Christianity in Pakistan

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Christians in Pakistan
)
Pakistani Christians
Languages

Oriental Orthodox Christians also live in Pakistan.[4][5][6][7]

Around 75 percent of Pakistan's Christians are rural

Punjabi Christians

As Punjabi Christians are mainly

Dalit Christians—descendants of lower-caste Hindus who converted during the colonial era in India—their dire socio-economic conditions facilitate religious discrimination; for example, it is estimated that Christians fill about 80% of the manual sewer cleaning jobs in the whole of Pakistan.[10][11][12] Blasphemy allegations have led to several cases of mob violence against Christian households and churches.[13]

History

St Patrick's Cathedral Karachi

Thomas the Apostle is credited with the arrival of Christianity to the Indian subcontinent, establishing the community of Saint Thomas Christians on the Malabar Coast; Saint Thomas Christian crosses (Mar Thoma Sleeva) have been found all over the Indian subcontinent, including one near the city of Taxila in what is now Pakistan.[14]

In 1745, the Bettiah Christians, the northern Indian subcontinent's oldest surviving Christian community, was established by the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin under the patronage of King Dhurup Singh; the Hindustan Prefecture was raised in 1769 at Patna and later shifted to Agra, which was elevated to the status of a Vicariate in 1820.[15] The Capuchins, through their Agra Diocese and Allahabad Diocese, expanded their ministry and established in the 1800s Catholic churches in colonial India's northern provinces including Rajasthan, UP, CP, Bihar and Punjab, the latter of which now includes Pakistan.[15]

In 1877, on

Church Missionary Society missionary at Peshawar (1864–84), and became an oriental scholar, and compiled a 'Dictionary of Islam' (1885).[19]

The Christians of colonial India were active in the

religious freedom for both organisations and individuals.[20]

When Pakistan was created on 14 August 1947, the organization and activities of the Christian community changed drastically; the Catholic Union of India granted independence to its branches in Sind and Baluchistan in its Second Annual General Meeting in Bangalore in October 1947.

Mohammad Yousuf. In Britain, the bishop emeritus of Rochester Michael Nazir-Ali
is a Pakistani Christian.

In 2016, it was reported that Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) had banned all of the Christian television stations. PEMRA doesn't allow landing rights for religious content, allowing airing of Christian messages only on Easter and Christmas.[26]

Since 1996, the small community of

Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia that was set up by the decision of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.[27] In 2008, the Diocese was divided, and Pakistan came under the jurisdiction of newly formed Eastern Orthodox Metropolitanate of Singapore and South Asia.[28]

Deterioration of relations

Holy Trinity Church Murree
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Lahore

According to journalist

9/11 attacks on the US, things grew worse with "many Pakistani Muslims" seeing the American response to the attacks "as a foreign plot to defame their faith."[29][30]

Pakistan's Christian community developed a "growing sense of concern", particularly over the

strict blasphemy laws – which restricts any insults against Muhammad and makes the crime punishable by death. In the 1990s, some Christians were arrested on charges of blasphemy, and for protesting that appeared to insult Islam. John Joseph, a bishop in Faisalabad, committed suicide to protest the execution of a Christian man on blasphemy charges.[31][32]

In 2009, a

suicide bombing at a church in Peshawar left more than 100 people dead, and a series of attacks at churches in Lahore in 2015 left 14 dead.[35] On 27 March 2016, over seventy people were killed when a suicide bomber targeting Christians celebrating Easter (though the majority of victims were Muslim in this instance) attacked a playground in Lahore.[36]

