After 86 years an all-faiths museum once again echoed to the sound of Islamic prayers in Turkey. For Turkish Islamists, the&nbsp;re-conversion is a landmark moment as it was a long-awaited restoration of the symbol of Ottoman might.

However, for many others in Turkey and around the world, it&nbsp;is a setback to one of the world's greatest cultural landmarks.

The Hagia Sophia has nothing to do with religion, or Jesus Christ or Prophet Muhammad. It is revered by Christians and Muslims alike, but is not sacred to either of them.

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The structure was constructed by one sovereign as a church and was then converted into a mosque by another sovereign. The process went on for centuries as there were crusades and wars.

While it is a symbol of religious pride and of the conquest mentality, there is nothing particularly sacred about this monument's heritage.

In a picture posted on Instagram of TRT World of the cathedral of Cordoba, the caption read, "Over the centuries, hundreds of mosques across Europe have been turned into churches as part of an attempt to erase the Muslim identity."

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CDAyfCMKU-g/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Over the centuries, hundreds of mosques across Europe have been turned into churches. As a part of an attempt to erase the Muslim identity, several components such as domes and arches reflecting Islamic or Turkish architecture were purposely destroyed or altered, says architect Mehmet Emin Yilmaz. Yilmaz, who explored the Turkish architectural works in the lands dominated by the Ottoman Empire by travelling country by country, determined that 329 Turkish architectural works such as mosques, lodges and tombs were converted into churches across 18 countries. Swipe for some of the mosques that have been converted into churches around Europe. Photos: @mimaremin and Getty ∙ #Conversion #Architecture #GreatMosqueofCordoba #MezquitaCatedral #Europe #Greece #Bulgaria #Mosque #Church</a>

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The cathedral, popularly known as&nbsp;the cathedral of our lady of the assumption, is located in Cordoba, Spain. It was previously&nbsp;an Islamic place of worship, but was converted into a cathedral the 13th century.

The caption on the picture&nbsp;reads, "An attempt to erase Muslim identity".&nbsp;This media network is using a 13th century conquest to justify Erdogan's current decision. The post used one wrong to justify another and is&nbsp;trying to blur the lines between ancient empires and modern-day republics.

Although, it&nbsp;expected from the TRT World as the media house is considered to be Erdogan's propaganda arm.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-turks-mark-hagia-sophias-first-friday-prayers-post-reconversion-315781">Have a look:&nbsp;How Turkey marked Hagia Sophia's first Friday prayers post reconversion</a>

However, what TRT World does not highlight is Erdogan's&nbsp;authoritarianism.

Not once did Erdogan consult any of the stakeholders in the Turkish parliament before taking this decision and&nbsp;did not allow any deliberation on his decision.

In&nbsp;doing so, he has reversed the very secular and democratic credentials of Turkey. His&nbsp;country anyway does not have an impressive record of tolerance for Christians, and&nbsp;most of them have escaped to Europe. Only about a hundred thousand Christians are said to be living in the Turkey,&nbsp;as of today.

This decision carries the danger of causing more frictions between the Christian and Islamic communities as critics believe that&nbsp;Erdogan is using the Hagia Sophia as a tool to legitimise his ambitions.

After 86 years an all-faiths museum once again echoed to the sound of Islamic prayers in Turkey. For Turkish Islamists, the re-conversion is a landmark moment as it was a long-awaited restoration of the symbol of Ottoman might.

After 86 years an all-faiths museum once again echoed to the sound of Islamic prayers in Turkey. For Turkish Islamists, the re-conversion is a landmark moment as it was a long-awaited restoration of the symbol of Ottoman might. However, for many others in Turkey and around the world, it is a setback to one of the world's greatest cultural landmarks. The Hagia Sophia has nothing to do with religion, or Jesus Christ or Prophet Muhammad. It is revered by Christians and Muslims alike, but is not sacred to either of them. The structure was constructed by one sovereign as a church and was then converted into a mosque by another sovereign. The process went on for centuries as there were crusades and wars. While it is a symbol of religious pride and of the conquest mentality, there is nothing particularly sacred about this monument's heritage. In a picture posted on Instagram of TRT World of the cathedral of Cordoba, the caption read, "Over the centuries, hundreds of mosques across Europe have been turned into churches as part of an attempt to erase the Muslim identity." View this post on Instagram Over the centuries, hundreds of mosques across Europe have been turned into churches. As a part of an attempt to erase the Muslim identity, several components such as domes and arches reflecting Islamic or Turkish architecture were purposely destroyed or altered, says architect Mehmet Emin Yilmaz. Yilmaz, who explored the Turkish architectural works in the lands dominated by the Ottoman Empire by travelling country by country, determined that 329 Turkish architectural works such as mosques, lodges and tombs were converted into churches across 18 countries. Swipe for some of the mosques that have been converted into churches around Europe. Photos: @mimaremin and Getty ∙ #Conversion #Architecture #GreatMosqueofCordoba #MezquitaCatedral #Europe #Greece #Bulgaria #Mosque #Church A post shared by TRT World (@trtworld) on Jul 23, 2020 at 10:00pm PDT × The cathedral, popularly known as the cathedral of our lady of the assumption, is located in Cordoba, Spain. It was previously an Islamic place of worship, but was converted into a cathedral the 13th century. The caption on the picture reads, "An attempt to erase Muslim identity". This media network is using a 13th century conquest to justify Erdogan's current decision. The post used one wrong to justify another and is trying to blur the lines between ancient empires and modern-day republics. Although, it expected from the TRT World as the media house is considered to be Erdogan's propaganda arm. Have a look: How Turkey marked Hagia Sophia's first Friday prayers post reconversion However, what TRT World does not highlight is Erdogan's authoritarianism. Not once did Erdogan consult any of the stakeholders in the Turkish parliament before taking this decision and did not allow any deliberation on his decision. In doing so, he has reversed the very secular and democratic credentials of Turkey. His country anyway does not have an impressive record of tolerance for Christians, and most of them have escaped to Europe. Only about a hundred thousand Christians are said to be living in the Turkey, as of today. This decision carries the danger of causing more frictions between the Christian and Islamic communities as critics believe that Erdogan is using the Hagia Sophia as a tool to legitimise his ambitions.

Is Hagia Sophia a new tool for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan?

Jihadists aligned to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-forces-enter-former-islamic-state-stronghold-in-syria-after-us-pullback-267204">Islamic State</a> group have released a video claiming to show the execution of 11 Christians in restive northeast Nigeria.&nbsp;

The footage posted online late Thursday by IS-linked propaganda arm Amaq showed 11 blindfolded men being shot and stabbed by jihadists from the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) at an undisclosed location.

"This is a message to Christians all over the world," said a masked man in the one-minute video.&nbsp;

He claimed the killings were in reprisal for the death of IS chief <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-us-planned-operation-to-kill-islamic-state-leader-abu-bakr-al-baghdadi-258512">Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi</a> and his spokesman.

IS leader Baghdadi committed suicide in October to avoid capture during a US special forces raid on his hideout in the province of Idlib in northwest Syria.&nbsp;

In recent months, ISWAP has intensified its attacks on Christians, security personnel and aid staff, setting up roadblocks on highways and conducting searches. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The United Nations on Tuesday condemned the "increasing practice by armed groups to set up checkpoints targeting civilians" in the northeast of Nigeria.

On Sunday, the jihadists killed six people and abducted five others including two aid workers when they intercepted vehicles on a highway on the outskirts of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

In a similar attack on December 5, ISWAP fighters disguised as Nigerian soldiers stopped and searched&nbsp;vehicles at a checkpoint near Maiduguri.&nbsp;

The group claimed in a statement&nbsp;that six soldiers and eight civilians, including two Red Cross workers, were among those abducted in that attack.&nbsp;

Last week the group released a video showing 11 alleged hostages.&nbsp;

One of the detainees in the video who identified himself as a school teacher said all the 11 hostages were Christians and appealed to the Nigerian government to secure their release.&nbsp;

ISWAP pledged allegiance to Baghdadi in 2016 and split from insurgent group <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/how-boko-haram-has-evolved-over-the-past-ten-years-262723">Boko Haram</a>.

It stepped up attacks on&nbsp;military outposts and&nbsp;troops in mid-2018, but has increasingly begun targeting civilians. &nbsp;

The decade-long jihadist insurgency in northeast Nigeria has killed 36,000 people and displaced around two million, according to the United Nations.

The violence had spread to neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a regional military coalition to fight the militants.

Jihadists aligned to the Islamic State group have released a video claiming to show the execution of 11 Christians in restive northeast Nigeria. The footage posted online late Thursday by IS-linked propaganda arm Amaq showed 11 blindfolded men being shot and stabbed by jihadists from the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) at an undisclosed location.

Jihadists aligned to the Islamic State group have released a video claiming to show the execution of 11 Christians in restive northeast Nigeria. The footage posted online late Thursday by IS-linked propaganda arm Amaq showed 11 blindfolded men being shot and stabbed by jihadists from the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) at an undisclosed location. "This is a message to Christians all over the world," said a masked man in the one-minute video. He claimed the killings were in reprisal for the death of IS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and his spokesman. IS leader Baghdadi committed suicide in October to avoid capture during a US special forces raid on his hideout in the province of Idlib in northwest Syria. In recent months, ISWAP has intensified its attacks on Christians, security personnel and aid staff, setting up roadblocks on highways and conducting searches. The United Nations on Tuesday condemned the "increasing practice by armed groups to set up checkpoints targeting civilians" in the northeast of Nigeria. On Sunday, the jihadists killed six people and abducted five others including two aid workers when they intercepted vehicles on a highway on the outskirts of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital. In a similar attack on December 5, ISWAP fighters disguised as Nigerian soldiers stopped and searched vehicles at a checkpoint near Maiduguri. The group claimed in a statement that six soldiers and eight civilians, including two Red Cross workers, were among those abducted in that attack. Last week the group released a video showing 11 alleged hostages. One of the detainees in the video who identified himself as a school teacher said all the 11 hostages were Christians and appealed to the Nigerian government to secure their release. ISWAP pledged allegiance to Baghdadi in 2016 and split from insurgent group Boko Haram. It stepped up attacks on military outposts and troops in mid-2018, but has increasingly begun targeting civilians. The decade-long jihadist insurgency in northeast Nigeria has killed 36,000 people and displaced around two million, according to the United Nations. The violence had spread to neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a regional military coalition to fight the militants.

