PHOTO: REUTERS
“I could see smoke rising from the building, but the explosion only became apparent to me when I heard this loud bang which threw me forward,” recalled a survivor.
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29-year old Samuel* was attending Sunday services at the Church along with his family when the militants stormed All Saints Church followed by two suicide attacks which rattled the entire city of Peshawar.
“There was a sense of fear since militants had been repeatedly targeting places of worship but we never expected them to carry out such a brazen and brutal attack here,” said Samuel. “Luckily, I escaped unhurt but my family members suffered minor injuries,” he added.
It’s been six years since the day of horrors. The sound of Sunday prayers and holy hymns could be heard echoing through the outer walls of the Anglican Diocese of Peshawar. The heart of the provincial capital is once again enlivened with flocks of vibrantly dressed Christian men, women and children who’ve gathered for the church’s Urdu service.
Most in attendance at the church has lived through the darkest hour of Peshawar’s history, but their resilience and hope glimmers through their eyes. The Sunday Service concludes with prayers for the deceased and for complete peace, harmony and prosperity across the world in general with a special prayer for Pakistan.
“The conditions were bad for everyone everywhere. Our ancestors [like the Muslims] chose to live in Pakistan and we have no regrets about it,” said Reverend Joseph John, Priest of St John Cathedral in Peshawar.
Like Reverend John, many of his followers believe the Christian community’s choice to live in Pakistan was evident from the fact that they voted in favour of the country and All India Christians Association assured their unwavering support for Pakistan, advising other Christians to move to Pakistan in case it came into being.
The local Christian community believes Pakistan offers them complete liberty to practice their religion in peace. They believe that although there have been issues in the past but it was a time when all religious places were under threat, be it the Mosques, the Churches, the Mandirs, the Gurdwaras or Imam Bargas.
“I have lived in Pakistan for the better part of my life and recently completed my master’s in social sciences. I’ve lived in the UK too, but I’ve felt no issues living as a Christian in Pakistan either. I’ve all the freedom to perform my religious duties with ease and I’m proud to call myself a Pakistani,” 35 years old Kamir Sohil, an attendee at the Sunday Service, told The Express Tribune.
“It is a privilege to be a Christian in Pakistan and it’s a privilege to be a Pakistani Christian,” says Humphrey Sarfaraz Peter, Bishop of the Diocese of Peshawar and Moderator and Primate in the Church of Pakistan.
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Peter says Christians have never felt any inconvenience in Pakistan in terms of fulfilling their religious obligations. “We’ve always felt secure–– our neighbours are friendly and the general public is accepting of minorities, be it Christians, Hindus, Sikhs or others,” he adds.
Although there have been tragedies in the past, Peshawar’s Christians find privilege in their Pakistani roots and believe in moving forward with hope for a better tomorrow. Bishop Peter also informed The Express Tribune that Christians have been playing an important role in running different educational and health institutions. “We’ve been serving the community and our educational institutions have produced people who’ve gone on to become chief executives and governors.”
*Samuel is a pseudonym of the All Saints Church survivor used to protect the source’s identity
Published in The Express Tribune, October 19th, 2019.
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