News Desk
July 23, 2024:
DIGNITY First, a rights-based organization, has unveiled “Persecution Watch,” a dataset highlighting a troubling increase in human rights violations against Christians in Pakistan during the first six months of 2024. The organization is calling on both federal and provincial governments to take immediate action to protect the Christian community.
Executive Director Yousaf Benjamin emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting over 70 reported incidents affecting more than 140 Christian families. “The incidents from January to June 2024 are alarming. Authorities must take immediate practical steps to ensure protection and religious freedom for minority groups,” Benjamin stated.
Key findings from the report include:
- Violent Attacks: Punjab experienced five violent attacks, with three targeting Christian families and two targeting churches.
- Workplace Discrimination and Deaths: Eight Christian sanitation workers, five in Punjab and three in Sindh, faced discrimination and lost their lives due to a lack of safety kits. A Christian couple in Lahore was injured in a hit-and-run while cleaning a road. In Faisalabad and Sheikhupura, sanitation employees were denied three months’ salaries.
- Discriminatory Job Advertisement: A job ad in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa specified “only Christians” for sanitation work. Additionally, a Christian student in Lahore was forced to leave a private university due to abuse and discrimination.
- Murders and Torture: Fifteen men were killed for their faith, including 13 in Punjab and two in Quetta, Balochistan. Among the deceased, five were under 25. Twelve individuals were tortured in Punjab, evenly split between men and women.
- Land Grabbing and Evictions: Four cases of land grabbing and evictions were reported, affecting over 70 families and church properties, primarily in Punjab and one in Sindh.
- Abductions and Sexual Assaults: Seven people were abducted, including five girls, a pastor, and a four-year-old boy. Sexual abuse was reported against three girls and one boy in Punjab, with one case in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Two of the abused girls were mentally challenged.
- Forced Conversions: Eight Christian girls, aged 11-16, were forcibly converted following abductions and sexual harassment. Seven were from Punjab and one from Sindh. Additionally, a 13-year-old Christian boy in Lahore was forced to ingest a toxic substance after refusing to convert to Islam.
- Blasphemy and Allegations: Six Christians, including two women in Punjab, were booked for alleged blasphemy. One mentallyin unstable woman was among those accused,7 and a Christian man died after being tortured by a mob.
The semi-annual report by DIGNITY First calls for the protection of marginalized communities, the elimination of extremism, the promotion of religious tolerance, and immediate steps to ensure religious freedom and security for all citizens.