Pakistan: Church planters receive death threats as
religious persecution increases
Christian leaders in Pakistan have received death
threats for their involvement in church planting, leading a country expert to
warn that religious minorities are facing worse conditions day by day.
Javed David has
been building churches in poor communities for the past two years, but says he
is becoming increasingly afraid of the consequences, particularly in the wake
of the double suicide bomb attacks on churches in Lahore, where he lives, in
March.
"After the
tragedy in Youhanabad [a Christian majority suburb of Lahore], circumstances
have changed and now there is more fear," David told Asia News. He has personally received two threats on his
life since February. Once, a motorcyclist threw a piece of paper though his car
window, reading: "This is an Islamic nation. We cannot allow church
building. Either you convert to Islam or you leave this country! Stop building
churches or you'll pay the consequences!"
In a second
incident on April 4, another motorcyclist told him: "We know what you are
doing here. Stop building churches. Convert to Islam, which is the true
religion. Otherwise we will make a horrible example of you."
One of David's
colleagues, Ata-ur-Rehman, has also received threats. He said that though there
has been some resistance from members of the local Muslim community, Christians
and Muslims largely live in peace together. He did, however, express concern
about "rising religious intolerance".
"My family and
I are scared and worried because I continue to receive threats," David
added. "Where can we go to enjoy religious freedom? This is our country;
we have lived here for generations."
"Still, I
dedicated my life to Christ and I shall continue to serve His people, no matter
what happens."
Pakistan has long
struggled with discrimination against religious minorities, and a report
released in December last year said an "oppressive environment" was
making it "increasingly difficult for many religious communities to live
securely and free from danger in places where they have often spent the
majority of their lives."
The Minority Rights
Group and International and Sustainable Development Policy Institute said that
"violent attacks against religious minorities occur against a backdrop of
legal and social discrimination in almost every aspect of their lives,
including political participation, marriage and freedom of belief," and
called for increased protections for all citizens.
The US Commission
on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) two weeks ago urged the Obama
Administration to designate Pakistan a "country of particular
concern" and also blamed the Pakistani government for failing to provide
adequate protection to targeted groups.
"Pakistan's
legal environment is particularly repressive due to its religiously
discriminatory constitutional provisions and legislation, including its
blasphemy laws," the USCIRF's annual report said.