On 16 August 2023, rumours began to spread in the Punjabi city of Jaranwala, Faisalabad, that a Christian had desecrated pages of the Quran. The resulting riot led to the destruction of 26 churches in the Christian quarter of the city, and thousands of Christians fled, with some spending the next few nights in open fields, afraid of returning to their homes.[37] Local Christians complained of inaction by security forces in Jaranwala, but eventually reinforcements were called in[37] and around 100 Muslims were arrested for participating in the violence.[38] No Christians were killed in the riots, as most managed to flee due to warnings from Muslim neighbours. On the Sunday after the riots, mass was celebrated in the street outside the burned-out St. Paul's Catholic Church.[39] The Pakistani Catholic Bishops' Conference denounced the act and asked that the Government bring the culprits to justice, regretting that "the Christian community has been terrorized and frightened by a small group of miscreants to make them believe that Christians are in fact second-class citizens of Pakistan and will remain so".[40] Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need helped address the emergency needs of those whose livelihoods was destroyed, providing a support package for 464 families, including replacement rickshaws and motorcycles for drivers who had lost their vehicles.[41]

Demographics

Christian population in Pakistan
YearPop.±% p.a.
1981 1,310,426—    
1990 1,769,582+3.39%
1998 2,092,902+2.12%
2017 2,637,587+1.22%
Source: [42][43][1]

While Christianity in Pakistan is growing fast, it is growing more slowly than the population as a whole, causing it to decline in percentage terms. This is due to low fertility rates among Pakistani Christians. Today, most Pakistani Christians live in Northern Punjab.

Apart from Catholics, Christians of other denominations re-organized themselves, in India, into the Churches of North and South India respectively, and as the Church of Pakistan in 1970. Politically, groups like the Pakistan Christian Congress have arisen. The New Apostolic Church also has followers in Pakistan.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) reports over 4,000 members in 13 congregations throughout Pakistan. LDS members are most prevalent in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.[44]

According to the Pakistan's National Council for Justice and Peace (NCJP) report 2001 the average literacy rate among Christians is 34 percent compared to the national average of 46.56 percent.[45]

Persecution

Church in Islamabad
Outside of the Sialkot Cathedral
Easter Celebrations at Cathedral Church of the Resurrection, Lahore

After the

Punjab region, the Government of Pakistan appropriated Sikh property to Muslims arriving from East Punjab.[46] This caused over 300,000 Christians in Pakistan to become homeless.[46] On top of that, rogue Muslims threatened Christians that Pakistan was made for Muslims only and that if Christians wanted to stay there, they had to live a life of servitude and perform sanitation work.[46] Some Christians were therefore murdered for refusing to pick up garbage.[46] In 1951, seventy-two Muslims were charged with the murder of eleven Christians after communal riots over agricultural land erupted.[46]

Many churches built during the colonial Indian period, prior to the partition, remain locked, with the Pakistani government refusing to hand them over to the Christian community.[47] Others have been victims of church arsons or demolitions.[47] In 1971, East Pakistan became independent as Bangladesh, and the majority of Pakistan's Hindus, who lived in Bangladesh, were severed from Pakistan. Pakistan became a culturally monolithic, increasingly Islamic state, with smaller religious minorities than ever.

With the governments of

extremists.[48] The Christian community in Pakistan encounters significant challenges, discrimination, and persecution solely based on their religious identity. The law enforcement and justice system, as well as the presence of "blasphemy" laws and bonded labor, are often exploited to target, trap, and imprison religious minorities, with a particular focus on Christians.[49][50]

Gallery

St Andrew Church Stained glass, Lahore
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Lahore

Missionaries accompanied colonizing forces from Portugal, France, and Great Britain. Jesuit missionaries sent from their Portuguese-held Goa built a Catholic church in Lahore, the first in Punjab, around 1597, two years after being granted permission by emperor Akbar, who had called them to his court in Fatehpur Sikri for religious discussions. This church was later demolished, perhaps during Aurangzeb times. Later on, Christianity was mainly brought by the British rulers of India in the later 18th and 19th century. This is evidenced in cities established by the British, such as the port city of Karachi, where the majestic St. Patrick's Cathedral, one of Pakistan's largest church, stands, and the churches in the city of Rawalpindi
, where the British established a major military cantonment.

