Christians in Pakistan face ‘violence, poverty and hunger’

The Christian community of Parachinar is suffering severe hardships having become caught in the middle of the ‘war on terror’ in north-west Pakistan.

Roads have been blocked, restricting travel; wages are not being paid; families are unable to send their children to school – and around them is the constant threat of violence.

Community leader Riaz Masih reported: ‘Over the past two years our daily lives have come under increasing social and financial pressure, and the situation is deteriorating day by day.

‘Uncertainty, violence, poverty, hunger and instability prevails everywhere. After having one meal, people don’t know if they’ll be able to feed their children the next day.’

Nearby, the Pakistan Army is carrying out an offensive on Taliban personnel and extremist militants, and violence sometimes flares up between Shia and Sunni sects of Muslims despite a truce.

Mr Masih said: ‘The main road and other routes have been blocked. Anybody who wants to travel has to get transport from Sadda. But Sadda is under the control of the Taliban and extremists, so people must rely on the Taliban’s discretion to let them continue their journey: sometimes they allow it, other times they don’t.

‘The local government hasn’t been unable to collect toll tax, so it has been unable to pay the salaries of sanitary staff, most of whom are Christians. Many haven’t been paid in 20 months; their children have stopped attending schools because families can’t afford the fees.’

Limited resources

The USPG-supported Diocese of Peshawar has dipped into limited resources to provide community relief aid, but report there is still a great need. Other support sometimes comes from the local Shia community when it receives aid from Iran.

As Taliban hideouts are hit by the Pakistan Army, Taliban operatives are reported to have gone on the run, hitting out in desperation at the soft targets, with hundreds women and children being killed in suicide bombings.

There is also a knock-on effect throughout the country. In Lahore, further south, Christian schools were closed temporarily and extra security, such as CCTV cameras, installed.

However, according to the Diocese of Peshawar’s communications desk: ‘Public opinion is still against [the Taliban]. People say they will sacrifice their lives to defeat this menace of terrorism once and for all.’

Reflecting on escalating violence through the region, the Rt Revd Mano Rumalshah, the former Bishop of Peshawar, commented: ‘This last year can be described perhaps as the worst year in the lifetime of the present generation of people of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan.

‘A day when there is no terrorism act is deemed to be an abnormal day. Normal life has been devastated, and travel and shopping for general necessities is highly restricted and, above all, the normal social life of the ordinary people has been completely ruined.’

He added: ‘We as the Church of God have been called to re-enact God’s love in Jesus Christ to the whole people of God, including saints and terrorists, friends and foes, common people and Taliban/al-Qaeda.’

Bishop Mano said the Diocese of Peshawar was witnessing to Christ through healthcare, education and development programmes.

He said: ‘The ultimate aim of this service is to proclaim the message of peace and harmony, thus leading people towards a reconciled relationship, which is God’s ultimate purpose for us all.

‘Please uphold us in your thoughts and prayers as we go through this painful and traumatic period in our lives.’

USPG is supporting a variety of work in Pakistan, including:

• Women’s empowerment;

• Care for children with special needs;

• The rehabilitation of prisoners.

Posted on 05.02.2010