Christians in a Pakistani village threatened: 'Convert or Leave'

[IndusisHindu]

http://www.dw.com/en/christians-in-a-pakistani-village-threatened-convert-or-leave/a-19256610


In another incident of persecution of minorities in Pakistan, the Christian community in a Punjabi village faces the chill wind this time. Despite the intervention of the authorities, the residents fear for their lives.

Christian residents of Chak 44, a village in the Punjab province, have been presented with options either to convert to Islam or leave the village. Members of the Christian community of the village landed in trouble after Imran Masih, a Christian resident, was accused of committing blasphemy. Masih, along with his family, has left the village and gone into hiding.
Masih, a sanitary worker at the rural health centre (RHC), was accused by a co-worker of committing blasphemy by watching controversial content on his phone. This led to a Muslim mob targeting the Christian families in the village and torching their houses.
As a result, over half of the Christian population has already left the village while the remaining ones are in the process of doing so, Yaqoob Iqbal, a Christian resident of Chak 44, told DW.


A social and economic boycott?

Saleem Iqbal, director of the NGO Care Council for Human Rights, says the village's Christian community is in a tight situation. "They are facing a complete social and economic boycott as no shopkeeper is selling anything to them," he told DW.
So they have to travel to neighboring villages to buy essential supplies, the activist added. Moreover, landlords have demanded immediate settlement of all outstanding loans given to Christian farmers, noted Iqbal.
Meanwhile, the local mosque committee announced PKR 100,000 (around $955) for anyone who gives information about Masih's whereabouts and PKR 200,000 for his arrest.
Local police officer Zafar Iqbal told DW that a committee had been set up to look into the issue. He added that police officials have tried to resolve the matter in a peaceful way.

Christian residents of Chak 44, however, disagree.
Yaqoob Iqbal, who also represents the Christian Community in the village, told DW: "We are totally unsatisfied with our lives and the fact of the matter is that despite the efforts of the police officials, extremists can attack us any time."
Pointing out that blasphemy is a sensitive issue in Pakistan, he stressed that minorities could be attacked any time despite the assurances from the police.

A serious issue

Religious discrimination and persecution are serious problems in Pakistan, says Zaman Khan of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), a non-government organization not affiliated with the government. Christians, Hindus and Ahmadi Muslims are routinely discriminated against in Pakistan, he told DW. "Though I appreciate the timely intervention of the law enforcement agencies to avoid another major incident, there still are apprehensions and an attack on the local Christian community can still occur."
Khan cited a past incident, where an entire village was burnt, to explain the fear engulfing the Christian residents.
The expert believes that it will take a considerable amount of time to change the mindset of the Pakistani masses, who, in fact, are prone to violence - particularly against religious minorities.
"In order to change the mindset, bold and radical measures will have to be taken consistently and for a long time. I do not think the past and the present administrations have been doing enough and neither do I think the future administration will," he concludes.

Most Christians in Pakistan are lower caste converts. Given that they now live in an Islamic Republic, they should not resist Islam (which may have resulted from such inherent prejudice against Islam given their Hindu background) and become Muslims. That should both be a slap on the faces of high caste Brahmans who had discriminated against their forefathers in earlier times and the process will also contribute towards Pakistan becoming more Islamic in its identity as it wants to be.

 

[Solomon2]

I find it hard to believe..

Pakistan: "Blasphemy" for Ethnic Cleansing
by Lubna Thomas Benjamin
May 22, 2016 at 4:00 am

http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/8051/pakistan-blasphemy-ethnic-cleansing

• After the attack, some villagers gathered and started threatening other Christians, demanding they either convert to Islam or move out of the area. Then an Islamic religious decree was issued, to hand over Masih to the local Islamic clerics so that he could be burned alive for blasphemy.
  
• Why was only Masih (a Christian) accused of blasphemy, when Bilal (a Muslim) had obviously watched the video in question?
  
• The Christians who are left are searching to find an alternate place to live, and are now facing hatred in the guise of a boycott. No one is selling them food or any daily essentials.
  
• In Punjab, harassing Christians has become a norm; a way of getting rid of them. Every time Christians are threatened and forced to leave the area, the charge is always blasphemy.
  

It started as a normal day in the remote Pakistani village of Chak-44 for Imran Masih, a Christian man, and Bilal, his Muslim friend, in mid-April. Masih had revealed to Bilal that the woman he had fallen in love with was a Muslim.

