Daily Times

Despite enduring relentless persecution, mob violence, and economic downturns Christians have emerged as one of the most patient and tolerant religious groups in Pakistan’s history over the past seven decades. They continue to be peaceful and loving citizens, contributing to the nation with unwavering resilience and grace.

Plunged into grinding poverty and often confined to menial jobs as cleaners, labourers, and farmhands, Christians have made invaluable contributions to the nation’s development. Their contributions to establishing educational institutions, hospitals, and health facilities across the country stand as a shining testament to their dedication, embodying the true spirit of Christmas.

Traditionally, Christians have embraced the responsibility of educating the masses, offering quality academic resources and keeping them aligned with modern trends. A prime example is Forman Christian College, which has produced distinguished scholars, politicians, bureaucrats, military officers, and industrialists.

Similarly, numerous Christian mission hospitals in Pakistan are dedicated to providing healthcare services at minimal cost to underprivileged communities. Notable examples include the Holy Family Hospital and the Marie Adelaide Leprosy Center in Karachi. One such hospital, the Taxila Mission Hospital, has been offering comprehensive eye and general medical services for over 150 years. Such institutions have not only championed quality healthcare but have also played a vital role in advancing the nursing profession.

It is also very important to remember that Christians played a crucial role in supporting Quaid-e-Azam and the Muslim League during the critical period when there was significant opposition to the creation of a new Muslim state. The All-India Christian Association pledged their unconditional full cooperation to the founder of Pakistan.

My beloved Pakistan, I take immense pride in calling you my motherland and fervently pray for your stability as you strive to overcome the hatred.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s vision for Pakistan indeed included equality and security for all its citizens, irrespective of religion. His famous words on August 11, 1947, emphasized this promise: “You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion, caste or creed-that has nothing to do with the business of the State.”

If you feel that the promise of equality is faltering, it’s a sign of systemic challenges that need collective resolve to address. Upholding this vision requires commitment from society at large and proactive steps by leadership to ensure justice, protection, and equality for all citizens, especially vulnerable communities like Christians and other religious minorities. What steps or initiatives do you think could help reignite and sustain Jinnah’s vision in contemporary times?

Restoring respect for religion and ensuring basic human rights is not just a moral imperative; it is essential for the nation’s survival and progress.

Unfortunately, Christians will conclude this year on a sour note after 2024 has exposed countless horrific atrocities and inexorable persecution, targeted solely for their faith religiously motivated violence, and the forced conversions and marriages of Christian and Hindu girls are the challenges which have changed many lives. Tragically, the perpetrators of these vicious crimes remain untouchable, shielded from accountability and beyond the reach of our justice system.

I’m striving to hold onto hope in Jinnah’s vision for Christians and other religious groups. Yet, the promise made by our founding father-to guarantee equal rights and security for Christians-is unravelling right before our eyes. Regrettably, religious identity has become a brand factor in today’s Pakistan that determines which citizen is more equal than others in terms of rights, status and opportunities.

The grieving families of arson attacks in Joseph Colony, Jaranwala, Shanti Nagar, Gojra, and Sangla Hill continue to yearn for justice. Yet, the systemic alienation they face compels them to “learn to live” by pain. I see the victims of such atrocities wailing in the streets, mourning all that they have lost to religious belligerence just because of having a different faith. These scars are the scars that will never heal.

No surprise, countless families will mourn deep losses and face economic hardships due to widespread persecution. But what does this persecution truly look like? It manifests as despair when the government fails to implement laws and reforms to address forced conversions, child marriages, and the systemic marginalization of Christians. It takes the form of mob violence, with attacks on colonies and churches, driving families to flee their homes in search of safety. For many, this Christmas will bring neither joy nor peace.

I urge you to consider the plight of parents whose daughters have been forcibly converted, carrying the unbearable weight of trauma and loss. These families walk miles, wait in long queues, and endure years of uncertainty, all in the hope that justice might one day be served.

Even in such grim circumstances, Christians have never lost hope, continuing to serve as a beacon of inspiration for generations. Their contributions across various fields, excelling in the armed forces, music, sports, civil services, medicine, and the judiciary are second to none.

Rising stars such as Group Captain Cecil Chaudhry, Wing Commander Mervyn Leslie Middlecoat, Squadron Leader Peter Christy, Division General Julian Muazzam James, Major General Julian Peter, Brigadier Helen Mary Roberts and Major General Noel Israel Khokhar have carved their names in Pakistan’s history through exemplary bravery and patriotism.

The services of distinguished individuals like Justice Alvin Bobby, Robert Cornelius, Johnson Bernard, Dr James Shera, Sister Ruth Lewis, Nadab Gill, Dr. Isaac John, Miss Nicole, and Dr. Peter Johnson David are monumental in the nation’s development. Colin David was a renowned Pakistani Christian painter who gained widespread recognition for his artistic contributions. The Benjamin sisters were celebrated musicians, while Walis Mathias made his mark as a Pakistani cricketer. Jack Britlio, on the other hand, was an Olympic hockey player who brought honour to the nation.

His Eminence Joseph Coutts, a Roman Catholic Cardinal based in Karachi, holds the prestigious voting authority to elect the new pope, a significant honour for Pakistan. Archbishop Dr. Joseph Arshad was the first Pakistani priest to join the Vatican Diplomatic Service. Throughout his distinguished career, he served in various countries, representing the pope in Malta, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Madagascar, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A few years ago, I intended to greet my Christian friends and walk into the Christmas season with fresh ambitions and dreams, eager for the comfort and reassurance this time of year usually brings. However, I was blindsided by how a season once filled with hope brought fresh wounds and additional pain this year. This experience is distinguished and multiplied my tiredness by a thousand: you belong to a country whose dysfunctional system, hyper-nationalism, political turmoil and anaemic rule of law have combined not only to produce a crisis of epic proportions but also a left-out generation of Christians whose scares are the scares which will never heal.

The silence of marginalized minorities speaks volumes-the currents of systemic racism and intolerance continue to flow unchecked through the very fabric of our society. Every government seems to be sleepwalking through the crisis of rising religious intolerance, a challenge that must be immediately addressed to reshape Pakistan’s image on the global stage.

In recent years, ethnic and sectarian groups have weaponized false accusations and aggression-not only to shatter human dignity but to terrorize Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan. It’s disheartening that a significant portion of Pakistan’s public remains indifferent to these atrocities.

Under several governments that frequently tout the vision of an “enlightened Pakistan,” the focus on building a truly tolerant and inclusive society remains dangerously limited. In addition, the melting iceberg of tolerance and dialogue reveals the failure of policymakers, religious leaders, and other stakeholders to advance democratic norms. Despite Western concerns and calls for justice from the international community, we have shown little interest in developing frameworks for dialogue or creating safe spaces for minorities, journalists, faith-based organizations, and human rights defenders.

What can I possibly wish for my Christian friends this Christmas, especially when the spirit of tolerance is on life support in Pakistan, and human rights and religious freedom are struggling for survival?

My beloved Pakistan, I take immense pride in calling you my motherland and fervently pray for your stability as you strive to overcome the hatred and strife born from political divides, poor governance, a fragile justice system, and economic inequalities. These are deep and enduring wounds, carried for over seventy years, but I hold hope that you will find your path to recovery soon.

The writer is based in UK, and has specialization in health informatics from Johns Hopkins University.