Holy Trinity Cathedral, Karachi

The Europeans won[

North West Frontier Province, but small native communities of converts to Christianity were formed. The largest numbers came from resident officers of the British Army and the government. European and wealthy native Christians established colleges, churches, hospitals and schools in cities like Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar. There is a large Catholic Goan community in Karachi that was established when Karachi's infrastructure was developed by the British before World War II, and the Irish
(who were subjects of the British Empire and formed a large part of the British Army) were an important factor in the establishment of then the Catholic community of northwestern colonial India (now Pakistan).

Night view of St Mary's Cathedral & Bishop's House Multan

Notable Pakistani Christians

Christians in Pakistani military services

The Christians in Pakistan have long been active in various fields of public service. Many Christians have served in the Pakistan Armed Forces, civilian services and other organizations. Some have received high civilian and military awards.

Pakistan Air Force

Pakistan Army

Pakistan Navy

Religious ministers

Civil services and police

Education

Politicians

Human rights defenders

Entertainment

Sports

  • Jack Britto, Olympic field hockey player.
  • cricketer, coach and a sports journalist from Karachi.[64]
  • Jacob Harris, first class cricketer and sports coach from Karachi.
  • 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia
    .
  • John Permal, sprinter, once known as fastest man in Pakistan
  • Sidra Sadaf, woman cyclist who won a silver medal at the 11th South Asian Games in Dhaka, Bangladesh in January 2010.
  • Yousaf Youhana, first class test cricketer who used to openly use the sign of the cross before starting his innings. He was one of the most successful batsmen of the Pakistan cricket team. He later converted to Islam.

Writers

  • Cyril Almeida, journalist and an assistant editor for the daily newspaper Dawn.[65]
  • Kanwal Feroze, scholar, poet, writer and journalist.
  • Nabeel Qureshi, former Ahmadi who converted to Christianity, wrote three books. Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity, Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward and No God BUT One: Allah or Jesus.
  • Late Begum Bilquis Sheikh was an aristocratic Pakistani lady who converted from Islam to Christianity and wrote her famous memoirs about this.

