A Christian in Pakistan
Indradev Curpen
Senior Journalist with News On Sunday. Covers economics, finance, and business news. Has also worked for the national radio and television and other local publications. Holds a Diploma in Mass Communications. Has travelled widely.
By Indradev Curpen
Published on 25th January, 2008
Life is a real challenge for a Christian in a country where suicide bombers raid the streets everyday and where kidnapping has become the normal way of getting money, says the Rt Reverend Munawar Kenneth Rumalshah.
The Bishop of Peshawar visited Mauritius recently as guest of the Anglican Diocese.
“Being a Pakistani in the Pakistan of today is itself a challenge,” he adds. “And now imagine what it should be when you are a Christian! Particularly when you have lived in Great Britain for more than 15 years and you are back in your country in the midst of a war against Afghanistan.”
• What are you doing in Pakistan when you know that it is an Islamic country?
My personal heritage is a personal gift bequeathed to me by my ancestors, whereas my religion is of my own choice, the most precious choice of a human being. Human rights are the results of Bills and parliamentary debates but no one cares for Religious Rights.
Even when you are born in that country it is an offence to their God and their religion that you don't share the same God and the same religion even though the founding fathers of the land said that everyone should be allowed to go to their religious sites and do their own prayers.
• Why is Pakistan in turmoil today?
Pakistan today is not sure of the way it is administered. There is constant tension between moderates who want to see a secular Muslim state and militants founding their beliefs on the Sharia.
I am of the opinion that the present turmoil springs from the Palestinian issue. That has given rise to the Al Qaeda movement and other fundamentalist forces. Pakistan has never been invaded. Yet it is today worse than what you see in Irak, Palestine or other hot spots.
Pakistan is today a land of suicide bombers, of hand-made weapons, where kidnapping is a new mode for making money.
Pakistan is a land of 160 million inhabitants with Muslims killing Muslims; with 5% of minorities of whom 3% are Christians who should live like a fly on the wall – be there and don't move. If it lands on the nose, ear or hand it will sure receive a strong slap.
Any dastardly act in Europe, in Palestine or elsewhere against the Muslims meets a strong reprisal in Pakistan against the Christians. I should tell you that I have more legal rights in Great Britain, my land of adoption than in my native land of Pakistan where my ancestors lived for thousands of years.
There is the tendency to go the Taliban way these days when conversion from Islam to another faith is chastised by capital punishment.
•There is no hope at all ?
There is faith and faith is unshakable. Some time ago a Christian prelate was kidnapped.
We had no news of him for many days and despair started to gain our minds. Our faith prompted us to meet the Talibans and we talked to them.
For us they were no Talibans. They were human beings with values. At last we obtained the liberation of the religious official.
Together with people of good faith we have set up a committee to look into the commonness in each faith. Our pledge is that we have a common God, common values, with common goals.
We are outlining a common charter to urge people to respect each other's faith.
“Being a Pakistani in the Pakistan of today is itself a challenge,” he adds. “And now imagine what it should be when you are a Christian! Particularly when you have lived in Great Britain for more than 15 years and you are back in your country in the midst of a war against Afghanistan.”
• What are you doing in Pakistan when you know that it is an Islamic country?
My personal heritage is a personal gift bequeathed to me by my ancestors, whereas my religion is of my own choice, the most precious choice of a human being. Human rights are the results of Bills and parliamentary debates but no one cares for Religious Rights.
Even when you are born in that country it is an offence to their God and their religion that you don't share the same God and the same religion even though the founding fathers of the land said that everyone should be allowed to go to their religious sites and do their own prayers.
• Why is Pakistan in turmoil today?
Pakistan today is not sure of the way it is administered. There is constant tension between moderates who want to see a secular Muslim state and militants founding their beliefs on the Sharia.
I am of the opinion that the present turmoil springs from the Palestinian issue. That has given rise to the Al Qaeda movement and other fundamentalist forces. Pakistan has never been invaded. Yet it is today worse than what you see in Irak, Palestine or other hot spots.
Pakistan is today a land of suicide bombers, of hand-made weapons, where kidnapping is a new mode for making money.
Pakistan is a land of 160 million inhabitants with Muslims killing Muslims; with 5% of minorities of whom 3% are Christians who should live like a fly on the wall – be there and don't move. If it lands on the nose, ear or hand it will sure receive a strong slap.
Any dastardly act in Europe, in Palestine or elsewhere against the Muslims meets a strong reprisal in Pakistan against the Christians. I should tell you that I have more legal rights in Great Britain, my land of adoption than in my native land of Pakistan where my ancestors lived for thousands of years.
There is the tendency to go the Taliban way these days when conversion from Islam to another faith is chastised by capital punishment.
•There is no hope at all ?
There is faith and faith is unshakable. Some time ago a Christian prelate was kidnapped.
We had no news of him for many days and despair started to gain our minds. Our faith prompted us to meet the Talibans and we talked to them.
For us they were no Talibans. They were human beings with values. At last we obtained the liberation of the religious official.
Together with people of good faith we have set up a committee to look into the commonness in each faith. Our pledge is that we have a common God, common values, with common goals.
We are outlining a common charter to urge people to respect each other's faith.