Christians hold protest to demand right to visit Jerusalem

The God’s Peoples Fellowship of Pakistan organised a demonstration

KARACHI: “We are faithful, peace-loving Pakistani Christians who want to be given the permission to visit Jerusalem as it is dear to our hearts.” This was said by a few protesters belonging to the Christian community who had gathered outside Karachi Press Club on Wednesday. The protest was organised by the God’s Peoples Fellowship of Pakistan (GPFP), a Christian welfare organisation working for the rights of the Christian community in Pakistan.

Marking the International Human Rights Day 2014, the protesters shouted slogans for justice and freedom as chartered under the Constitution of Pakistan. Speaking to The Express Tribune, GPFP general secretary Ashraf P Butt asked why the Christians were not allowed to travel to their holy places in Israel. “If Hindus in Pakistan can be allowed to travel to India to pay homage and the Sikh community from India is given permit for their annual pilgrimage to Guru Nanak’s birthplace, then why can’t we travel to Israel for the same reason?” he asked.

Stressing on the sanctity of Jerusalem for Christians, Elizabeth Bibi said that Jerusalem is dear to the Christians because it is the birthplace of Christ.

“We filed an appeal in the Supreme Court of Pakistan eight months ago,” said Sindh Minority Affairs president Chaudhry Patras Bukhari. “To this day, no date has been allocated for its first hearing.”

Another protester, Shahbaz Ashraf, said that discrimination against the Christian community reaches its peak every time the Nawaz government comes to power. He cited the examples of the Shanti-Nagar incident in Punjab and the young Christian couple who were burnt to death over allegations of blasphemy in Kot Radha Kishan.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th, 2014.