Other

Candidates to sainthood

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Riazul Haq and Shahbaz Rana (27 May 2018). "Headcount finalised sans third-party audit". Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Why are Pakistan's Christians targeted?". BBC News. October 30, 2018.
  3. ^ "Salient Features of Final Results: Census 2017" (PDF). Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-05-24. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  4. ^ "By Location". Adherents.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-24. Retrieved 2013-02-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ^ "The Constitution of Pakistan, Notes for Part III, Chapter 3". Pakistani.org. Archived from the original on 2009-11-10. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
  6. ^ Ghani, Faras (14 Dec 2015). "Islamabad's Christian slums face demolition". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  7. ^ Telushkin, Shira (31 March 2018). "The Americanization of an Ancient Faith". The Atlantic. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  8. .
  9. . At [Pakistan's] inception in 1947, Pakistani Christians could be divided in three categories. a) Punjabi rural working-class Anglicans, (b) Catholic urban middle-class Goans in Karachi, and c) White Anglo-Indians who lived in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Quetta and this included both Irish Catholic and English Protestants.
  10. ^ ur-Rehman, Zia; Abi-Habib, Maria (4 May 2020). "Sewer Cleaners Wanted in Pakistan: Only Christians Need Apply". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
    In Pakistan, manual sewer cleaners are known as "sweepers".
  11. . For example, 90 to 95% of Pakistani Christians are Punjabi of the chura (dalit) group converted from Hinduism rather than from Islam or local religious systems.
  12. ^ Sara, Singha; Ariel, Glucklich (23 April 2015). "Dalit Christians and Caste Consciousness in Pakistan". Retrieved 22 September 2020. This study explores caste discrimination in Pakistan against untouchable (Dalit) converts to Christianity. During the nineteenth century in India, many Dalits converted to Christianity to escape caste persecution. In the 1870s in Punjab, a mass movement to Protestant Christianity flourished among the Dalit Chuhra caste. The Chuhras were the largest menial caste in Punjab and engaged in degrading occupations including sweeping and sanitation work. By the 1930s, almost the entire Chuhra caste converted to Protestant Christianity. In 1947, during the partition of India, the majority of Chuhra converts in Punjab became part of the Protestant community in Pakistan. After Partition, many uneducated Chuhras were confined to menial jobs in the sanitation industry. Today, the stigma of Dalit ancestry is a distinct feature of social discrimination against Chuhra Christians in Pakistan.
  13. ^ Hussain, Abid. "'I don't feel safe anymore': Pakistan Christians in fear after mob violence". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
  14. ^ .
  15. ^ a b Jose Kalapura, SJ (April 2020). "Centenary History of Patna Jesuit Mission". Patna Ganga Lahar. Jesuit Conference of South Asia: 9–10.
  16. ^ "Churches and Ministers: Home and Foreign Events". The New York Times. January 13, 1878.
  17. ^ An Heroic Bishop Chapter VI. His Fourth Pioneer Work: The Lahore Bishopric.
  18. ^ Beginnings in India By Eugene Stock, D.C.L., London: Central Board of Missions and SPCK, 1917.
  19. ^ "British Library". Mundus.ac.uk. 2002-07-18. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
  20. ^ .
  21. .
  22. ^ Pinto, Ambrose (19 August 2017). "Christian Contribution to the Freedom Struggle". Mainstream. LV (35).
  23. ^ . In December 1921, the Punjabi-dominated meetings of the All India Conference of Indian Christians in Lahore was more cautious in their proposals but less cautious in the rationale they offered. They passed resolutions, first indicating that the Protestant missions 'should be completely merged in the Indian Church and that in future all Foreign Missionaries should be related to it,' and then urging the missions in the meantime to 'appoint Indians of ability and character on an increasing scale.' Among their supporting arguments were that 'Indian Christians are not going to put up with colour and racial distinctions', that foreign missionaries could not solve the community's problems 'because of lack of sympathy', that the missions were too divided by denominational differences to bring about a united Indian Church, and that 'In these days Indians look up to Indians and do not pay much attention to foreigners.'
  24. .
  25. ^ "Partition Affects Catholic Union Of India". Bangalore: Indian Daily Mail. 21 November 1947. A resolution that, in view of the partition of India into two separate Dominions and the result of the Catholic Associations of Sind and Baluchistan--the only associations, in Pakistan affiliated to the Catholic Union--to sever its connection with the Union, the jurisdiction and activities of the Union be confined to the Dominion of India and necessary amendments be made in the Constitution was passed at the Second Annual General Meeting of the Catholic Union of India held at St. Joseph's College Hall, Civil Area, last week. Mr Ruthnasamy, President of the Union was in the chair.
  26. ^ Anugrah Kumar (November 2016). "Pakistan Bans All 11 Christian TV Stations, Arrests Cable Operators in Crackdown". The Christian Post.
