Christians in Pakistan (segment)

Oh if you go to Pakistan the first reactions from family members will most likely be that of concern Western media portray this country as rife with violence political assassinations bombing attacks from US drones and the Taliban atrocities Pakistan however although scarred with some of these is not all of these Pakistan - is a country of hospitable and warm-hearted people with a ready smile and desire to help those in need the issue which plagues Pakistani society is that which is closest to the heart religion specifically the state religion of Islam and the place of religious minorities within Islam Pakistan or more precisely the Islamic Republic of Pakistan lies in South Asia and is bordered by Iran Afghanistan China and India the country achieved independence in 1947 following the end of British colonial rule in India the founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah envisioned a country although based on Islam which was to be simultaneously pluralistic accepting believers of other faiths Hindus Sikhs and Christians today 97% of this society of over 180 million people is Muslim the majority are Sunni the remaining 2% are Christians thought by no means new to the religious landscape with the arrival of st. Thomas landing near to what is modern-day Islamabad the current capital of Pakistan in the year 52 ad the Pakistan was based on the dreams of the founder of the nation in this country he said there will be no Muslims no Hindus no all will be one or there'll be equality of all you are free to go to your temples you're free to go to your mosques there was this freedom that was stressed and that was the spirit in which we began in this country you the situation ultimately changed in the 1980s with the administration of general muhammad zia-ul-haq who introduced elements of islamic sharia law from that time on an unceasing trial of strength continues between supporters of a secular state favored by a well-educated modern elite and some members of the Armed Forces and Islamic fundamentalists aspiring to set up an Islamic state the dispute over Islam's role deepened with the onset of the war in fostering an ever greater radicalization terrorist bomb attacks and contract assassinations also of prominent politicians have become the order of the day there is also no shortage of financial crimes corruption and drug trafficking those who suffer most are the poor and religious minorities especially Hindus and Christians we are at a very critical point in our history with the war in Afghanistan a neighbor country which has a big impact on us then we have many internal problems political problems also increasing religious intolerance they've been attacks on churches a lot of violence against Christians again a phenomenon which we never had before to this extent although the cruel bomb attacks capture the headlines perhaps the greatest suffering faced by Christians is the underlying societal hostility the daily discriminations such as denial of services access to political voice or limitation to educational opportunities when when they come to know and they will tell on their face because you are Christians so we can't give you job when the children of the same you know college come to know University that the he or she is Christian the first thing they ask them why don't you convert and become Muslims even the professor's were teaching them my classmate 100 students said there are a hundred students on my ear I am the only Christian and sometimes I have problems because of that other girls asked me about my faith remember that when I answered that I am a Christian they say you are really a Christian but you don't look at that anemia or Jamel is fifth class meeting when I was at school in 5th boom than week was a few of my girlfriend's said in my presence don't drink water from her glass because she's a Christian those words move me profoundly I told my father when I got back my father told me not to worry it is written in the Bible but happy are those who are persecuted for Jesus Christ's sake are a good person seeing people to talk about you in that way because of Christ in until we do me up where to go out there during gel hock there were a few laws which were made which are in a way very prejudiced law very discriminatory laws and among these laws there is one with regard to witnessing they are two women equal to one man so if in Islamic law to mature believing men are taken as witnesses and it has to be for Muslim women and it has to be for Christian or Hindu men but they have to be eight Christian women so if there is a adultery case or rape then a women has to prove if she wants to go to the court against the man who has raped her then she has to collect all these witnesses and from where would she collect and if she failed to prove her case that means the rape case will be turned into adultery case so the victim may be also considered as criminal and be punished the Catholic Bishops National Council for justice and peace reports that approximately 30 percent of young Christians and Hindus suffer sexual harassment at work according to some estimates hundreds of young girls are kidnapped every year forced to marry and convert to Islam Shephelah was 14 years old when her Muslim relatives kidnapped and raped her she was held captive for several months and forced to convert to Islam the kidnappers however eventually decided to return her for a ransom because of her poor health the court case did not end up bringing the perpetrators to justice you see you know name is eyeballs out digging water they hurt me a lot beat me they beat me hard she kept me captive in one house than another when I refused to accept Islam they beat me saying convert we are Muslim we must convert you to Islam they hit me took me to the mosque for lessons drove to the mullah so you can hug AG coffees are down they forced me to sign to put my thumb fingerprint on many documents then in my presence my uncle phoned my parents and said give us five hundred thousand rupees and we will return your daughter they continuously tried to get me to marry and when they failed they brought me here and left me when we go to court we come alone whilst they come in the company of many men they are a threat whilst we threaten no one easily I want to be a Christian because of my father my

Channel: CatholicRadioTVNet

Views: 458,465

Keywords: Christian (Adherents), Pakistan (Country), Christianity (Religion), sharia law, muslim, segment of full documentary

Id: MbI03OuqI3I

Length: 10min 0sec (600 seconds)

Published: Fri Apr 17 2015