Activists form human chain around Saint Patrick’s Cathedral

The demonstration was organised by the NSF to show support for the Christian community

KARACHI: Every Sunday, Christians living in Saddar and its adjoining areas make way to the Saint Patrick's Cathedral for the weekly mass. This Sunday was slightly different. For though the Christians followed the same routine, they were joined by people from other faiths who formed a human chain outside the cathedral in a symbolic gesture of providing protection to the minority community while they prayed. 

As the Christian community mourned the loss of their loved ones who were killed in the twin bomb blasts in Lahore a week ago, the symbolic human chain guarding their place of worship provided a glimmer of hope for their future in the country.

A group of 50 civil society activists, led by the National Students Federation, linked their hands as they stood guard the Saint Patrick's Cathedral on Sunday. The message was clear: the Christians are equal citizens of the country and enjoy full rights.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, NSF's general secretary, Kabir Ali, demanded equality for the Christian citizens of Pakistan. He lamented that the Pakistani society had always considered Christians lower class citizens, adding that it was time to stop calling them a minority group. According to Ali, the NSF aims to stand in solidarity with every group that has been targeted by terrorists in the name of religion. "A practicing Muslim can never attack any person belonging to a different religion," he said.

The idea to form a human shield to protect Christians during their weekly prayers took root in the wake of the deadly blast on two churches in Lahore last week, killing 15 innocent Christians and injuring around 70 others.

"We have made this chain to show solidarity with the minority groups," said a participant Zaki. "If we stay quiet today, the day is not far when they will enter our masjids," he said.

NSF central organiser Khurram Ali, in his address to the participants, repeated his party's stance that the state was not taking any action to end terrorism in the country.  He complained that people such as Maulana Aurangzeb Farooqi and Hafiz Saeed enjoyed more security than the churches that were attacked last week. "The state should take action against the ideological centres of the terrorists," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 23^rd, 2015.