In what has become disturbingly common practice in Pakistan, registering the usual low interest from the international media, once again Pakistan’s Christians have been subjected to a hate-fuelled mob attack, hell-bent in their desire to make life unbearable for what little remains of Christ’s followers in the region.
Using the well-worn pretext of an alleged breach of the Pakistan’s blasphemy law, an armed mob of local Islamists set upon the Christian neighbourhood within Lahore, reportedly attacking at least 200 Christian homes, a collection of shops and two Churches in arson attacks. Whether there have been any casualties is yet to be determined.
Such wanton destruction now means a large number of Christian families have been displaced, impoverished, and made homeless for nothing they have done personally, but for the hate held against their faith by certain Muslim groups in Pakistan. Such waves of terror often originate from the presence of the blasphemy law, which merely provides Islamists a license to incite violence against the Christian population. This week saw rallies of aggrieved Christians throughout Pakistan pleading for some form of protection and justice from the government.
Chairman of the Dignitatis Humanae Institute, Luca Volontè, spoke of the responsibility that must now be placed upon the national authorities:
“Only the government of Pakistan can provide the peace and security so desperately needed by its Christians. To fail to protect one’s citizens is to fail in your primary purpose. Such an attack is not a rare event for Christians in Pakistan but a constant oppression brought to bear against them with no relief. I would therefore implore President Zardari and his government to take the first step towards righting this wrong and abolish the blasphemy laws, a legal affliction upon the Christian population that only helps to legitimise the subjugation under which they currently suffer.”
