Organzining for Peaceful Coexistence in Pakistan

Pakistan's minority religious community members are victims of extreme violence. One of the worst violence is meted to Christians in Punjab and other parts. According to the 2017 census, 2.6 million Christian community members live in Pakistan, comprising 1.27% of the population. One tool called anti-blasphemy law is frequently used against minority community members often to capture their property/business. This law is misused in the form of mob violence where hundreds or thousands of people attack minority community's religious places, houses, and businesses over rumors of "blasphemy against Islam". According to Pakistan-based Center for Research and Security Studies, approximately 1500 people of all faiths have been targeted by anti-blasphemy law between 1947-2021, 89 of whom have been extra-judicially killed. The actual number of accusations and attacks in the context of anti-blasphemy law is likely much higher. A significant number of people targeted by anti-blasphemy law are minority religious community members, especially Christian community members.

Another frequent violation is witnessed by Hindu community members. Hindu women are frequently abducted in the Sindh province of Pakistan and forcibly converted to Islam - a violation of Islam. A very similar situation exists in India, where Hindutva leaders mobilize Hindu mobs to attack Muslims and other minorities to take over their homes/businesses/jobs, and even for Hindutva forces to win elections. In other words, violence is used by fascist forces on both sides of the border (India/Pakistan) to victimize marginalized community members and ascend to power.

Organizing against anti-blasphemy laws is a very sensitive area of work. Mere debate on reform of the law has led to attacks against political leaders, including the murder of the Governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, on January 4, 2011, and the murder of minority rights minister, Shahbaz Bhatti, on March 2, 2011. As a result, many human rights organizations prefer to provide socio-economic and grassroots political support to Christian and other impacted community organizations.

Local to Global Human Development is dedicated to supporting Black, Brown, and Muslim working-class community members in the Triangle area of NC. We also support impacted community members in South Asia where our US-based members have familial connections and friends. Local to Global member, Manzoor Cheema, and volunteer, Mudasser Saeed, joined in Christmas celebrations in Islamabad with Pakistan-based Help Relay Foundation, a grassroots Christian-led social justice organization in Pakistan. Since 2019, Help Relay Foundation has been challenging discrimination and violence and striving for peaceful coexistence. Their primary mission is to provide impacted community members with inter-faith socio-economic, healthcare, and disaster response support. They also provide support to victims of anti-blasphemy laws. One such incident took place in Jarranwala (near Faisalabad), where more than 21 churches and 91 homes were destroyed in August 2023 over false accusations of blasphemy. Help Relay Foundation provided grassroots support to victims of the Jarranwala attack. They provide sewing machines to impacted women to earn a livelihood, disaster response training, and interfaith solidarity on healthcare and economic justice; their recipients include Christians, Muslims, and people of different faiths.

Some of the churches that are engaged in relief work with Help Relay Foundation include:
1. Temple of the lord Church Zia Masjid, Islamabad
2. Islamabad Pentecostal Church Ministries
3. Holy of Holies Ministries in Pakistan, F-6/2 Islamabad
4. Jesus Force Church Ministry of Pakistan, Iqbal Town, Islamabad
5. United Prayer Fellowship Church Islamabad
6. Great Harvest Vision Church Islamabad
7. Presbyterian Church F-7 Islamabad
8. Prayer Ministries InternaƟonal Church Islamabad
9. Assemblies of Gods Church, Zia Masjid Islamabad
10. Jesus Call Church Rawalpindi
11. Prayer Tower Church Islamabad
12. Philadelphia Pentecostal Church of Pakistan Islamabad
13. New Apostolic Church Pakistan
14. Christ for Pakistan Ministry Church, Iqbal Town Islamabad
15. Bible believer BapƟst church Lahore
16. Calvary Pentecostal Assemblies of Pakistan, Islamabad
17. Philadelphia Pentecostal Church of Pakistan, Rawalpindi


Check out the following pictures from the Christmas celebration at the Islamabad Cultural Center” Lok Virsa” - thanks to the invitation from Help Relay Foundation. Pakistan's cultural heritage brings people together and preserves the federation. Please also view a picture of Local to Global's visit to the Help Relay office in Islamabad/Rawalpindi.


 
Christmas Celebration at Lok Virsa cultural center in Islamabad on December 19, 2023

 
Local to Gloval volunteers Manzoor Cheema and Mudasser Saeed met Help Relay team members - Yauhva Rafaqat, Mehwish, and Kiran

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