. There is no doubt that the electoral system adds to the problems of already frustrated minority communities in Pakistan. Minorities don’t have the right to place their own candidates in elections. They can vote for any Muslim candidate in their constituency from within the general seats, and they also have the right to vote for a minority candidate, but they don’t have the right to choose these. They are instead given minority seats for which tickets are allotted by mainstream political parties. Fractured communities While talking to various Christians, I observed very little sense of community. All identity revolves around the personal and in Pakistan, that is steeped in the psychology of status. Christians in Pakistan are faced with both victim-blaming from without and the self-loathing it generates within the individual. Continuous repression as a community within social and political life in Pakistan has led some to blame themselves for their problems. Self-incrimination, a shallow sense of belonging to the mainstream and the loss of the social self-were often apparent in my conversations for this article. “Our people are not serious about their studies; they don’t save money,” a priest who works as a waiter at my university’s student accommodation told me. “I do save, though I am usually in debt, while keeping my needs to the minimum.” When I asked if it is because of the loss of hope that some Christians struggle in school and work, he replied, “No, I have made it from a janitor to a waiter. My boys are going to school. Isn’t it an environment conducive to success?” Living with contradiction Christians are often the recipient of local charities. “Yes, we like them, because they grew up with us,” a high-level political activist in Peshawar told me. “They clean our homes and we give them our used clothes, and also food. They are good people. We also offer them gifts for Christmas. We just did this year, too.” The activist was also a trader in the market in front of the All Saints Church. Christians often feel the same way. “The political parties don’t care for us,” the priest at Peshawar University said. “Some politicians do, though. They offer us gifts for Christmas. I also got my package. They change the carpets of our church every now and then. This is good.” In the present environment of hopelessness and fear, the only option left for Christians is to learn to live with Pakistan’s deep contradictions – discrimination from the state, but charity from politicians. Centuries of continuous repression have left many without any sense of identity within their home country. Many Christians here just want to breathe – being able to truly live is a distant dream. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Images credit: Altaf Khan (Author) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: Christmas and the plight of Christians in Pakistan

A Pakistani Christian was charged with blasphemy on Monday after his Muslim friend alleged he had sent a poem on Whatsapp that insulted Islam, police said. 
 
Yasir Bashir said Nadeem James had sent him a poem on the messaging app that was derogatory about the Prophet Mohammed and other holy figures. 
 
&quot;Police have registered a case on blasphemy charges against Nadeem James and are searching for him as he has fled his home,&quot; a local law enforcement official told AFP on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter. 
 
Another police official said that James&rsquo; relatives had been taken into &quot;protective custody&quot; and that there was increased security in Christian neighbourhoods in the town of Sara-i-Almgeer, around 160 kilometres (100 miles) north of Lahore, because of local tension arising from Bashir&#39;s complaint. 
 
Such allegations can trigger beatings and mob violence in the conservative country, which has strict blasphemy laws including the death penalty for insulting the prophet. 
 
A Christian couple was lynched then burnt in a kiln in Punjab in 2014 after being falsely accused of desecrating the Koran. 
 
Rights campaigners say blasphemy laws are often used to settle personal disputes in the Muslim-majority country. 
 
(AFP)

Nadeem James' Muslim friend alleged that he had sent a poem on Whatsapp that insulted Islam. He has since fled his home, said police

A Pakistani Christian was charged with blasphemy on Monday after his Muslim friend alleged he had sent a poem on Whatsapp that insulted Islam, police said. Yasir Bashir said Nadeem James had sent him a poem on the messaging app that was derogatory about the Prophet Mohammed and other holy figures. "Police have registered a case on blasphemy charges against Nadeem James and are searching for him as he has fled his home," a local law enforcement official told AFP on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter. Another police official said that James’ relatives had been taken into "protective custody" and that there was increased security in Christian neighbourhoods in the town of Sara-i-Almgeer, around 160 kilometres (100 miles) north of Lahore, because of local tension arising from Bashir's complaint. Such allegations can trigger beatings and mob violence in the conservative country, which has strict blasphemy laws including the death penalty for insulting the prophet. A Christian couple was lynched then burnt in a kiln in Punjab in 2014 after being falsely accused of desecrating the Koran. Rights campaigners say blasphemy laws are often used to settle personal disputes in the Muslim-majority country. (AFP)

Pakistani Christian charged with blasphemy over WhatsApp poem