Islamic State claims execution of 11 Christians in Nigeria

Christian devouts across India attended midnight mass on the occasion of Christmas festival on Wednesday (December 25). People thronged illuminated and decorated church where they prayed, listened to carols and sermons and lighted candles to mark the occasion.

Christians across India attend midnight mass on Christmas

A Catholic bishop in Colombia hopes holy water will curb violence in a city struggling with crime and corruption.Rubén Darío Jaramillo Montoya travelled on a fire truck to some of Buenaventura's most crime-ridden neighbourhoods , sprinkling water that he had blessed in what he called an attempt to thwart drug trafficking gangs and other illegal groups.

Colombian bishop hopes holy water will curb crime

The Assyrian Christians were early inhabitants of Al-Qush in northern Iraq. after more than 1600 years, preservation of their ancient history was difficult and tiresome. But an Iraqi singer made it possible. Watch this and many more stories like this from the West-Asian part of the world, on The West Asia Post, every friday at 8:30pm, only on WION, WORLD IS ONE.

The West Asia Post: Iraqi Christians rebuild biblical village

As mourners buried the remains of Christian worshippers killed by the Easter Sunday suicide bomb attacks in Sri Lanka, hundreds of Muslim refugees fled Negombo on the country's west coast where communal tensions have flared in recent days.

At least 359 people perished in the coordinated series of blasts targeting churches and hotels. Church leaders believe the final toll from the attack on St Sebastian's Church in Negombo could be close to 200, almost certainly making Negombo the deadliest of the six near-simultaneous attacks.

On Wednesday, hundreds of Pakistani Muslims fled the multi-ethnic port an hour north of the capital, Colombo. Crammed into buses organised by community leaders and police, they left fearing for their safety after threats of revenge from locals.

"Because of the bomb blasts and explosions that have taken place here, the local Sri Lankan people have attacked our houses," Adnan Ali, a Pakistani Muslim, told Reuters as he prepared to board a bus. "Right now we don't know where we will go."

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks, yet despite Islamic State being a Sunni jihadist group, many of the Muslims fleeing Negombo belong to the Ahmadi community, who had been hounded out of Pakistan years ago after their sect was declared non-Muslim.

The fallout from Sunday's attacks appears set to render them homeless once more.

Farah Jameel, a Pakistani Ahmadi, said she had been thrown out of her house by her landlord.

"She said 'get out of here and go wherever you want to go, but don't live here',” she told Reuters, gathered with many others at the Ahmadiyya Mosque, waiting for buses to take them to a safe location.

"I have nothing now"

Sri Lanka's government is in disarray over the failure to prevent the attacks, despite repeated warnings from intelligence sources.

Police have detained an unspecified number of people were detained in western Sri Lanka, the scene of anti-Muslim riots in 2014, in the wake of the attacks, and raids were carried out in neighbourhoods around St Sebastian's Church.

Police played down the threats to the refugees, but said they have been inundated with calls from locals casting suspicion on Pakistanis in Negombo.

"We have to search houses if people suspect," said Herath BSS Sisila Kumara, the officer in charge at Katara police station, where 35 of the Pakistanis that gathered at the mosque were taken into police custody for their own protection, before being sent to an undisclosed location.

"All the Pakistanis have been sent to safe houses," he said. "Only they will decide when they come back."

Two kilometres away, makeshift wooden crosses marked the new graves at the sandy cemetery of St Sebastian's Church, as the latest funerals on Wednesday took the number buried there to 40.

Channa Repunjaya, 49, was at home when he heard about the blast at St Sebastian's. His wife, Chandralata Dassanaike and nine-year-old daughter Meeranhi both died.

"I felt like committing suicide when I heard that they had died,” he told Reuters by the open graves. "I have nothing now."

Meeranhi's grandmother, with her head still bandaged after being wounded in the attack, was held by a relative as the first handfuls of earth were scattered upon her child-sized coffin.

Most of Sri Lanka's 22 million people are Buddhist, but the Indian Ocean island's population includes Muslim, Hindu and Christian minorities. Until now, Christians had largely managed to avoid the worst of the island's conflict and communal tensions.

There were signs of some religious communities pulling together following Sunday's outrage.

Saffron- and scarlet-robed Buddhist monks from a nearby monastery handed out bottled water to mourners who gathered under a baking afternoon sun.

But the town, which has a long history of sheltering refugees – including those made homeless by a devastating tsunami in 2004 – may struggle to recover from Sunday's violence, said Father Jude Thomas, one of dozens of Catholic priests who attended Wednesday's burials.

"Muslims and Catholics lived side by side," he said. "It was always a peaceful area, but now things have come to the surface we cannot control."

As mourners buried the remains of Christian worshippers killed by the Easter Sunday suicide bomb attacks in Sri Lanka, hundreds of Muslim refugees fled Negombo on the country's west coast where communal tensions have flared in recent days.

As mourners buried the remains of Christian worshippers killed by the Easter Sunday suicide bomb attacks in Sri Lanka, hundreds of Muslim refugees fled Negombo on the country's west coast where communal tensions have flared in recent days. At least 359 people perished in the coordinated series of blasts targeting churches and hotels. Church leaders believe the final toll from the attack on St Sebastian's Church in Negombo could be close to 200, almost certainly making Negombo the deadliest of the six near-simultaneous attacks. On Wednesday, hundreds of Pakistani Muslims fled the multi-ethnic port an hour north of the capital, Colombo. Crammed into buses organised by community leaders and police, they left fearing for their safety after threats of revenge from locals. "Because of the bomb blasts and explosions that have taken place here, the local Sri Lankan people have attacked our houses," Adnan Ali, a Pakistani Muslim, told Reuters as he prepared to board a bus. "Right now we don't know where we will go." Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks, yet despite Islamic State being a Sunni jihadist group, many of the Muslims fleeing Negombo belong to the Ahmadi community, who had been hounded out of Pakistan years ago after their sect was declared non-Muslim. The fallout from Sunday's attacks appears set to render them homeless once more. Farah Jameel, a Pakistani Ahmadi, said she had been thrown out of her house by her landlord. "She said 'get out of here and go wherever you want to go, but don't live here',” she told Reuters, gathered with many others at the Ahmadiyya Mosque, waiting for buses to take them to a safe location. "I have nothing now" Sri Lanka's government is in disarray over the failure to prevent the attacks, despite repeated warnings from intelligence sources. Police have detained an unspecified number of people were detained in western Sri Lanka, the scene of anti-Muslim riots in 2014, in the wake of the attacks, and raids were carried out in neighbourhoods around St Sebastian's Church. Police played down the threats to the refugees, but said they have been inundated with calls from locals casting suspicion on Pakistanis in Negombo. "We have to search houses if people suspect," said Herath BSS Sisila Kumara, the officer in charge at Katara police station, where 35 of the Pakistanis that gathered at the mosque were taken into police custody for their own protection, before being sent to an undisclosed location. "All the Pakistanis have been sent to safe houses," he said. "Only they will decide when they come back." Two kilometres away, makeshift wooden crosses marked the new graves at the sandy cemetery of St Sebastian's Church, as the latest funerals on Wednesday took the number buried there to 40. Channa Repunjaya, 49, was at home when he heard about the blast at St Sebastian's. His wife, Chandralata Dassanaike and nine-year-old daughter Meeranhi both died. "I felt like committing suicide when I heard that they had died,” he told Reuters by the open graves. "I have nothing now." Meeranhi's grandmother, with her head still bandaged after being wounded in the attack, was held by a relative as the first handfuls of earth were scattered upon her child-sized coffin. Most of Sri Lanka's 22 million people are Buddhist, but the Indian Ocean island's population includes Muslim, Hindu and Christian minorities. Until now, Christians had largely managed to avoid the worst of the island's conflict and communal tensions. There were signs of some religious communities pulling together following Sunday's outrage. Saffron- and scarlet-robed Buddhist monks from a nearby monastery handed out bottled water to mourners who gathered under a baking afternoon sun. But the town, which has a long history of sheltering refugees – including those made homeless by a devastating tsunami in 2004 – may struggle to recover from Sunday's violence, said Father Jude Thomas, one of dozens of Catholic priests who attended Wednesday's burials. "Muslims and Catholics lived side by side," he said. "It was always a peaceful area, but now things have come to the surface we cannot control."

Muslims flee, Christians grieve in Sri Lankan town torn by violence

An exhibition in Jerusalem brings in a sign of resemblance, showing how women from the three monotheistic religions wear similarly modest dresses. It is not uncommon to see women, Muslim, Jews or Christians, walking in veil in the Holy City, and it is sometimes harder to tell who is following which faith.

Jerusalem veil exhibition uncovers similarities between faiths

US envoy for religious freedom Sam Brownback defended his remark that China is "at war with faith" after the Chinese foreign ministry issued an angry statement condemning the envoy's words as a "malicious attack and slander on China's religious policies".

Brownback criticised the Chinese government in a speech on Friday in Hong Kong, saying the Chinese government is engaged in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-treatment-of-uighurs-a-great-embarrassment-for-humanity-turkey-196302">the persecution of Muslim Uighurs</a>, Tibetan Buddhists, Christians and Falun Gong practitioners.

He described China's "war with faith" as "a war which they will not win".

The speech prompted a sternly worded response from the Chinese foreign ministry office in Hong Kong saying "we ask the US to respect the facts, stop the arrogance and prejudice and cease using religious issues to interfere in China's internal affairs".

Speaking to reporters in Taiwan on Monday during a forum on religious freedom, Brownback said his office has a list of hundreds of names of individuals in China who were missing and allegedly persecuted for their faith.&nbsp;

"Where are they? What is happening to them? Why can't their family members hear from them?" Brownback asked, challenging the Chinese government to respond to questions regarding the whereabouts of these individuals.&nbsp;

"The United States has designated (China) in its most problematic category of countries that persecute people of faith ... since 1999. &nbsp;And the situation has gotten notably worse in the last two years," he added.&nbsp;

"We are calling on alliances of countries and individuals to step up and to oppose these things when they take place."

According to UN experts, nearly one million Uighurs and other Turkic language-speaking minorities are being held in detention centres in Xinjiang. Beijing denied the claim saying they are in "vocational education centres".

Around half of China's 100 million Christians encounter persecution, "the worst it's been in more than a decade" following "new laws seeking to control religious expression," said Open Doors, a global advocacy group in a January report.

