Global attention has been focused on Pakistan's deteriorating situation because of the repressive application of blasphemy laws and the continuous persecution of religious minorities there.
Some of the worst blasphemy laws in the entire world are found in Pakistan, and thing only appear to be getting worse. Along with the threat of state-authorized execution, Pakistani Christians and other religious minorities must also worry about kidnappings, forced labor, and various other forms of discrimination.
Pakistan's Harsh Blasphemy Laws and Persecution of Religious Minorities Raise International Concern
According to the article in Religion News, the laws are usually used to systematically mistreat anyone who doesn't follow the teachings of Islam wherein religious minorites there, like Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, and others. The authoritarian regime of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif must be held accountable for these blatantly unjust actions by the United States and the world community.
There ar over 50 Pakistani Christians and religious who are currently being held for blasphemy charges, with some facing the possibility of execution, according to the Freedom of Religion or Belief Victims List maintained by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. The severity of the situation was increased by the fact that Imran Khan, Sharif's predecessor, strengthened the blasphemy laws and urged other Muslim-majority nations to band together to use economic boycotts to compel Western nations into enacting comparable restrictions.
The Struggle and Tragedy Christians Are Facing
A tragic incident occure last October 3, 2021, when Nadeem Masih, a 38-year-old Christian and sanitation worker in Pakistan, lost his life in a horrifying accident. According to the story in AL Jazeera, Nadeem had spent 17 years working as a daily-wage laborer, waiting for a permanent contract that would grant him basic rights and benefits. He and his coworkers received an urgent call from their supervisor, demanding they unclog a sewage line in the city center that night. Reluctantly, Nadeem went to work, fearing the consequences of refusing.
Soon after, Maryam, his wife, received a distressing call informing her that Nadeem and another worker, Faisal Masih, had been trapped in the open sewer. Maryam and others rushed to the scene, where they witnessed the horrifying sight of their loved ones submerged in sewage. Despite their desperate efforts, the men remained trapped for six agonizing hours, eventually succumbing to the hazardous environment. The supervisor, responsible for their safety, had abandoned them, leaving behind grief-stricken families and a community in shock.
Particularly susceptible to sexual abuse, kidnapping, and forced conversions are Christian women and girls. This sad reality have been made public becuase of the case of Arzoo, a 13-year-old girl who was forcibly married to a Muslim man. According to the article in Open Doors, even though she was eventually returned home, many girls who are taken never do, and the issue is made worse by the lack of justice for offenders.
Christian men are also the targets of false blasphemy accusations under Pakistani law, which results in their unfair imprisonment. Their employment options are restricted by social and economic discrimination, which forces them into low-status jobs. Church leaders are also subjected to abuse and intimidation, and arrests are frequently used to repress religious freedom. In Pakistan, the Christian population badly needs safety, rights, and religious liberty.
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