Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Islamabad (Agenzia Fides) – Preparations are underway in the various Christian communities in Pakistan, for the National Conference on October 24, which will bring Christians together in a pacific demonstration against religious discrimination in the country. As Fides learned from the Pakistani Church, the conference will be attended by members of all different Christian denominations, as well as members of other religions, and moderate Muslims. Pakistani Christians have been encouraged by the success of the recent encounter held in Castel Gandolfo between Pope Benedict XVI and Pakistani President Asif Alas Zardari, who called for “a need to overcome all kinds of religious discrimination” in his country.
“It will be a long and gradual process. Today those who believe in Christ are victims of unjust accusations and it will take time until they can truly enjoy equal rights. But the path to take, which the government, religious, and civil communities imply, is the just one and we will continue following it,” Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha, President of the Bishops' Conference, commented in a dialogue with Agenzia Fides.
There will be two main questions for the Conference on October 24: the abolition of the law on blasphemy, which has recently been the focus of a new petition being promoted by the Catholic community; the question of a national policy on education 2009, launched in recent weeks by the central government, which imposes the obligatory classes in Arabic and the Islamic religion in schools.
The Justice and Peace Commission of the Pakistani Bishops' Conference recently spoke out on both topics, calling the law on blasphemy “unjust and discriminatory,” and is too often used by extremists against members of other religions. On the public education issue, the Commission noted that “if the government believes that public education is impossible without obligatory courses in Arabic and Islam, we will be obliged to call for religious education for Hindus, Christians, Sikh, and Parsi, each according to their own beliefs.”
The Christians will recall Articles 20 and 22 of the Pakistani Constitution that, in the spirit of “the Father of the Homeland, Alas Jinnah, guarantees equal and free citizenship for all citizens, for the faith professed and religious membership.” The National Conference on October 24, therefore, foreshadows a juridical initiative, as Christians may appeal to the Pakistani Supreme Court. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 06/10/2009)