Brownback was in Taiwan for a two-day forum on religious freedom jointly sponsored by Taiwan and the United States.&nbsp;

President Tsai Ing-wen in her opening address said Taiwan will always choose to stand with "those who were oppressed and whose religious rights were taken away by authoritarian regimes".

"Taiwan knows how it feels when someone tries to take away your rights, wipe out your identity, and challenge your way of life," Tsai said in an apparent reference to Beijing's political and military pressure towards Taiwan.

US envoy for religious freedom Sam Brownback defended his remark that China is "at war with faith" after the Chinese foreign ministry issued an angry statement condemning the envoy's words as a "malicious attack and slander on China's religious policies".

US envoy for religious freedom Sam Brownback defended his remark that China is "at war with faith" after the Chinese foreign ministry issued an angry statement condemning the envoy's words as a "malicious attack and slander on China's religious policies". Brownback criticised the Chinese government in a speech on Friday in Hong Kong, saying the Chinese government is engaged in the persecution of Muslim Uighurs, Tibetan Buddhists, Christians and Falun Gong practitioners. He described China's "war with faith" as "a war which they will not win". The speech prompted a sternly worded response from the Chinese foreign ministry office in Hong Kong saying "we ask the US to respect the facts, stop the arrogance and prejudice and cease using religious issues to interfere in China's internal affairs". Speaking to reporters in Taiwan on Monday during a forum on religious freedom, Brownback said his office has a list of hundreds of names of individuals in China who were missing and allegedly persecuted for their faith. "Where are they? What is happening to them? Why can't their family members hear from them?" Brownback asked, challenging the Chinese government to respond to questions regarding the whereabouts of these individuals. "The United States has designated (China) in its most problematic category of countries that persecute people of faith ... since 1999. And the situation has gotten notably worse in the last two years," he added. "We are calling on alliances of countries and individuals to step up and to oppose these things when they take place." According to UN experts, nearly one million Uighurs and other Turkic language-speaking minorities are being held in detention centres in Xinjiang. Beijing denied the claim saying they are in "vocational education centres". Around half of China's 100 million Christians encounter persecution, "the worst it's been in more than a decade" following "new laws seeking to control religious expression," said Open Doors, a global advocacy group in a January report. Brownback was in Taiwan for a two-day forum on religious freedom jointly sponsored by Taiwan and the United States. President Tsai Ing-wen in her opening address said Taiwan will always choose to stand with "those who were oppressed and whose religious rights were taken away by authoritarian regimes". "Taiwan knows how it feels when someone tries to take away your rights, wipe out your identity, and challenge your way of life," Tsai said in an apparent reference to Beijing's political and military pressure towards Taiwan.

China 'at war with faith': US envoy defends remark

The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in northwest Pakistan has allocated Rs 75 million for the construction of five cremation grounds for the Hindu community and creation of seven graveyards for Christians.

According to provincial officials, a total of Rs 24 million has been allocated for the construction of five cremation grounds and Rs 51 million has been set aside for the creation of seven Christian graveyards in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

They said the purchase of four-kanal (0.5 acre) land for cremation ground in Peshawar and two-kanal (0.25 acre) each in Hangu, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and Nowshera districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been approved by the department concerned.

The purchase of six-kanal (0.75 acre) land for Christian graveyard in Peshawar, five-kanal (0.62 acre) each in Mardan, Kohat, Swabi and Dir Lower and four-kanal each in Swat and Nowshera districts have also been approved by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

In January, the provincial government had declared the ancient Hindu religious site of Panj Tirath in Peshawar as a national heritage.

Minority religions make up just 4 per cent of Pakistan's 200 million people.&nbsp;

Hindus make up the country's second-largest minority, with more than 2 million, living mainly in the southern Sindh province.

The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in northwest Pakistan has allocated Rs 75 million for the construction of five cremation grounds for the Hindu community and creation of seven graveyards for Christians.

The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in northwest Pakistan has allocated Rs 75 million for the construction of five cremation grounds for the Hindu community and creation of seven graveyards for Christians. According to provincial officials, a total of Rs 24 million has been allocated for the construction of five cremation grounds and Rs 51 million has been set aside for the creation of seven Christian graveyards in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They said the purchase of four-kanal (0.5 acre) land for cremation ground in Peshawar and two-kanal (0.25 acre) each in Hangu, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and Nowshera districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been approved by the department concerned. The purchase of six-kanal (0.75 acre) land for Christian graveyard in Peshawar, five-kanal (0.62 acre) each in Mardan, Kohat, Swabi and Dir Lower and four-kanal each in Swat and Nowshera districts have also been approved by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. In January, the provincial government had declared the ancient Hindu religious site of Panj Tirath in Peshawar as a national heritage. Minority religions make up just 4 per cent of Pakistan's 200 million people. Hindus make up the country's second-largest minority, with more than 2 million, living mainly in the southern Sindh province.

Pakistan allocates Rs 75 million for construction of cremation grounds for Hindus, graveyards for Christians

Christians celebrate Christmas across Pakistan

Egyptian security forces killed 19 Islamist militants from a cell believed to be responsible for an attack on Christians in Minya province in central Egypt which left seven people dead, the interior ministry said on Sunday.

The suspects were killed in a firefight in the desert west of Minya province after security forces pursued them, the ministry said in a statement. It did not say when the firefight took place.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Minya attack, which occurred on Friday, though it provided no evidence of its involvement.

Gunmen killed at least seven Christians in an attack on a bus near a Coptic monastery in Egypt on Friday, authorities said - the most serious assault on the minority in more than a year.

The attack took place very close to the spot where gunmen killed 28 Christians in a similar assault in May 2017.

Pope Francis said he was pained Sunday over an attack, claimed by Islamic State, on Coptic Christians in Egypt which left seven dead.

"I express my pain after the terrorist attack which two days ago hit the Coptic Orthodox church in Egypt," Francis said in Saint Peter's.

"I pray for the victims, pilgrims killed just because they were Christian," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

Egyptian security forces killed 19 Islamist militants from a cell believed to be responsible for an attack on Christians in Minya province in central Egypt which left seven people dead, the interior ministry said on Sunday.

Egyptian security forces killed 19 Islamist militants from a cell believed to be responsible for an attack on Christians in Minya province in central Egypt which left seven people dead, the interior ministry said on Sunday. The suspects were killed in a firefight in the desert west of Minya province after security forces pursued them, the ministry said in a statement. It did not say when the firefight took place. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Minya attack, which occurred on Friday, though it provided no evidence of its involvement. Gunmen killed at least seven Christians in an attack on a bus near a Coptic monastery in Egypt on Friday, authorities said - the most serious assault on the minority in more than a year. The attack took place very close to the spot where gunmen killed 28 Christians in a similar assault in May 2017. Pope Francis said he was pained Sunday over an attack, claimed by Islamic State, on Coptic Christians in Egypt which left seven dead. "I express my pain after the terrorist attack which two days ago hit the Coptic Orthodox church in Egypt," Francis said in Saint Peter's. "I pray for the victims, pilgrims killed just because they were Christian," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

19 militants killed in security operation after attack on Christians: Egypt

Members of Christian community based out of Karachi in Pakistan met District Inspector on Friday to inform about mysterious disappearances of Christians and "raids" conducted in Youhanabad.

As reported by Dawn, residents of Youhanabad Christian colony, located in Gulshan-i-Iqbal Block 13-G, protested against disappearances of young Christian men.

Superintendent of Police Murtaza Bhutto moderated the discussions while Father Saleh Diego, Parish Priest at St Paul Parish, represented the community.

The members alleged that within a span of few weeks, 24 young Christian men were picked up by police on various pretexts or sometimes without any clarifications.

They further informed that some men, who appeared to be security officials, showed up wearing masks in the dead of the night, riding in cars without license plates.

The accused then broke down the doors across neighborhood and abducted the men.

The family members further alleged that these incidents started taking place since March 30 when six young men were taken away as part of the first incident.

On April 15, four youth were arrested and further 14 people disappeared.

Those abducted on May 8 are still missing.

As per a woman, whose husband is abducted, the alleged security officials had asked her husband's identity and demanded to see his identity card. They then assaulted the victim and dragged him away.

The victim was scheduled to appear for an interview at a call center when he was abducted.

Further, the family of another victim said on April 15 the alleged officers broke into their house using some sort of lock cutters.

Some arrested young men were blindfolded and transported to unknown areas.

One of them reported being tortured with electric shocks for three days in a row.

"They kept asking me to do exactly as they say. They constantly kept asking me about different people, encounters and weapons" victim informed.

He was taken away on April 15 on basis of a false case registered against him.

He was rescued by his family as they shared pictures of their abducted sons on social media platform, WhatsApp and managed to obtain bail for one of them.

Another victim who managed to return said he was being taken away by "officers".

The Christian community representatives further informed that the men raiding their homes bring a criminal named Shiraz with them who "identifies" the youngsters and abduct them.

Further, the victims are said to have no connection with any political organisation or community.

Some of the victims have been granted bail.

Christians filed an official complaint with IG Sindh and other notable figures. An FIR was also filed on behalf of the community.

They further requested the authorities to be informed in case the accused is arrested.

They had earlier reached out to relevant court as well regarding the matter but no action was said to be taken.&nbsp

The members alleged that within a span of few weeks, 24 young Christian men were picked up by police on various pretexts or sometimes without any clarifications

Members of Christian community based out of Karachi in Pakistan met District Inspector on Friday to inform about mysterious disappearances of Christians and "raids" conducted in Youhanabad. As reported by Dawn, residents of Youhanabad Christian colony, located in Gulshan-i-Iqbal Block 13-G, protested against disappearances of young Christian men. Superintendent of Police Murtaza Bhutto moderated the discussions while Father Saleh Diego, Parish Priest at St Paul Parish, represented the community. The members alleged that within a span of few weeks, 24 young Christian men were picked up by police on various pretexts or sometimes without any clarifications. They further informed that some men, who appeared to be security officials, showed up wearing masks in the dead of the night, riding in cars without license plates. The accused then broke down the doors across neighborhood and abducted the men. The family members further alleged that these incidents started taking place since March 30 when six young men were taken away as part of the first incident. On April 15, four youth were arrested and further 14 people disappeared. Those abducted on May 8 are still missing. As per a woman, whose husband is abducted, the alleged security officials had asked her husband's identity and demanded to see his identity card. They then assaulted the victim and dragged him away. The victim was scheduled to appear for an interview at a call center when he was abducted. Further, the family of another victim said on April 15 the alleged officers broke into their house using some sort of lock cutters. Some arrested young men were blindfolded and transported to unknown areas. One of them reported being tortured with electric shocks for three days in a row. "They kept asking me to do exactly as they say. They constantly kept asking me about different people, encounters and weapons" victim informed. He was taken away on April 15 on basis of a false case registered against him. He was rescued by his family as they shared pictures of their abducted sons on social media platform, WhatsApp and managed to obtain bail for one of them. Another victim who managed to return said he was being taken away by "officers". The Christian community representatives further informed that the men raiding their homes bring a criminal named Shiraz with them who "identifies" the youngsters and abduct them. Further, the victims are said to have no connection with any political organisation or community. Some of the victims have been granted bail. Christians filed an official complaint with IG Sindh and other notable figures. An FIR was also filed on behalf of the community. They further requested the authorities to be informed in case the accused is arrested. They had earlier reached out to relevant court as well regarding the matter but no action was said to be taken.