  27. ^ Official page of the Eastern Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia
  28. ^ Eastern Orthodox Metropolitanate of Singapore and South Asia
  29. ISSN 0190-8286
    . Retrieved 2016-03-28.
  30. . Retrieved 2016-03-28.
  31. ^ "Blasphemy Law in Pakistan".
  32. .
  33. ^ "6 killed in Pakistan as Muslims burn Christian homes - CNN.com". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
  34. ^ "Pakistan Christians die in unrest". BBC. 2009-08-02. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
  35. ^ "Two blasts at Lahore churches claim 15 lives". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
  36. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2016-03-28.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  37. ^ a b ACN (2023-08-18). "Pakistan: 1,000 frightened and homeless Christians forced to sleep rough". ACN International. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  38. ^ "Pakistan: More than 100 arrested after churches burned". BBC News. 2023-08-17. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  39. ^ ACN (2023-08-23). "Pakistan. Parishioners gather for Mass outside their torched church". ACN International. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  40. ^ ACN (2023-08-23). "Pakistan. Parishioners gather for Mass outside their torched church". ACN International. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  41. ^ ACN (2023-09-26). "Pakistan: ACN to provide emergency relief for victims of Jaranwala riots". ACN International. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  42. ^ Dr Iftikhar H. Malik. "Religious Minorities in Pakistan" (PDF). Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  43. ^ "Population distribution by religion, 1998-Census" (PDF). Pakistan Statistical Year Book 2011. Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. 2011. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  44. ^ Swensen, Jason. "Promise, potential define LDS Church in India, Pakistan". DeseretNews.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-02. Retrieved 2016-01-29.
  45. ^ "Religious Minorities in Pakistan By Dr Iftikhar H.Malik" (PDF). Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  46. ^ a b c d e f Aqeel, Asif (March 2, 2018). "Humiliated and betrayed Christians". Daily Times.
  47. ^ .
  48. ^ Wilkinson, Isambard. "Where Christianity faces a fight to survive". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2006-06-02. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  49. ^ "Why are Pakistan's Christians targeted?". BBC News. 2016-03-28. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  50. ^ "Christians in Pakistan are victims of rape, forced marriages, and violent mobs using blasphemy laws against them". Aleteia — Catholic Spirituality, Lifestyle, World News, and Culture. 2022-07-01. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  51. ^ a b c d e f "PAF'S Gallant Christian Heroes Carry Quaid's Message". Archived from the original on 2011-03-07. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
  52. ^ Anglican Communion Office. "Member Church - Pakistan". Anglicancommunion.org. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
  53. ^ "News Corp and Facebook have reached pay deals for news in Australia". The Frontier Post. March 16, 2021.
  54. ^ "Contact Us". NCC-Pakistan. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
  55. ^ "Pakistan Civil Awards" (PDF).[permanent dead link]
  56. ^ "Pakistani minister, a Christian, assassinated". Albuquerque Express. 3 March 2011. Archived from the original on 8 March 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2011.
  57. ^ "Pakistan minorities minister shot dead in Islamabad - Times Of India". November 4, 2012. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012.
  58. ^ Presidents Archived 2011-02-06 at the Wayback Machine KGA Retrieved 1 October 2010.
  59. ^ "How Sister Zeph's one-room school in Gujranwala became a global sensation". dawn.com. 26 May 2016.
  60. ^ "Honouring the distinguished: President approves national civil awards". The Express Tribune. August 13, 2013.
  61. ^ "Daily Times 24 March 2009". Archived from the original on 7 June 2011.
  62. ^ InpaperMagazine, From (October 16, 2011). "Educationist: With a heart of gold". DAWN.COM.
  63. ^ Bakhsh, Madeeha. "Burgeoning songster Nirmal Roy hits a home run with her exquisite Coke Studio debut". www.christiansinpakistan.com. Archived from the original on 2020-11-26. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  64. ^ Syed Osman Naeem - Development Technology Professionals. ":: The Old Patricians". theoldpatricians.org. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29.
  65. ^ D. P. Satish (11 October 2016). "Grounded Pakistani Journalist Cyril Almeida Has Goan Roots". News18. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  66. ^ "SHELL PAKISTAN LIMITED-Year Ended 30-06-2006". Paktribune.
  67. ^ Dharkan Fall 2006 Archived 2010-04-14 at the Wayback Machine
  68. ^ "Erica Robin crowned Miss Universe Pakistan 2023". Dunya News. September 15, 2023.
  69. ^ "In a first, Karachi's Erica Robin crowned Miss Universe Pakistan 2023". www.geo.tv.
  70. ^ "Akash Bashir, Who Died Protecting Catholic Worshippers in Pakistan, Named a Servant of God". NCR. Retrieved 2022-06-01.

Works cited

  • Gabriel, Theodore (2021). Christian Citizens in an Islamic State: The Pakistan Experience. Taylor & Francis.

Further reading

External links