Pakistani minister condemned for dismissing persecution of christians

The British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA), who successfully campaigned for the release of Asia Bibi, slammed Shah Mahmood Qureshi for comparing the issue to the UK’s knife crime

epidemic. He claimed Pakistan’s Christian community, which at 4 million make up two percent of the population, were “very positive” and any targeting of followers were merely “individual

incidents”. Wilson Chowdhry, BPCA founder, said: “Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mr Qureshi with his delusional denial of Christian persecution in his country, has illustrated the top-down

apathy that exists towards the treatment of minorities. “In 1956 Pakistan adopted their first constitution in which they altered the Dominion of Pakistan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

- worse still they listed Islam as the national faith to the detriment of others. “Preclusion of Christians and other minorities from lead governance roles such as president and prime

minister are statutory conditions that infringe international human rights laws and express inequality.” Mr Chowdhry said “an atmosphere of hate” towards his religion has been allowed to

fester under blasphemy laws which favour Muslims and a national curriculum which includes textbooks labelling Christians as spies for the West. During a recent visit to Brussels, Mr Qureshi

said cases of Christians suffering in the Islamic nation were exaggerated, saying: “I can assure you that Christians are very welcome”. He said: “I can quote you examples of how knife crime

has gone up in Britain that is a clear reflection of an increased intolerance within a society which has been so tolerant, so accommodating. So there are examples over here, and there could

be some examples over there.” At a summit Washington this week, Shaan Taseer, whose father was assassinated in 2011 for supporting Asia Bibi, warned “there are 200 Asia Bibis in jail accused

of blasphemy law in Pakistan today” and said the farm labourer’s release was by far the end of the overall story. The Christian mother-of-two spent eight years on death row after being

convicted of blasphemy following a row with villagers over drinking water from the same cup as them. She was freed last year and has since found refuge with her family in Canada. Her

high-profile case invoked an international outcry and shone a light on anti-Christians discrimination. Juliet Chowdhry, trustee of the charity, called the British Government “toothless” for

refusing to tackle the issue head-on with Islamabad. She said: “Mr Qureshi is no doubt emboldened by his comments by our own Home Office report that fails to recognise Christian

persecution.” But she said a “glimmer of hope” had been offered by the Bishop of Truro’s review into the persecution of Christians worldwide, released on July 8. The report concluded that

Christians were the most persecuted religious group in the world, something which Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who commissioned the review, said he agreed with. The Tory leadership hopeful

said the UK Government must do more to end the unjust treatment of Christians worldwide and added: “The sense of misguided political correctness that has stopped up standing up for

Christians overseas must end.” BPCA has published a book, _Call It By Its Name: Persecution!_, documenting the lives of Christians and Christian converts in Pakistan. The charity is running

a petition calling for Pakistan's blasphemy laws to be repealed.