Mysterious disappearance of Christians in Youhanabad, community puts forth grievance

Religious minorities in Pakistan like Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Ahmedis and Hazara continue to face violent attacks, a damning report by an independent watchdog Monday said and criticised the state for failing to tackle the issue of their persecution.

The Human Rights Commission at the launch of its annual report, State of Human Rights in 2017 dedicated to the late activist Asma Jahangir says people continue to disappear in Pakistan, sometimes because they criticise the country's powerful military or because they advocate better relations with neighbouring India.

Jahangir, who was fierce advocate of human rights died in February.

The commission also underscored the rising incidence of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings and the extension of the jurisdiction of military courts.&nbsp

"False accusations of blasphemy and the ensuing violence, the number of children engaged in labour under hazardous conditions and unabated violence against women remain grim markers of the last year," the commission said.

"Deaths linked to terrorism may have decreased, but the soft targets' of religious minorities and law enforcement agencies continue to bear the brunt of violence," it said.&nbsp

Journalists and bloggers continue to sustain threats, attacks and abductions, and the blasphemy law serves to coerce people into silence. The people's right to socio-cultural activities is curtailed by intolerance and extremism, and authorities are lenient for fear of a political backlash, it said.

The 296-page report said, "In a year when freedom of thought, conscience and religion continued to be stifled, incitement to hatred and bigotry increased, and tolerance receded even further, the state remained ineffective in tackling the issue of persecution of minorities and fell far short of its obligations.&nbsp

There was no abatement in violence against religious minorities, with Christians, Ahmedis, Hazaras, Hindus and Sikhs all coming under attack, it said.

"Little wonder that the numbers of religious minorities are shrinking. At the time of Independence, Pakistan's religious minority constituted over 20 per cent of the population. The 1998 census reported that the numbers had declined to a little over three per cent, it said. 
The report said the migration of Hindus to India "may soon turn into an exodus if the discrimination against them continues".&nbsp

While the recent census data has not yet been made public, it is expected that the numbers of religious minorities will show a further decline, the report said.

"Faith-based violence in the name of religion continues unabated and the government has failed miserably to protect minority members against attacks and discrimination. Extremist forces bent on creating an exclusive Islamic identity for Pakistan appear to have been given a free hand," the report said.&nbsp

"A few hundred fanatics held the capital and the garrison cities hostage for 23 days in Faizabad, Islamabad in November this year until their demands were accepted. In ceding to the demands of the violent demonstrators, the state has virtually given blanket licence to fundamentalism and militancy in the name of religion, it said.

With a population of around seven million, Hindus form the largest religious minority in Pakistan.&nbsp

"Concentrated mainly in Sindh, Hindus continue to live an uneasy existence. Their perceived association with India has made life for them tougher than other religious minorities in Pakistan. According to their representatives, the greatest issue of concern to the community is that of forced conversions, the majority of these involving young women, the report said.&nbsp

"In most cases the girls, many of whom are minors, are abducted, forcibly converted to Islam and then married to Muslim men, the report said.

Pakistan ranked fourth on the Christian support group Open Doors World Watch List 2017 of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, it said.

"Violent persecution of Christians is a common occurrence in Pakistan. Christians are targets for murder, bombings, abduction of women, rape, forced conversions, and eviction from home and country. Fake cases under blasphemy laws are regularly used to terrorise Christians," it said.

Sikhs are a small religious minority in Pakistan. According to the last census, there are around 7,000 registered Sikhs living in Pakistan, mainly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, including the semi-autonomous tribal region that shares a border with Afghanistan.&nbsp

"The Sikh leadership complains that rough and usually inaccurate estimates are made about their exact number. The Sikh community has also been subjected to continued discrimination and violence from extremists over the years because of their religious affiliation, but they are generally better treated by government agencies as compared to other religious minorities.&nbsp

Persecution of religious minorities and targeted sects within Islam force people like the Hazaras to seek asylum in European countries. A signicantly large number of Ahmadis has migrated to Europe and lives in exile, it said.

The Human Rights Commission at the launch of its annual report, State of Human Rights in 2017 dedicated to the late activist Asma Jahangir says people continue to disappear in Pakistan, sometimes because they criticise the country's powerful military or because they advocate better relations with neighbouring India

Religious minorities in Pakistan like Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Ahmedis and Hazara continue to face violent attacks, a damning report by an independent watchdog Monday said and criticised the state for failing to tackle the issue of their persecution. The Human Rights Commission at the launch of its annual report, State of Human Rights in 2017 dedicated to the late activist Asma Jahangir says people continue to disappear in Pakistan, sometimes because they criticise the country's powerful military or because they advocate better relations with neighbouring India. Jahangir, who was fierce advocate of human rights died in February. The commission also underscored the rising incidence of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings and the extension of the jurisdiction of military courts. "False accusations of blasphemy and the ensuing violence, the number of children engaged in labour under hazardous conditions and unabated violence against women remain grim markers of the last year," the commission said. "Deaths linked to terrorism may have decreased, but the soft targets' of religious minorities and law enforcement agencies continue to bear the brunt of violence," it said. Journalists and bloggers continue to sustain threats, attacks and abductions, and the blasphemy law serves to coerce people into silence. The people's right to socio-cultural activities is curtailed by intolerance and extremism, and authorities are lenient for fear of a political backlash, it said. The 296-page report said, "In a year when freedom of thought, conscience and religion continued to be stifled, incitement to hatred and bigotry increased, and tolerance receded even further, the state remained ineffective in tackling the issue of persecution of minorities and fell far short of its obligations. There was no abatement in violence against religious minorities, with Christians, Ahmedis, Hazaras, Hindus and Sikhs all coming under attack, it said. "Little wonder that the numbers of religious minorities are shrinking. At the time of Independence, Pakistan's religious minority constituted over 20 per cent of the population. The 1998 census reported that the numbers had declined to a little over three per cent, it said. The report said the migration of Hindus to India "may soon turn into an exodus if the discrimination against them continues". While the recent census data has not yet been made public, it is expected that the numbers of religious minorities will show a further decline, the report said. "Faith-based violence in the name of religion continues unabated and the government has failed miserably to protect minority members against attacks and discrimination. Extremist forces bent on creating an exclusive Islamic identity for Pakistan appear to have been given a free hand," the report said. "A few hundred fanatics held the capital and the garrison cities hostage for 23 days in Faizabad, Islamabad in November this year until their demands were accepted. In ceding to the demands of the violent demonstrators, the state has virtually given blanket licence to fundamentalism and militancy in the name of religion, it said. With a population of around seven million, Hindus form the largest religious minority in Pakistan. "Concentrated mainly in Sindh, Hindus continue to live an uneasy existence. Their perceived association with India has made life for them tougher than other religious minorities in Pakistan. According to their representatives, the greatest issue of concern to the community is that of forced conversions, the majority of these involving young women, the report said. "In most cases the girls, many of whom are minors, are abducted, forcibly converted to Islam and then married to Muslim men, the report said. Pakistan ranked fourth on the Christian support group Open Doors World Watch List 2017 of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, it said. "Violent persecution of Christians is a common occurrence in Pakistan. Christians are targets for murder, bombings, abduction of women, rape, forced conversions, and eviction from home and country. Fake cases under blasphemy laws are regularly used to terrorise Christians," it said. Sikhs are a small religious minority in Pakistan. According to the last census, there are around 7,000 registered Sikhs living in Pakistan, mainly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, including the semi-autonomous tribal region that shares a border with Afghanistan. "The Sikh leadership complains that rough and usually inaccurate estimates are made about their exact number. The Sikh community has also been subjected to continued discrimination and violence from extremists over the years because of their religious affiliation, but they are generally better treated by government agencies as compared to other religious minorities. Persecution of religious minorities and targeted sects within Islam force people like the Hazaras to seek asylum in European countries. A signicantly large number of Ahmadis has migrated to Europe and lives in exile, it said.

Religious minorities continue to face violent attacks in Pakistan: Watchdog

Four Christians were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in southwestern Pakistan on Monday, police said, in an apparent attack on the religious minority.

The incident occurred in a Christian-majority neighbourhood in the city of Quetta, capital of the Balochistan province.

"Three members of a family, including a woman, were killed when the motor rickshaw they were (in)... came under attack," Moazzam Jah Ansari, the police chief of the province, told AFP.

"The rickshaw driver, who was also a Christian by faith, is among the dead."

Police officials said this appeared to be a targeted attack on Christians in the area.

"Initial investigations suggest the people were ambushed because of their faith," Ansari said.

A child was injured in the attack and is receiving treatment at a hospital, officials said. Ghulam Ali Baloch, a local official, said her injuries were not life-threatening.&nbsp

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Islamist militants have in the past attacked Christians and other religious minorities in Balochistan.

In December last year, two suicide bombers blew themselves up at a Quetta church, which was packed with worshippers, killing nine people and wounding over a dozen.

In addition to Islamist extremists, ethnic Baloch militants have been fighting a low-intensity separatist insurgency in the province for years, often bombing infrastructure like railroads and power lines.

Christians make up less than two percent of Muslim-majority Pakistan`s 200 million people, and have long faced discrimination and violence.

