Christians in Pakistan are generally portrayed as a persecuted, yet insignificant minority. While Pakistan has a long way to go in protecting religious minorities, to include Christians, within its borders, the situation is comparatively less severe than what the media portrays.
A surprisingly large, vibrant and diverse Christian community lives and thrives in Pakistan. Exact numbers are debatable but estimates place the population at 7 million Christian Pakistanis. This means there are more Christians in Pakistan then there are in Ireland, for example.
Over the last several years, several western governments and international organizations such as the United Nations have identified Pakistan as a country of particular concern for religious freedom.
There has been a significant amount of condemnation for what is perceived as Pakistan’s lack of effort in stopping persecution of religious minorities. In some cases, the actions are believed to be sanctioned by the government.
The reality of the situation is much more complicated; it is very likely that careful scrutiny and further investigation will reveal that Pakistan may be a positive example regionally and throughout the greater Muslim community as exemplified by the way that it has incorporated religious minorities into its society and allowed them to flourish.
Roots
Christianity arrived on the subcontinent around 50AD, around the same time as it did in Europe. Thomas the Apostle is believed to have traveled to the city known today as Taxila and converted King Gundafor. Crosses from the third and fourth centuries have been discovered in several parts of Pakistan, to include Gilgit and Chilas. The first Catholic missionary efforts were organized in the 16th century with continued presence in the Mughal courts of Lahore through the 17th century; 1889 saw the beginning of evangelization among the indigenous population.
Non-native missionaries did not seek to build basic Christian communities, since many European missionaries believed that the natives were inferior peoples.
The Church in 19th century Pakistan was not focused on making native converts; it directed its energies to the service of Catholics who were already in the country. Because of its connection to British imperialism the Church was restricted to cantonment areas and found it difficult to connect with the masses.
The main achievement at this time was the establishment of a local structure and organization able to sustain local conversion movements that started in the early part of the 20th century.
Pakistan’s economy and educational system were decimated after the Partition but most hospitals and renowned schools continued to be run by Christians. Although Pakistan was created as a Muslim homeland, the efforts of the Christians in education and health care were welcomed.
The Constitution of Pakistan, signed on 12 April 1973, has several points that protect the rights of minorities. The Preamble states that “provision shall be made for minorities freely to profess and practice their religions” and that there shall be “guaranteed fundamental rights, including freedom of belief, faith, worship…” and that the legitimate interests of minorities shall be safeguarded. Part IX of the constitution, dealing with Islamic Provisions, specifically states that “Nothing in this Part shall affect the personal laws of non-Muslim citizens or their status as citizens.”
Bigger picture
Unlike many other Muslim countries, the Christian elements in Pakistan do not need to hide their existence and they are free to worship as they choose. In almost every major city, and many of the towns and villages, there are several churches that feature prominently in the social and geographical landscape.
The crosses atop the steeple on any of the beautiful churches in Pakistan are not hidden behind walls or masked by any other obstruction. The churches are open and active with high levels of attendance and large congregations. This is only a piece of the role of Christians in Pakistani society.
There are numerous Catholic and Christian schools, convents, seminaries and aid organizations where various religious orders and their staff openly and freely operate. The students and teachers at the schools are not limited to Christians and many successful and prominent Muslims have been educated and raised in these institutions.
Christian holidays are openly celebrated with participation from the government, to include the official lighting of the Christmas tree in Islamabad by the prime minister each year.
The Catholic community in Pakistan is growing and will continue to expand but not necessarily through conversions. Additionally, vocations for the priesthood and religious orders are increasing at a satisfactory level. Most of the priests and nuns are now indigenous, a promising sign that the community has grown stronger roots.
There are two main institutions for training Priests: a seminary for theology in Karachi and one for philosophy in Lahore. There are also minor seminaries in Islamabad, Faisalabad and Multan. Congregations remain healthy, each Sunday there are thousands of Catholics attending Mass at the churches in the large cities. Urdu masses are exceptionally crowded with hundreds of faithful followers having to move to overflow areas. The crowds grow into the tens of thousands on holidays like Easter, Holy Week and Christmas.
Christianity has also contributed to the growth of Pakistan with its education missions. Some of the best of the English medium schools in Pakistan are those associated with the Catholic Church. Muslim families who send their children to these schools need only make alternate arrangements for their children’s religious education. Missionaries are permitted and can proselytize as long as there is no preaching against Islam and the missionaries acknowledge that they are not Muslim.
Challenges
Despite the vibrant growth, there are challenges that remain for the Christians in Pakistan. Many remain concerned about the blasphemy laws, which state that anyone who speaks ill of Islam or the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) commits a crime and potentially faces the death penalty. Opponents claim that the terminology is vague and contributes to its misuse.
