The Christian community of Khyber Agency has alleged that it has been told to leave the Landi Kotal army camp without any prior notice.
Members of the community said they had been ordered to leave the area on Sunday while they were offering weekly prayers. They complained that no prior notice was given to them nor was any alternative provided for their accommodation.
Chairman of the Christian community of Khyber Agency Arshad Masih said they have been living in the area since 1914 when they were brought there by British rulers. According to him, the land was given to the British by the Khugakhel tribe for a hundred-year period.
The Frontier Corps (FC), which also existed at the time under the name of Frontier Constabulary, now says the lease is over and the people must vacate the land, said Masih.
He lamented that all requests to reverse the decision fell on deaf ears with political administrators including senior officials saying the area fell under the jurisdiction of FC.
The Frontier Corps , when contacted, declined to comment on the issue.
Masih, however, rubbished speculation suggesting the tribal people posed a threat to their safety, and stressed the locals of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) were “peace loving people.”
Another prominent member of Khyber Agency’s Christian community, Wilson Wazir said the Frontier Corps had asked the males of their families to leave immediately, while the women and children had taken shelter in hotels around Peshawar and Khyber Agency.
Some were also residing with their relatives in the provincial capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
“I am here at a hotel in Landi Kotal and my family is not with me,” said Wazir, adding that the community will approach minority ministers Paul Bhatti and Akram Masih Gill to take up the issue.
Wazir added they could not purchase land as most property in the area was disputed over.
Meanwhile, members of the Christian community staged demonstrations to protest against the move. Families holding banners denouncing the decision chanted slogans against the force and chorused: “Where will the poor go now that winter is coming?”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2012.
COMMENTS (19)
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Stop this cieansing. Lease or no lease they are Pakistanis. Please stop this killing..
@Hassan Jan Stating that it happens in India and hence its right and justified in Pakistan is the most rubbish excuse I have ever seen. It is regularly used by corrupt politicians in India and your country to justify their criminal deeds.
The difference in Pakistan is that discrimination is indoctrinated in your national constitution. You have a law which degrades/discriminates against Ahmadis. Read your passport application form. Minorities are running in droves from your country. Your 10% Hindu minority got reduced to 1% because of forced conversions. Young girls are abducted with police support and judges pass judgements favoring the abductors. Moderate voices are either told to shut up or are murdered with public showering rose petals on them in court premises.
These Christians have been staying on that land for 100 years i.e. before your country was formed. This is forced eviction under the garb of lease expiry. Have a heart.
@Hassan Jan: Not gonna repeat myself, read my reply to Afzaal Khan, and read it again and then some more.
@BRUISED INDIAN:
Is this a joke? What was Orissa in India? Hundreds of Christians killed due to their faith. What about even your downtrodden Dalit and shudra Hindus (lowest caste) who face daily beatings and humiliation. Fix your own problems, you Indians as usual talk a lot without realizing your own ills. Typical.
Its not forced migration, its forced eviction. I cant understand if ET people can read and understand what they right.
@Mirza:
I wish there was a way to agree with you more than 100%. Succinctly put to the point. ..ps
@Afzaal Khan: "Where I come from if you don’t have a lease you move out."
You are giving the impression that Pakistan is a law abiding country where everything happens according to the law! :-)
Blame it on Christian or jewish conspiracy also.
Bengalis were butchered because their lease was expired. Bloch are found dead with mutilated bodies their lease was expired. Women, children, Shia, Hazara are killed point blank because their lease was expired. Not single terrorist leaders are killed because their lease is renewed by the deep state. OBL's lease was still good in army base but the US did not give him new lease on life.
@Afzaal Khan: The saying of when the mirror is shown... holds true weightage in your case. After Orissa and for your convenience I'll even mention Gujarat (cause after this rebuttal I know you will bring that up, so I'll save you some time) not even a single case of faith based murder / genocide / riots have taken place in India! Whereas in your land of the pure its a daily occurrence. WHY? All that the WORLD asks of you (Pakistan) is to become a responsible state and stop harming people, thats it!
The Daily Weasel reported: Christians, Hindus, Ahmedi's and other minorities are fleeing Pakistan due to the warped and intolerant mentality the majority possess. Feel free to read reports across the globe of minority persecution pertaining to Pakistan.
Now that I have got that off my chest and while I take off my keyboard warrior attire (which I hate doning), may I please request you, yes you, to become the change we, the citizens of the civilized world would like to see Pakistan as? Is it too much to ask?
@Afzaal Khan
Sound great except that they have been living there since 1914 -- that predates the formation of Pakistan. No prior notice and given the boot during religious services -- the message is loud and clear and has ZERO to do with lease.
@Enlightened
Agreed some sort of alternative resident should be provided to these guys.
@Afzaal Khan: Did the Rohingyas have a lease? And why did you guys create a hue and cry about it then?
The Federal govt before eviction should provide alternative land for their settlement since these poor people have been living there for almost hundred years.
@Mirza
Where I come from if you don't have a lease you move out.
if it is done by Muslims- everybody in the world will close their eyes and forget.
Where I come from we call it ethnic cleansing.