According to media reports, Masih was called away urgently and left his phone with Bilal, who apparently came across a video that appeared in Masih's Facebook feed, which allegedly contained content against the Muslim Prophet Mohammad. Bilal's accusation that Masih had viewed that video became the reason to charge Masih with blasphemy.

You start asking questions, such as: Wait a minute, who has committed blasphemy?

No one will probably ever even know what was on that video or whether Masih even watched it. But even if Masih did watch it, he was not the only one: Bilal also watched it. However, in a country where might is right, Bilal, a Muslim with the support of fellow villagers, is always right.

In an instant, a friend had become not only a stranger, but a liar.

Bilal called in two other Muslims to help beat up his Christian friend. A doctor who appeared at the scene to save Masih from the angry men was apparently also a Muslim clergyman. He asked Imran for an apology.

After the attack, some villagers gathered and started threatening other Christians, demanding they either convert to Islam or move out of the area. Then an Islamic religious decree was issued, to hand over Masih to the local Islamic clerics so that he could be burned alive for blasphemy.

What had those Christian residents done to infuriate the local Muslims? They had merely lived in this remote region of Punjab.

Why was only Masih (a Christian) accused of blasphemy, when Bilal (a Muslim) had obviously watched the video in question?

The news reports also indicate that three quarters of the area's Christians have already abandoned their homes. The Christians who are left are searching to find an alternate place to live, and are now facing hatred in the guise of a boycott. No one is selling them food or any daily essentials.

Left: Imran Masih's house in the village of Chak-44, Pakistan. Right: The Catholic Church in the village. (Images source: World Watch Monitor)



The history of Punjab brims with violence and the torching Christian homes. All these horrific incidents illustrate an intense hatred for Christians. Religion here is a force that could divide any friendship.

The government and human rights organizations are well aware of this hatred and violence. Here, harassing Christians has become a norm; a way of getting rid of them. Every time Christians are threatened and forced to leave the area, the charge is always blasphemy.

A few years ago, I covered the story of Rimsha Masih, an underage Christian girl charged with the blasphemy in the outskirts of Pakistan's capital, Islamabad. As one talked to the shopkeepers and her neighbors, their eyes would fill with hate. "We want to get Christians out of here," the residents would say. Using a young Christian girl and getting her charged with blasphemy seemed like the perfect plan.

In Pakistan, under the guise of blasphemy laws, the Muslim citizens have been getting rid of the Christians for years.

Lubna Thomas Benjamin, recipient of the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship for the year 2011-12, was a television producer in Pakistan and has worked at CNN Atlanta. She is currently a freelance writer in the United States.

 

[SarthakGanguly]

Most Christians in Pakistan are lower caste converts. Given that they now live in an Islamic Republic, they should not resist Islam (which may have resulted from such inherent prejudice against Islam given their Hindu background) and become Muslims. That should both be a slap on the faces of high caste Brahmans who had discriminated against their forefathers in earlier times and the process will also contribute towards Pakistan becoming more Islamic in its identity as it wants to be.

Yes, I also hope they accept Islam. Only way out. Best wishes.

 

[Solomon2]

Yes, I also hope they accept Islam. Only way out -

"Out of the frying pan, into the fire", yes?

 

[SarthakGanguly]

"Out of the frying pan, into the fire", yes?

No. One or two can be expected to be rescued. A family or two can be relocated to Canada.
But a whole community can't just vanish.

 

[Solomon2]

No. One or two can be expected to be rescued. A family or two can be relocated to Canada.
But a whole community can't just vanish.

Do you think "out of the frying pan and becoming the fire" is a fate kind, gentle people want for their kids?

 

[Jaanbaz]

Hang Shahbaz shariff all ready, this scum bag lets minorities being killed in Punjab and is known to be allied with Deobandi terrorists.

 

[Pakistani E]

Hang Shahbaz shariff all ready, this scum bag lets minorities being killed in Punjab and is known to be allied with Deobandi terrorists.

It's funny how Punjab government sponsors meeting of hate preachers and even has advertisements that say don't do business with minority community while its leader proclaims how he wants to build a liberal Pakistan. I am tired of using the word hypocrisy for this country, I will have to think of a more meaningful word.