Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has issued a plea to the UK government to intervene in the case of an Afghan Christian convert facing deportation from Pakistan. The individual, who has sought sanctuary in Pakistan, risks persecution and even death if returned to Afghanistan.
ACN has called on the UK authorities to grant refugee status and protect Afghan Christians from the dangers of deportation. The organization has described the situation as "fatal" and is urging the government to act swiftly on behalf of the individual.
Fears Grow for the Safety and Well-being of Afghan Christians in Pakistan
According to Christian Today, Bashir, an Afghan Christian convert, was forced to flee his homeland after the Taliban killed his father, brother, and uncle, who worked for the Afghan army. Seeking safety, Bashir turned to international charities for help and found sanctuary in Pakistan in December 2021.
However, his Pakistan visa has expired, and he has been denied an extension, leaving him vulnerable to deportation.
The Pakistan government has warned of strict penalties for immigrants who overstay, including a three-year prison sentence and a ban on re-entry. Bashir, who has been forced to beg for survival in Pakistan, now faces the threat of persecution if he is returned to Afghanistan. Advocates are calling on the UK government to grant Bashir refugee status and protect him from the dangers of deportation.
In a report covered by The Guardian, the UK government should be willing to impose sanctions on countries that persecute Christians. The report suggests that such measures could help promote religious freedom and protect the rights of believers around the world. The report's recommendations came when Christians in many parts of the world face increased persecution, including in Pakistan and Afghanistan, as highlighted in the recent "Persecuted and Forgotten?" report by Aid to the Church in Need. It remains to be seen whether the UK government will adopt these recommendations and take action to address the issue of Christian persecution globally.
The ACN has warned that Bashir faces "near-certain death" and "likely execution given his background" if he is sent back to Afghanistan. Bashir has also feared for his life in Pakistan, stating that converted Christians are not safe. ACN has expressed disappointment with the UK government for not offering Bashir asylum or helping him extend his Pakistan visa or leave the country safely and is calling on the UK government to take action to assist Bashir. ACN's report on global persecution, published in November, highlighted the danger facing Christians in Pakistan and the fear faced by the few thousand Christians remaining in Afghanistan.
Also Read: Afghanistan Experiencing 'Downward Spiral' In Religious Freedom: USCIRF
The Story of Bashir
Bashir's story is one of struggle and persecution. He was raised a Christian in Afghanistan, though he only formally converted in 2017. According to Aid to the Church in Need, his mother, a Muslim, supported his freedom of religion but worried about his safety. Tragically, Bashir's father, brother, and uncle, who all worked for the Afghan Army, were killed by the Taliban for resisting them.
Their family home was also captured. Fearing for Bashir's life due to his Christianity, his mother urged him to escape Afghanistan. Bashir fled to Pakistan when the Taliban took control of the country in 2021. In an interview at Kabul Airport that year, he spoke about his harrowing journey.
Pakistan is experiencing a cycle of increasing persecution of Christians, while Christians in Afghanistan live in fear of arrest, torture, and execution. In Afghanistan, over 99.9% of the population is Muslim, with only a small number of Christians estimated to be living in the country.
Christians comprise around 2% of the population in Pakistan, numbering more than 4 million people. Despite these challenges and the fact that thousands of economic migrants enter the UK each year, the UK government has done little to assist Christians facing similar circumstances to Bashir.
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