The incident occurred in a Christian-majority neighbourhood in the city of Quetta, capital of the Balochistan province

Four Christians were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in southwestern Pakistan on Monday, police said, in an apparent attack on the religious minority. The incident occurred in a Christian-majority neighbourhood in the city of Quetta, capital of the Balochistan province. "Three members of a family, including a woman, were killed when the motor rickshaw they were (in)... came under attack," Moazzam Jah Ansari, the police chief of the province, told AFP. "The rickshaw driver, who was also a Christian by faith, is among the dead." Police officials said this appeared to be a targeted attack on Christians in the area. "Initial investigations suggest the people were ambushed because of their faith," Ansari said. A child was injured in the attack and is receiving treatment at a hospital, officials said. Ghulam Ali Baloch, a local official, said her injuries were not life-threatening. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Islamist militants have in the past attacked Christians and other religious minorities in Balochistan. In December last year, two suicide bombers blew themselves up at a Quetta church, which was packed with worshippers, killing nine people and wounding over a dozen. In addition to Islamist extremists, ethnic Baloch militants have been fighting a low-intensity separatist insurgency in the province for years, often bombing infrastructure like railroads and power lines. Christians make up less than two percent of Muslim-majority Pakistan`s 200 million people, and have long faced discrimination and violence.

Four Christians shot dead in southwestern Pakistan: Officials

Christians marked Easter Sunday (April 1) with a mass led by the acting Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa, at Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Hundreds of pilgrims came to the church in the Old City, for a mass to mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many Christians believe Jesus's body was buried at what became the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The congregation in the church sang hymns during the celebration. The Easter week culminates on Easter Sunday when Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead, three days after being crucified.

Shortly after the service ended hundreds of Orthodox Christians arrived at the church for a Palm Sunday service, to mark the beginning of their Easter week festivities. The worshippers entered the church waving palm fronds and branches. The service was led by the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III.

In Gaza City, the small community of Christians, most of them Greek Orthodox, held a Palm Sunday service at the Saint Porfirios church.

Gaza has only 1,000 Christians among a population of 2 million in the narrow coastal strip.

Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter a week later, when Palestinians and pilgrims from around the world attend the ceremony of the Holy Fire.

Hundreds of pilgrims came to the church in the Old City, for a mass to mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Christians marked Easter Sunday (April 1) with a mass led by the acting Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa, at Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Hundreds of pilgrims came to the church in the Old City, for a mass to mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many Christians believe Jesus's body was buried at what became the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The congregation in the church sang hymns during the celebration. The Easter week culminates on Easter Sunday when Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead, three days after being crucified. Shortly after the service ended hundreds of Orthodox Christians arrived at the church for a Palm Sunday service, to mark the beginning of their Easter week festivities. The worshippers entered the church waving palm fronds and branches. The service was led by the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III. In Gaza City, the small community of Christians, most of them Greek Orthodox, held a Palm Sunday service at the Saint Porfirios church. Gaza has only 1,000 Christians among a population of 2 million in the narrow coastal strip. Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter a week later, when Palestinians and pilgrims from around the world attend the ceremony of the Holy Fire.

Easter Sunday mass held at Jerusalem's Holy Sepulchre

The BJP is no stranger in Nagaland. Nor is the RSS. There are RSS functionaries who have worked for decades in that state trying to lay the foundation for the saffron party. The BJP was part of the outgoing Naga People&rsquo;s Front (NPF) led government. In fact, this time the BJP has set up twenty candidates to contest the upcoming polls on February 27. Senior RSS functionary Ram Madhav has been spending considerable time in Nagaland to prepare the field for the BJP to play a more pro-active role in the next government after having made a pre-poll alliance with the Nagaland Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) led by Neiphiu Rio.

&nbsp;

But a missive from the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) General Secretary Dr Zelhou Kelho to all political parties, literally pointing at the anti-Christian agenda of the BJP, could spoil the carefully prepared menu of Ram Madhav. The church has never been so outspoken in the past. It has never directed its adherents to vote for a particular party or candidate. So what has suddenly prompted the NBCC to issue what is nothing short of a diktat to its followers against the BJP?&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Dr Keyho pointed at the BJP&rsquo;s direct assault on Christians by declaring Christmas Day as Good Governance Day where offices had to be kept open. While this has subsequently been toned down and exempted for the North Eastern states but the damage to the Christian psyche is complete.

&nbsp;

Dr Keyhou in his letter said, &ldquo;India has experienced worst persecution ever in 2015-2017. You will be fully aware that persecutions have tripled in recent years. Pastors, evangelists and missionaries are dragged openly in the streets, harassed and insulted and many made to suffer. Their homes destroyed and children discriminated in schools. Worship places were burnt down and believers are often disturbed and harassed. God must be weeping when Naga politicians are running after those who seek to destroy Christianity in India and our land.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

Such a letter coming from a church pulpit is bound to have a lasting impact on the voters&rsquo; mind. At least this is what anti-BJP forces in Nagaland hope. However, the Catholic Church which also has a significant presence in Nagaland has chosen to remain silent and let its followers make an informed choice.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Keyho also made an issue of the denial of visa to the President, Baptist World Alliance, Rev Paul Msiza was who was scheduled to attend the 150th year celebration of the Baptist Church in Garo Hills, Meghalaya last week. Since Msiza&rsquo;s status is equivalent to that of the Pope in the Catholic Church this is seen as a direct affront to the Baptist Church and on Christians in general. Whether the visa was rejected on grounds that it did not fulfill certain criteria or if the rejection is nuanced is hard to understand at this juncture. But considering that this is election time, the damage done can hardly be repaired.

&nbsp;

It is hard for the BJP to acquit itself this time around what with its so-called &ldquo;fringe&rdquo; wanting to do Saraswati Puja in a Christian school or its student wing the ABVP asking the UP Government not to allow Christmas celebrations in school in Uttar Pradesh.

&nbsp;

The beef ban and atrocities on those carrying or storing beef at home and the hyper-ventilated actions of the Gau rakshaks across the country are being viewed by Christians in the North Eastern states of Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya with fear and trepidation. They are unsure what agenda other than development will be unleashed in these states.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

It is difficult for the BJP to allay these fears since the Party has remained a silent spectator to all the goings-on, including the latest one by the Rajput Karni Sena which stood in the way of the film Padmavat being shown in several states. That the Rajput Karni Sena was allowed to go berserk and even stone a school bus has created a general sense of apprehension about the future of India itself under the present dispensation. And it will be difficult to blame the Christian minority groups for harbouring those fears. The fears are real and present and the BJP&rsquo;s damage control machine seems to be on the back-foot.

&nbsp;

Interestingly, in 2015, when Prime Minister Modi visited Nagaland and Meghalaya there was enthusiasm that he would bring in better governance and change for the better. But the fact that the Framework Agreement signed with the Naga rebels in August 2015 is yet to be concluded has also created some resentment. On the whole, there is a general sense of dismay about this one big unkept promise of the BJP government at the Centre.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

People are apprehensive that the next government in Nagaland might concede too much or that the Framework Agreement which has been built brick by brick in consultation with several Naga civil society groups might fall apart. No one can blame the Naga people and the churches for the current antagonism they harbour against the BJP.&nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp; &nbsp;

&nbsp;

The fears of Christian minority voters are real and present and the BJP’s damage control machine seems to be on the back-foot.

The BJP is no stranger in Nagaland. Nor is the RSS. There are RSS functionaries who have worked for decades in that state trying to lay the foundation for the saffron party. The BJP was part of the outgoing Naga People’s Front (NPF) led government. In fact, this time the BJP has set up twenty candidates to contest the upcoming polls on February 27. Senior RSS functionary Ram Madhav has been spending considerable time in Nagaland to prepare the field for the BJP to play a more pro-active role in the next government after having made a pre-poll alliance with the Nagaland Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) led by Neiphiu Rio. But a missive from the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) General Secretary Dr Zelhou Kelho to all political parties, literally pointing at the anti-Christian agenda of the BJP, could spoil the carefully prepared menu of Ram Madhav. The church has never been so outspoken in the past. It has never directed its adherents to vote for a particular party or candidate. So what has suddenly prompted the NBCC to issue what is nothing short of a diktat to its followers against the BJP? Dr Keyho pointed at the BJP’s direct assault on Christians by declaring Christmas Day as Good Governance Day where offices had to be kept open. While this has subsequently been toned down and exempted for the North Eastern states but the damage to the Christian psyche is complete. Dr Keyhou in his letter said, “India has experienced worst persecution ever in 2015-2017. You will be fully aware that persecutions have tripled in recent years. Pastors, evangelists and missionaries are dragged openly in the streets, harassed and insulted and many made to suffer. Their homes destroyed and children discriminated in schools. Worship places were burnt down and believers are often disturbed and harassed. God must be weeping when Naga politicians are running after those who seek to destroy Christianity in India and our land.” Such a letter coming from a church pulpit is bound to have a lasting impact on the voters’ mind. At least this is what anti-BJP forces in Nagaland hope. However, the Catholic Church which also has a significant presence in Nagaland has chosen to remain silent and let its followers make an informed choice. Keyho also made an issue of the denial of visa to the President, Baptist World Alliance, Rev Paul Msiza was who was scheduled to attend the 150th year celebration of the Baptist Church in Garo Hills, Meghalaya last week. Since Msiza’s status is equivalent to that of the Pope in the Catholic Church this is seen as a direct affront to the Baptist Church and on Christians in general. Whether the visa was rejected on grounds that it did not fulfill certain criteria or if the rejection is nuanced is hard to understand at this juncture. But considering that this is election time, the damage done can hardly be repaired. It is hard for the BJP to acquit itself this time around what with its so-called “fringe” wanting to do Saraswati Puja in a Christian school or its student wing the ABVP asking the UP Government not to allow Christmas celebrations in school in Uttar Pradesh. The beef ban and atrocities on those carrying or storing beef at home and the hyper-ventilated actions of the Gau rakshaks across the country are being viewed by Christians in the North Eastern states of Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya with fear and trepidation. They are unsure what agenda other than development will be unleashed in these states. It is difficult for the BJP to allay these fears since the Party has remained a silent spectator to all the goings-on, including the latest one by the Rajput Karni Sena which stood in the way of the film Padmavat being shown in several states. That the Rajput Karni Sena was allowed to go berserk and even stone a school bus has created a general sense of apprehension about the future of India itself under the present dispensation. And it will be difficult to blame the Christian minority groups for harbouring those fears. The fears are real and present and the BJP’s damage control machine seems to be on the back-foot. Interestingly, in 2015, when Prime Minister Modi visited Nagaland and Meghalaya there was enthusiasm that he would bring in better governance and change for the better. But the fact that the Framework Agreement signed with the Naga rebels in August 2015 is yet to be concluded has also created some resentment. On the whole, there is a general sense of dismay about this one big unkept promise of the BJP government at the Centre. People are apprehensive that the next government in Nagaland might concede too much or that the Framework Agreement which has been built brick by brick in consultation with several Naga civil society groups might fall apart. No one can blame the Naga people and the churches for the current antagonism they harbour against the BJP. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Are fears of Christian voters real in Nagaland?

