Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri a Muslim religious scholar from Lahore has mobilized about 50,000 devoted followers coming from lower middle class for a sit-in of the main Jinnah Avenue of Islamabad. Remarkably, the men, women and children have remained steadfast in this protest rally under extremely harsh winter weather conditions without any shelter.
They are demanding reforms in the electoral system to bring in transparency in the forthcoming general elections and elimination of corrupt practices among the ambitious politicians and parties. So far, he has fairly succeeded in winning the attention of all political players who have recognized the demands of holding free and fair elections through some constitutional reforms.
The Present regime is tense while handling the protest rally on one hand and anxious in fighting judicial proceedings against its stalwarts for mass scale corruption, on the other hand. The provincial capital of Peshawar is also in the grip of police firing to maintain law and order facing another protest rally against target killings. Earlier the provincial government in Baluchistan went into Governor’s rule after failing to address another issue of target killings of the Hazara tribal Shias.
In the wake of the above critical situations, a criminal silence and a careless attitude of Christian leadership in the country is alarming. Pakistani Christians express their deep concern for continuation of peace and harmony not only in Pakistan but in the whole world. There’s been many wakes up calls, but Pakistani Christian politician have gone into a long snooze. The cases of Bishop John Joseph, Shantinagar, Gojra, Asia Bibi and Rimsha are all examples of Christian leaders’ callousness.
The local Christian politicians have been making money on the pretext of safeguarding minority rights but these financial resources are being used to help reach positions in other political parties, instead of spending those funds for achieving Christian unity. Some of them, as Christian representatives, have been a part of the constitutional assembly which approved blasphemy law and they kept quiet at that time. Now, we have few Christian political parties registered to contest general elections but have no contact with the Christian community and have not shown any seriousness in guarding Christians’ rights, choosing instead to remain busy in making deals with major Muslim parties.
When all other parties, groups and organizations can put their heads together and be unanimous on the solutions, why can’t Pakistani Christians sit together for their rights? This could take place. Instead of pronouncing moral judgments on everything and anything, why can’t Pakistani Christians stand altogether for their welfare?
It is high time that we define our role as conscious Christians and respect our rights for the better future of Christians in Pakistan.
They are demanding reforms in the electoral system to bring in transparency in the forthcoming general elections and elimination of corrupt practices among the ambitious politicians and parties. So far, he has fairly succeeded in winning the attention of all political players who have recognized the demands of holding free and fair elections through some constitutional reforms.
The Present regime is tense while handling the protest rally on one hand and anxious in fighting judicial proceedings against its stalwarts for mass scale corruption, on the other hand. The provincial capital of Peshawar is also in the grip of police firing to maintain law and order facing another protest rally against target killings. Earlier the provincial government in Baluchistan went into Governor’s rule after failing to address another issue of target killings of the Hazara tribal Shias.
In the wake of the above critical situations, a criminal silence and a careless attitude of Christian leadership in the country is alarming. Pakistani Christians express their deep concern for continuation of peace and harmony not only in Pakistan but in the whole world. There’s been many wakes up calls, but Pakistani Christian politician have gone into a long snooze. The cases of Bishop John Joseph, Shantinagar, Gojra, Asia Bibi and Rimsha are all examples of Christian leaders’ callousness.
The local Christian politicians have been making money on the pretext of safeguarding minority rights but these financial resources are being used to help reach positions in other political parties, instead of spending those funds for achieving Christian unity. Some of them, as Christian representatives, have been a part of the constitutional assembly which approved blasphemy law and they kept quiet at that time. Now, we have few Christian political parties registered to contest general elections but have no contact with the Christian community and have not shown any seriousness in guarding Christians’ rights, choosing instead to remain busy in making deals with major Muslim parties.
When all other parties, groups and organizations can put their heads together and be unanimous on the solutions, why can’t Pakistani Christians sit together for their rights? This could take place. Instead of pronouncing moral judgments on everything and anything, why can’t Pakistani Christians stand altogether for their welfare?
It is high time that we define our role as conscious Christians and respect our rights for the better future of Christians in Pakistan.