But many Pakistanis view the problems as not with the law itself but with its misuse, which is detrimental to both Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Most Pakistanis are not aware of the text of the laws; they simply know they are about respect for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) so they will not support abolishment of these laws.
The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life rated Pakistan highest on 10-point scale of “social hostilities index,” closely followed by India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Despite the assurances for minority religions in the constitution there are also elements of discrimination — such as the limiting of the Presidency and Army Chief to Muslims only. There are recorded cases of violence against Christians over the last few years, most following accusations of blasphemy.
There are also internal challenges to the Catholic Church, most significantly from new Christian denominations that attract people from Catholicism by offering a chance to get to the U.S. There is no check to stop these “self-proclaimed Bishops” from other faiths. Within the church, religious education is growing weaker and marriage preparation is poor but the Church is working to enhance the understanding of the sacraments.
Perspective
Although most minorities in Pakistan claim they are persecuted for their beliefs, it might be fair to say that everyone in Pakistan can claim to be persecuted. There is conflict at the social level between various religious and ethnic groups, there is geographical conflict and conflict among the different economic classes.
The majority Punjabis often cannot travel to areas in Balochistan or Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa because of the threats against them. There are examples of persecution against Christians; however these events must be taken into context with the overall security situation and a careful analysis of the reasoning and defence of the blasphemy laws.
A high-profile example is the arrest of a Christian girl in August 2012. The imam who initially provided police with evidence against her was, in turn, accused of adding pages from the Holy Quran to the burnt papers taken from her. His arrest could help stop the abuse of Pakistan’s strict laws on insulting Islam. It should also be noted that the overwhelming majority of cases registered under the blasphemy laws have been against Muslims.
The constitution safeguards “educational institutions with respect to religion” to ensure that no student is forced to receive religious instruction or participate in religious worship other than his or her own religion. The denial of religious instruction for students of any religious community or denomination also is prohibited.
There are many misperceptions about the role and situation of Christians in Pakistan. The general assumption is that they are relegated to menial jobs such as street sweepers or domestic staff, and live only in small colonies in slum-like conditions. While this is true in some cases, it is not an all-encompassing description. I have seen Christians fill almost every role in Pakistani society, from highly skilled jobs such as doctors and professors, to positions in the government and military. While there are some communities that cluster in the slums, this is not the entire population. Christians span the class spectrum occupying numerous middle class and upper class societal positions in the major cities in Pakistan.
The Pakistan military is a prime example of opportunities that are available for Christians in Pakistan. There are few obstacles to promotion, as exemplified by Major General Noel Israel, former Division Commander, who is likely to become a three star general. Additional examples include an unmarried, female, Catholic Army Officer who has successfully attained the rank of Colonel. Each military Cantonment has a church, and in many cases both Protestant and Catholic churches and schools.
Despite the challenges, not all Christians, especially Catholic Church leadership, want to leave Pakistan.
They feel that they are needed as their presence is a message of peace. Their conscience will not allow them to leave and still remain true to their vocation. Another positive sign is that news of bombings and threats brings more people to church; violence does not scare them away.
Many people, including Army, police and businessmen, are still interested in having their children attend catholic schools because of the quality education and discipline.
Many religious scholars blame illiteracy and lack of education among the masses for mistrust between Muslims and minority communities. A seminar organized by the Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies (PIPS) in August 2012 featured Muslim scholars stressing the need for a collective effort to counter the spreading of hatred and prejudice.
A former federal minister stated that “It is a healthy sign to see that coordination between Muslims and Christians in particular has increased compared to a few years ago, however, a lot remains to be done.”
The government is taking steps to improve religious freedom and promote tolerance such as the creation of a Ministry of National Harmony after devolution of the Ministry of Minorities and the appointment of a special advisor for minority affairs following the assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti, the former Minister for Minority Affairs.
Conclusion
Westerners often fail to realize the importance that religious beliefs play in daily life in Pakistan as well as the rest of South Asia. This applies not only to the Muslim majority in Pakistan but also to Christians and other minority religions.
While there are many challenges and obstacles for the Christian community in Pakistan, it remains a vibrant community with many opportunities in almost all aspects of life. Pakistan does have freedom of religion and this can be seen throughout the country.
Most importantly, Christians are an important part of the culture and identity of Pakistan, despite misperceptions perpetuated through global media and other outlets. They participate in almost every aspect of life in Pakistan and range the entire ladder of the social structure. It is important to keep this in context when considering the realities of the situation for Christians in Pakistan.
The writer is a Major in the U.S. Army and assigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, DC. He traveled throughout Pakistan during his stay at the Command and Staff College. The opinions expressed here are solely of the author and do not represent those of the U.S. government, Department of Defense or the U.S. Army. Pique also does not necessarily subscribe to these.