After stopping subsidised Haj pilgrimages, the BJP announced that it would be offering Christians free trips to Jerusalem if elected to power in Nagaland, according to reports.

However, it&#39;s unclear if the BJP is offering this to all of India&#39;s Christians, or only to Christians in the northeast, or only to Christians in Nagaland.

The BJP&#39;s offer comes in the run-up to elections in three northeastern states - Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura - later this month.&nbsp;

According to reports, in Meghalaya, almost 75 percent of the population is Christian. In Nagaland, 88 percent of the population is Christian.

News outlet WeTheNagas tweeted &#39;&#39;The BJP has made an election promise to send Christians to Jerusalem on a free trip if elected to power in Nagaland&#39;&#39;.&nbsp;

News agency UNI reported that the free Jerusalem trip has only been offered to Christians in Nagaland.

&quot;BJP promises to send Christians on a free trip. I was right, BJP continues with the subsidy if it suits its electoral needs. This is (what BJP means by) &#39;India first&#39; &quot;, tweeted AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi.

It's unclear if the BJP is offering this to all of India's Christians, or only to Christians in the northeast, or only to Christians in Nagaland.

After stopping subsidised Haj pilgrimages, the BJP announced that it would be offering Christians free trips to Jerusalem if elected to power in Nagaland, according to reports. However, it's unclear if the BJP is offering this to all of India's Christians, or only to Christians in the northeast, or only to Christians in Nagaland. The BJP's offer comes in the run-up to elections in three northeastern states - Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura - later this month. According to reports, in Meghalaya, almost 75 percent of the population is Christian. In Nagaland, 88 percent of the population is Christian. News outlet WeTheNagas tweeted ''The BJP has made an election promise to send Christians to Jerusalem on a free trip if elected to power in Nagaland''. News agency UNI reported that the free Jerusalem trip has only been offered to Christians in Nagaland. "BJP promises to send Christians on a free trip. I was right, BJP continues with the subsidy if it suits its electoral needs. This is (what BJP means by) 'India first' ", tweeted AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi.

After Haj subsidy revocation, BJP offers Christians free trip to Jerusalem: Reports

Growing extremism and religious intolerance are leading to thousands of Christians, Ahmadis and Hindus reportedly fleeing Pakistan.

Government inaction in countering religious harassment by Islamic groups has caused considerable heartburn. Even atheists are being targeted.

The Ahmadiyya community is an endangered community in Pakistan in spite of being an Islamic sect, and has been a target of death threats openly.

Excommunicated by the second amendment to Pakistan&#39;s Constitution in 1974, the Ahmadiyyas have faced a severe backlash over the initial changes made regarding Khatm-e-Nabuwat (finality of prophethood) in the Elections Reforms Bill passed in October.

According to the Pakistan Penal Code, an Ahmadi can be imprisoned for reading the Koran or even using Islamic titles, says a report published in the Asia Times.

The daily quotes Ahmadiyya spokesperson Saleem Uddin, as saying that the Ahmadis have been made scapegoats since the state of Pakistan was created in 1947, and added that people have forgotten the community&#39;s contribution in creating the country post-partition.

Atheists are another category of Pakistani citizens who are at huge risk, so much so that many of them have now deactivated their profiles over fears of being abducted. They also do not see their homes or the internet as safe spaces where they can share ideas.

Local atheists can pass off as Muslims, but Hindus and Christians are visible targets, as can be seen by the recent suicide bomb attack inside the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta.

Threats by Muslim radicals have prompted innumerable Christians to flee Pakistan and look for asylum elsewhere.

The fate of Hindus is no different according to the Asia Times article. They too are seeking shelter abroad.

PML-N Senator Ramesh Kumar was quoted, as saying, &quot;around 5,000 Hindus leave Pakistan every year&quot; because of the extensive persecution. This includes forced marriages and kidnapping for ransom, as well as attacks on Hindu temples.

&quot;Hatred against Hindus, primarily driven from the ideology of Two-Nation Theory, is deeply injected in the veins of raw minds through distorted history and fabricated tales taught in books,&quot; the daily quotes Pakistani human rights activist Kapil Dev, as saying.

Calls for filtering out religion and distorted versions of history promoting hatred against Hindus are being made more frequently.

Activists want to counter radical Islamist perspectives with a secular narrative, but Ibn Abdur Rehman, secretary-general of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, doesn&#39;t see it happening anytime soon.

He told Asia Times. &quot;The state has surrendered to the radical Islamists and plans on gradually taking away every last bit of freedom from its citizens.&quot;&nbsp;

Government inaction in countering religious harassment by Islamic groups has caused considerable heartburn.

Growing extremism and religious intolerance are leading to thousands of Christians, Ahmadis and Hindus reportedly fleeing Pakistan. Government inaction in countering religious harassment by Islamic groups has caused considerable heartburn. Even atheists are being targeted. The Ahmadiyya community is an endangered community in Pakistan in spite of being an Islamic sect, and has been a target of death threats openly. Excommunicated by the second amendment to Pakistan's Constitution in 1974, the Ahmadiyyas have faced a severe backlash over the initial changes made regarding Khatm-e-Nabuwat (finality of prophethood) in the Elections Reforms Bill passed in October. According to the Pakistan Penal Code, an Ahmadi can be imprisoned for reading the Koran or even using Islamic titles, says a report published in the Asia Times. The daily quotes Ahmadiyya spokesperson Saleem Uddin, as saying that the Ahmadis have been made scapegoats since the state of Pakistan was created in 1947, and added that people have forgotten the community's contribution in creating the country post-partition. Atheists are another category of Pakistani citizens who are at huge risk, so much so that many of them have now deactivated their profiles over fears of being abducted. They also do not see their homes or the internet as safe spaces where they can share ideas. Local atheists can pass off as Muslims, but Hindus and Christians are visible targets, as can be seen by the recent suicide bomb attack inside the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta. Threats by Muslim radicals have prompted innumerable Christians to flee Pakistan and look for asylum elsewhere. The fate of Hindus is no different according to the Asia Times article. They too are seeking shelter abroad. PML-N Senator Ramesh Kumar was quoted, as saying, "around 5,000 Hindus leave Pakistan every year" because of the extensive persecution. This includes forced marriages and kidnapping for ransom, as well as attacks on Hindu temples. "Hatred against Hindus, primarily driven from the ideology of Two-Nation Theory, is deeply injected in the veins of raw minds through distorted history and fabricated tales taught in books," the daily quotes Pakistani human rights activist Kapil Dev, as saying. Calls for filtering out religion and distorted versions of history promoting hatred against Hindus are being made more frequently. Activists want to counter radical Islamist perspectives with a secular narrative, but Ibn Abdur Rehman, secretary-general of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, doesn't see it happening anytime soon. He told Asia Times. "The state has surrendered to the radical Islamists and plans on gradually taking away every last bit of freedom from its citizens."

Pakistan's minorities fleeing because of religious intolerance

A masked gunman shot dead two Christian brothers at their alcohol shop south of Cairo on Monday, security sources said.

The incident took place just days after attacks on a Coptic church and another Christian-owned shop also south of the Egyptian capital that killed more than 10 people, as security forces brace for attacks against the Arab world&#39;s largest Christian minority ahead of Orthodox Christmas celebrations.

The gunman used a rifle in the attack, shooting at the shop from outside after pulling up on a motorcycle, two security sources said. The attacker fled the scene afterwards.

An image on social media showed the body of what purported to be one of the victims, covered in blood from the waist down.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Islamic State claimed Friday&#39;s attack on a Coptic church in Helwan, east of Giza on Cairo&#39;s outskirts and on the opposite side of the Nile river.

Egypt&#39;s large Christian minority has increasingly been targeted in recent years by Islamist militants including Islamic State, which is waging an insurgency in the north of the remote Sinai Peninsula.

Sale and consumption of alcohol in Egypt is legal, and it is sold in specialist shops or licensed premises. Some Islamists say it should be banned because it is forbidden by Islam.

A masked gunman shot dead two Christian brothers at their alcohol shop south of Cairo on Monday, security sources said. The incident took place just days after attacks on a Coptic church and another Christian-owned shop also south of the Egyptian capital that killed more than 10 people, as security forces brace for attacks against the Arab world's largest Christian minority ahead of Orthodox Christmas celebrations. The gunman used a rifle in the attack, shooting at the shop from outside after pulling up on a motorcycle, two security sources said. The attacker fled the scene afterwards. An image on social media showed the body of what purported to be one of the victims, covered in blood from the waist down. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. Islamic State claimed Friday's attack on a Coptic church in Helwan, east of Giza on Cairo's outskirts and on the opposite side of the Nile river. Egypt's large Christian minority has increasingly been targeted in recent years by Islamist militants including Islamic State, which is waging an insurgency in the north of the remote Sinai Peninsula. Sale and consumption of alcohol in Egypt is legal, and it is sold in specialist shops or licensed premises. Some Islamists say it should be banned because it is forbidden by Islam.

Gunman kills two Christians at their alcohol store south of Cairo: Security sources

&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

The Hindu Jagran Manch has warned schools in Aligarh not to celebrate Christmas.&nbsp;

The manch says celebrating Christmas is a step towards forced conversions.&nbsp;

News reports Sunday quoted the president of the Hindu Jagran Manch, Sonu Savita, as saying students were being asked to bring toys and gifts to celebrate Christmas.&nbsp;

This he said helped lure the children to Christianity.&nbsp;

The manch&#39;s warning is meant for schools&nbsp;at which a majority of the children are Hindu.&nbsp;

Savita said they were also talking to parents&#39; organisations, asking them to refrain from &quot;these activities&quot;.&nbsp;

Savita was quoted as saying such activities affect the mentality of Hindu students.&nbsp;

The secretary of the Hindu Jagran Manch, Sanju Bajaj, was quoted as saying that if the schools do not listen, the manch will hold protests outside of them.

