August 18, 2023

What's behind Pakistan's minority exodus?

topic:	Discrimination
located:	Pakistan
editor:	Shadi Khan Saif

The mob mentality witnessed in Pakistan last week, which forced thousands of Christians to flee for their lives, has once more highlighted the alarming shrinking of space for minority communities in the nation.

In response to a questionable case involving allegations of blasphemy against Islam, enraged Muslims in Pakistan's largest province, Punjab, launched violent attacks on Christian churches and homes, resulting in fires, casualties, and widespread displacement of the minority community.

Within hours of the blasphemy accusations made by local residents, the neighbourhood of Jaranwala descended into chaos, reminiscent of medieval times, as armed mobs pursued innocent individuals of a different religious faith within their homes, places of worship, and throughout the area, with the government failing to maintain peace and order.

In a stark and troubling paradox, all of these events unfolded mere hours after Pakistan celebrated its annual Independence Day, commemorating the 76th year since the nation's founding. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan's founding father, had originally envisioned this country as a welfare state that pledged to provide peace and security to people of all faiths.

The mob violence witnessed in Jaranwala, coupled with the state's inability to foster harmony and maintain law and order, stands in jarring contrast to the ideals of a welfare state.

What's even more concerning is that this isn't the first such incident, and sadly, it may not be the last, given the increasing intolerance fueled by extremist groups that often operate with impunity.

The tragedy in Jaranwala could have been prevented if there were a reliable mechanism in place to conduct a thorough investigation into the blasphemy charges against the Christian boys and allow the legal process to take its course, rather than the mob taking on the roles of investigator, judge and executor.

It's important to remember that in Pakistan, anyone accused of blasphemy faces the severe punishment of a potential death sentence until proven innocent. Unfortunately, in many cases, mob justice prevails, and this has contributed to a significant decline in the population of minorities in the country, which has dwindled from around 22 percent to approximately 3 percent over the past seven decades.

It is indeed promising to see top officials, including Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, condemning the injustices faced by the Christian minority. However, it is equally disheartening to witness the failure of the state, mainstream political parties, and religious institutions to uphold a true and just interpretation of the blasphemy issue. This misinterpretation has repeatedly resulted in severe hardships for many individuals.

Moments like these in a nation's history can either serve as a wake-up call, prompting a momentum for correcting the course towards justice and prosperity, or they can lead to the recurrence of injustices. Pakistan has a critical choice to make in this regard.

Image by Shairyar Khan.