The schools meanwhile have said they do not force any child to celebrate a particular festival.&nbsp;

They have also said the manch&#39;s demand is unprecedented and &quot;strange&quot;.&nbsp;

And that if they do receive the diktat from the&nbsp;manch, they will approach the authorities for help.&nbsp;

The Hindu Jagran Manch is a right-wing Hindutva group affiliated to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath&#39;s Hindu Yuva Vahini,

The diktat is for schools which have a majority of Hindu students

The Hindu Jagran Manch has warned schools in Aligarh not to celebrate Christmas. The manch says celebrating Christmas is a step towards forced conversions. News reports Sunday quoted the president of the Hindu Jagran Manch, Sonu Savita, as saying students were being asked to bring toys and gifts to celebrate Christmas. This he said helped lure the children to Christianity. The manch's warning is meant for schools at which a majority of the children are Hindu. Savita said they were also talking to parents' organisations, asking them to refrain from "these activities". Savita was quoted as saying such activities affect the mentality of Hindu students. The secretary of the Hindu Jagran Manch, Sanju Bajaj, was quoted as saying that if the schools do not listen, the manch will hold protests outside of them. The schools meanwhile have said they do not force any child to celebrate a particular festival. They have also said the manch's demand is unprecedented and "strange". And that if they do receive the diktat from the manch, they will approach the authorities for help. The Hindu Jagran Manch is a right-wing Hindutva group affiliated to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's Hindu Yuva Vahini,

Aligarh: Hindu Jagran Manch tells schools not to celebrate Christmas

On the&nbsp;25th anniversary of the infamous Babri Masjid demolition which stoked communal violence between Hindus and Muslims across India, Uttar Pradesh&#39;s Ayodhya has been put on alert Wednesday&nbsp;and additional security has been deployed to avoid any kind of untoward incident.&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Security heightened in Ayodhya on the 25th anniversary of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BabriDemolition?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BabriDemolition</a> <a href="https://t.co/IyfctuiQpq">pic.twitter.com/IyfctuiQpq</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/938268255138877441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>=</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

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Posters seen in Meerut yesterday, ahead of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BabriDemolition?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BabriDemolition</a>&#39;s 25th anniversary. Police say posters have been taken down &amp; one person behind the act has been identified. <a href="https://t.co/tNDC7F2iyI">pic.twitter.com/tNDC7F2iyI</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/938308392669589507?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

On December 6, 1992, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) organised a rally in Ayodhya involving over 1.5 lakh volunteers, known as &#39;kar sevaks&#39;. However, it soon turned violent, and the crowd overpowered the security forces before demolishing the 16th Century Babri Masjid.

The rally saw the presence of senior BHP leaders including LK Advani, Uma Bharti and Murli Manohar Joshi.

The VHP celebrates the demolition day as &#39;Shaurya Diwas&#39; and organises several events every year, claiming that a temple of Lord Ram temple originally stood there and was demolished to construct the mosque. 
&nbsp;

The church attacked was the Pentecostal Church in Kottaipalayam

On the 25th anniversary of the infamous Babri Masjid demolition which stoked communal violence between Hindus and Muslims across India, Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya has been put on alert Wednesday and additional security has been deployed to avoid any kind of untoward incident. Security heightened in Ayodhya on the 25th anniversary of #BabriDemolition pic.twitter.com/IyfctuiQpq — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 6, 2017 = × Posters seen in Meerut yesterday, ahead of #BabriDemolition's 25th anniversary. Police say posters have been taken down & one person behind the act has been identified. pic.twitter.com/tNDC7F2iyI — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 6, 2017 × On December 6, 1992, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) organised a rally in Ayodhya involving over 1.5 lakh volunteers, known as 'kar sevaks'. However, it soon turned violent, and the crowd overpowered the security forces before demolishing the 16th Century Babri Masjid. The rally saw the presence of senior BHP leaders including LK Advani, Uma Bharti and Murli Manohar Joshi. The VHP celebrates the demolition day as 'Shaurya Diwas' and organises several events every year, claiming that a temple of Lord Ram temple originally stood there and was demolished to construct the mosque.

Church attacked, vandalised in Tamil Nadu, 5 injured

President Trump&rsquo;s announcement on Wednesday, Nov. 6 that the U.S. would recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel received widespread criticism. Observers quickly recognised the decision as related not so much to national security concerns as to domestic US politics and promises candidate Trump made to his evangelical supporters, who welcomed the announcement.

Historian Diana Butler Bass posted on Twitter:

<blockquote>
&ldquo;Of all the possible theological dog-whistles to his evangelical base, this is the biggest. Trump is reminding them that he is carrying out God&rsquo;s will to these Last Days.&rdquo;
</blockquote>

It is true that evangelicals have often noted that their support for Trump is based on their conviction that God can use the unlikeliest of men to enact his will. But how did conservative American Christians become invested in such a fine point of Middle East policy as to whether the US Embassy is in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem?

For many of President Trump&rsquo;s evangelical supporters, this is a key step in the progression of events leading to the second coming of Jesus. There&rsquo;s an interesting story as to how that came to be.

Ushering in the kingdom of God

The nation of Israel and the role of the city of Jerusalem are central in the &ldquo;end-times&rdquo; theology &ndash; a form of what is known as &ldquo;pre-millennialism&rdquo; &ndash; embraced by many American conservative Protestants.

While this theology is often thought of as a &ldquo;literal&rdquo; reading of the Bible, it&rsquo;s actually a reasonably new interpretation that dates to the 19th century and relates to the work of Bible teacher John Nelson Darby.

According to Darby, for this to happen the Jewish people must have control of Jerusalem and build a third Jewish temple on the site where the first and second temples &ndash; destroyed centuries ago by the Babylonians and Romans &ndash; once were. In Darby&rsquo;s view, this was a necessary precursor to the rapture, when believers would be &ldquo;taken up&rdquo; by Christ to escape the worst of the seven-year-period of suffering and turmoil on Earth: The Great Tribulation. This is to be followed by the cosmic battle between good and evil called Armageddon at which Satan will be defeated and Christ will establish his earthly kingdom. All of this became eminently more possible when the modern state of Israel was established in the 1940s.

But to understand the power of this way of looking at the world, it is necessary to do more than point to theological tenets. It is their dissemination through the culture that determines which thought systems take hold and which ones are lost to history.

As an author of &ldquo;Building God&rsquo;s Kingdom,&rdquo; I focus on various aspects of conservative American Protestantism in American culture and politics. In my research, I have seen how some thought systems get lost in history and others take hold.

Here is what happened with the end-time narrative that made it a core undercurrent to how these Christians look at the world and history.

The origins of this narrative

The end-times framework was popularised in the 1970s with an inexpensive and widely available paperback by evangelist and Christian writer Hal Lindsey called &ldquo;The Late Great Planet Earth.&rdquo; Lindsey argued that the establishment of the state of Israel in the 1940s set up a chain of events that would lead to Jesus&rsquo;s return.

He calculated a date for that return in the 1980s. Lindsey, like many end-times prognosticators before him, argued that he lived in the &ldquo;first time in history&rdquo; when the biblical prophecies could possibly be fulfilled. This, he thought, was due in large part to the reestablishment of Israel.

Despite his claim to be reading the Bible literally, Lindsey&rsquo;s interpretation was far from literal. He said, for example, that the locusts predicted in one of the plagues in the book of Revelation were &ldquo;really&rdquo; helicopters.

As adults were reading Lindsey&rsquo;s book, a generation of young people watched an &ldquo;evangelistic&rdquo; film, &ldquo;A Thief in the Night,&rdquo; in church services and youth group meetings.

Beginning with an ominous ticking clock, the film begins at the rapture. It shows how all the faithful Christians suddenly disappeared. For those who remained, there was one more chance to accept the Gospel but that chance required living through extreme persecution. 
The film scared young people into conversion by depicting the experiences of these young Christians who were suffering because they had arrogantly dismissed warnings from their friends, families and churches to repent and had missed the rapture.

According to scholar Amy Frykholm, an estimated 50 million to 300 million people viewed &ldquo;A Thief in the Night.&rdquo;

The end-times and the culture wars

The use of popular media to spread a terrifying vision of the end of history to draw young people into repentance continued in the 1980s with the apocalyptic novels of Frank Peretti. The Peretti novels depicted a vibrant and active spiritual world in which cosmic forces of good and evil were vying for supremacy all around us.

As the book presented it, every person is obliged to play a part for one side or the other in very literal ways. This applies to all people: &ldquo;True Christians&rdquo; were meant to fight on God&rsquo;s side, and the rest on the side of Satan. The first of these was called &ldquo;This Present Darkness.&rdquo;

Though clearly recognised as fictional, these books were also perceived as &ldquo;real.&rdquo; For example, while the seat of the diabolical scheming was the fictional local college and the chief antagonist was a fictional professor, it wasn&rsquo;t lost on readers that they were to perceive colleges and professors as likely enemies.

The depiction of literal &ldquo;good guys&rdquo; and &ldquo;bad guys&rdquo; as regular people aligned with God and Satan, respectively, played into the increasingly divisive culture war battles of the time. These books were powerful and effective until a decade later when they were replaced in a popular Christian culture by the &ldquo;Left Behind&rdquo; series, co-authored by culture warrior Tim LaHaye.

These 16 books and four films, released over the course of a decade, also trace the lives of the late-coming believers who had missed the rapture and were now part of the &ldquo;Tribulation Force,&rdquo; as they endured the post-rapture world and sought to remain faithful despite persecution. The series&rsquo; successes included a New York Times best-seller, while seven others set sales records. The entire series sold more than 65 million copies.

It&rsquo;s impossible to overemphasise the effects of this framework on those within the circles of evangelicalism where it is popular. A growing number of young people who have left evangelicalism point to end-times theology as a key component of the subculture they left. They call themselves &ldquo;exvangelicals&rdquo; and label teachings like this as abusive.

It&rsquo;s hard to get away from the invocation of mythic narratives in American politics. They get used often and are invented and reinvented to be deployed at different times in history. While supporters and opponents of the Trump announcement agree that the results might be cataclysmic, some of the supporters are happy. That is because they are reading it through a lens that promises the return of Jesus and the establishment of God&rsquo;s kingdom.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-trumps-evangelical-supporters-welcome-his-move-on-jerusalem-88775" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" target="blank">original article</a>.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Many American evangelicals believe that the establishment and protection of Israel set up a chain of the event for the return of Jesus.

President Trump’s announcement on Wednesday, Nov. 6 that the U.S. would recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel received widespread criticism. Observers quickly recognised the decision as related not so much to national security concerns as to domestic US politics and promises candidate Trump made to his evangelical supporters, who welcomed the announcement. Historian Diana Butler Bass posted on Twitter: “Of all the possible theological dog-whistles to his evangelical base, this is the biggest. Trump is reminding them that he is carrying out God’s will to these Last Days.” It is true that evangelicals have often noted that their support for Trump is based on their conviction that God can use the unlikeliest of men to enact his will. But how did conservative American Christians become invested in such a fine point of Middle East policy as to whether the US Embassy is in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem? For many of President Trump’s evangelical supporters, this is a key step in the progression of events leading to the second coming of Jesus. There’s an interesting story as to how that came to be. Ushering in the kingdom of God The nation of Israel and the role of the city of Jerusalem are central in the “end-times” theology – a form of what is known as “pre-millennialism” – embraced by many American conservative Protestants. While this theology is often thought of as a “literal” reading of the Bible, it’s actually a reasonably new interpretation that dates to the 19th century and relates to the work of Bible teacher John Nelson Darby. According to Darby, for this to happen the Jewish people must have control of Jerusalem and build a third Jewish temple on the site where the first and second temples – destroyed centuries ago by the Babylonians and Romans – once were. In Darby’s view, this was a necessary precursor to the rapture, when believers would be “taken up” by Christ to escape the worst of the seven-year-period of suffering and turmoil on Earth: The Great Tribulation. This is to be followed by the cosmic battle between good and evil called Armageddon at which Satan will be defeated and Christ will establish his earthly kingdom. All of this became eminently more possible when the modern state of Israel was established in the 1940s. But to understand the power of this way of looking at the world, it is necessary to do more than point to theological tenets. It is their dissemination through the culture that determines which thought systems take hold and which ones are lost to history. As an author of “Building God’s Kingdom,” I focus on various aspects of conservative American Protestantism in American culture and politics. In my research, I have seen how some thought systems get lost in history and others take hold. Here is what happened with the end-time narrative that made it a core undercurrent to how these Christians look at the world and history. The origins of this narrative The end-times framework was popularised in the 1970s with an inexpensive and widely available paperback by evangelist and Christian writer Hal Lindsey called “The Late Great Planet Earth.” Lindsey argued that the establishment of the state of Israel in the 1940s set up a chain of events that would lead to Jesus’s return. He calculated a date for that return in the 1980s. Lindsey, like many end-times prognosticators before him, argued that he lived in the “first time in history” when the biblical prophecies could possibly be fulfilled. This, he thought, was due in large part to the reestablishment of Israel. Despite his claim to be reading the Bible literally, Lindsey’s interpretation was far from literal. He said, for example, that the locusts predicted in one of the plagues in the book of Revelation were “really” helicopters. As adults were reading Lindsey’s book, a generation of young people watched an “evangelistic” film, “A Thief in the Night,” in church services and youth group meetings. Beginning with an ominous ticking clock, the film begins at the rapture. It shows how all the faithful Christians suddenly disappeared. For those who remained, there was one more chance to accept the Gospel but that chance required living through extreme persecution. The film scared young people into conversion by depicting the experiences of these young Christians who were suffering because they had arrogantly dismissed warnings from their friends, families and churches to repent and had missed the rapture. According to scholar Amy Frykholm, an estimated 50 million to 300 million people viewed “A Thief in the Night.” The end-times and the culture wars The use of popular media to spread a terrifying vision of the end of history to draw young people into repentance continued in the 1980s with the apocalyptic novels of Frank Peretti. The Peretti novels depicted a vibrant and active spiritual world in which cosmic forces of good and evil were vying for supremacy all around us. As the book presented it, every person is obliged to play a part for one side or the other in very literal ways. This applies to all people: “True Christians” were meant to fight on God’s side, and the rest on the side of Satan. The first of these was called “This Present Darkness.” Though clearly recognised as fictional, these books were also perceived as “real.” For example, while the seat of the diabolical scheming was the fictional local college and the chief antagonist was a fictional professor, it wasn’t lost on readers that they were to perceive colleges and professors as likely enemies. The depiction of literal “good guys” and “bad guys” as regular people aligned with God and Satan, respectively, played into the increasingly divisive culture war battles of the time. These books were powerful and effective until a decade later when they were replaced in a popular Christian culture by the “Left Behind” series, co-authored by culture warrior Tim LaHaye. These 16 books and four films, released over the course of a decade, also trace the lives of the late-coming believers who had missed the rapture and were now part of the “Tribulation Force,” as they endured the post-rapture world and sought to remain faithful despite persecution. The series’ successes included a New York Times best-seller, while seven others set sales records. The entire series sold more than 65 million copies. It’s impossible to overemphasise the effects of this framework on those within the circles of evangelicalism where it is popular. A growing number of young people who have left evangelicalism point to end-times theology as a key component of the subculture they left. They call themselves “exvangelicals” and label teachings like this as abusive. It’s hard to get away from the invocation of mythic narratives in American politics. They get used often and are invented and reinvented to be deployed at different times in history. While supporters and opponents of the Trump announcement agree that the results might be cataclysmic, some of the supporters are happy. That is because they are reading it through a lens that promises the return of Jesus and the establishment of God’s kingdom. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Why Trump's supporters welcome his move on Jerusalem

Citizens of Yugan county in rural south-east China are being asked to replace images of Jesus&nbsp;Christ with that of President Xi Jinping.

Local officials have told people that if they want to reap good benefits from government policies they should take down pictures of Christ and put up president Xi Jinping&#39;s instead.&nbsp;

The officials assure&nbsp;them that&nbsp;Jesus Christ will not drag them out of poverty or cure their illness, but that the Chinese Communist Party will.

According to the Washington Post, a social media account in Yugan County revealed that in a village about 624 posters preaching Christianity was replaced by images of President Xi.&nbsp;

The move shows the long-prevailing cult of the&nbsp;Communist China&#39;s first leader, Mao Zedong, whose picture was in every home.&nbsp;

The ruling Communist Party in China led by President Xi aims to end poverty by 2020, as its top priority.

Through their campaign president Xi tries developing a strong foothold of the party in the grass root level of society.&nbsp;

Yugan county, located in the Jiangxi province, has the largest number of Christians. The county also has the highest number of poverty-stricken people.&nbsp;

The campaign which had been running across the county since March focusses on teaching Christian families about the different measures taken by the party for eradicating poverty. It aims to spread to the people about the concern president Xi had shown for their well being, said Qi Yan, the chairman of the Huangjinbu people`s congress.

The people were also told about how the party was supporting agriculture and removing poverty.&nbsp;

&quot;Many rural people are ignorant. They think God is their saviour. After our cadres` work, they`ll realise their mistakes and think: we should no longer rely on Jesus, but on the party for help,&quot; he added.

The chairman of the&nbsp;Huangjinbu people`s congress also told that&nbsp;the township government had distributed more than 1,000 portraits of President Xi.All the posters&nbsp;had been&nbsp;put up by the villagers.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Local officials have told people that if they want to reap good benefits from government policies they should take down pictures of Christ and put up president Xi Jinping's instead

Citizens of Yugan county in rural south-east China are being asked to replace images of Jesus Christ with that of President Xi Jinping. Local officials have told people that if they want to reap good benefits from government policies they should take down pictures of Christ and put up president Xi Jinping's instead. The officials assure them that Jesus Christ will not drag them out of poverty or cure their illness, but that the Chinese Communist Party will. According to the Washington Post, a social media account in Yugan County revealed that in a village about 624 posters preaching Christianity was replaced by images of President Xi. The move shows the long-prevailing cult of the Communist China's first leader, Mao Zedong, whose picture was in every home. The ruling Communist Party in China led by President Xi aims to end poverty by 2020, as its top priority. Through their campaign president Xi tries developing a strong foothold of the party in the grass root level of society. Yugan county, located in the Jiangxi province, has the largest number of Christians. The county also has the highest number of poverty-stricken people. The campaign which had been running across the county since March focusses on teaching Christian families about the different measures taken by the party for eradicating poverty. It aims to spread to the people about the concern president Xi had shown for their well being, said Qi Yan, the chairman of the Huangjinbu people`s congress. The people were also told about how the party was supporting agriculture and removing poverty. "Many rural people are ignorant. They think God is their saviour. After our cadres` work, they`ll realise their mistakes and think: we should no longer rely on Jesus, but on the party for help," he added. The chairman of the Huangjinbu people`s congress also told that the township government had distributed more than 1,000 portraits of President Xi.All the posters had been put up by the villagers.

China asks Christians to replace image of Christ with President Xi's

For the first time in five decades, a church bell rang on Sunday at the largest Catholic church located on Srinagar&#39;s M A&nbsp;Road by representatives of Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and Sikhs. &nbsp; &nbsp;

The British-era church, built in 1896, had lost its original bell in a fire sparked by an arson attack in June 1976. According to church officials, the church and its belfry were damaged in the attack by protesters demonstrating against the Mideast war. &nbsp;

He said the bell was not installed all these years because &quot;the community didn&#39;t have enough resources to order a new bell after its damage. Around 30 Christian families living in Srinagar donated for the new bell.&quot;&nbsp;

The event was a shining example of communal harmony as Church invited everyone for ringing the bell; Representatives of every religion made their presence in the event.&nbsp;

&quot;We want to send out a message at the national, international and local levels that we are one here and we love and accept each other as we are,&quot; the parish priest father Roy Matthews told media.&nbsp;

According to church officials, the church and its belfry were damaged in the attack by protesters demonstrating against the Mideast war. ?

For the first time in five decades, a church bell rang on Sunday at the largest Catholic church located on Srinagar's M A Road by representatives of Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and Sikhs. The British-era church, built in 1896, had lost its original bell in a fire sparked by an arson attack in June 1976. According to church officials, the church and its belfry were damaged in the attack by protesters demonstrating against the Mideast war. He said the bell was not installed all these years because "the community didn't have enough resources to order a new bell after its damage. Around 30 Christian families living in Srinagar donated for the new bell." The event was a shining example of communal harmony as Church invited everyone for ringing the bell; Representatives of every religion made their presence in the event. "We want to send out a message at the national, international and local levels that we are one here and we love and accept each other as we are," the parish priest father Roy Matthews told media.

Watch: All faiths come together to ring church bell after 50 years in Srinagar

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