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Christians in Pakistan suffered from at least 70 acts of violence in 2024 so far

A report released by Persecution Watch shows that more than 70 acts of violence were committed against Pakistani Christians in the first half of 2024. According to the report, the various violent acts directly affected the lives of about 140 Christian families.

Pakistani Christians suffer from a wide range of violence in their own country, according to a report released by Dignity First, a non-governmental organization. The report, called Persecution Watch, lists violent acts committed against Christians, including discrimination, killings, torture, abductions, sexual violence, land grabbing, evictions, forced conversions based on faith, and accusations of blasphemy against Christians. It is revealed that at least 70 acts of violence were committed against Christians in Pakistan in the first six months of this year, solely based on their religious identity.

Yousaf Benjamin, executive director of Dignity First, raised his concerns about the alarming rate of violence against Christians. He also called out the authorities to protect and ensure religious freedom for minority groups. The 70 violent acts directly affected the lives of 140 Christian families. The report shows that most attacks and discrimination happened in Punjab province, but a significant amount of incidents were reported from the provinces of Sindh, Balochistan, and Lahore as well.

According to the report, at least 15 men were killed because of their faith, 13 from Punjab and two from Balochistan. 12 Christians, six women, and six men were tortured in Punjab. Eight health workers died because of discrimination and the lack of safety kits, five in Punjab and three in Sindh. Five girls, a pastor, and a four-year-old boy—an overall seven Christians—were abducted. Four girls and a boy were sexually abused. Eight Christian girls, all of them under 16, were kidnapped, sexually abused, and forcibly converted, the majority of them from Punjab. A Christian boy, 13-year-old, was forced to ingest toxic substances after refusing to embrace Islam in Lahore. Following blasphemy allegations, six Christians were arrested; one of them died after a mob gathered and attacked him. Christian sanitation workers in Faisalabad and Sheikhupura were denied their salaries for three months. Violent attacks have been carried out in Punjab against three Christian families and two churches. Cases of land grabbing were reported, three in Punjab and one in Sindh. These land grabs alone had a huge negative impact on the lives of 70 Christian families. Out of the four cases, two targeted families and two targeted churches.

The numbers are devastating, and the report only contains data from the first half of 2024. Dignity First calls for the protection of marginalized groups just as Christians and urges the authorities to promote religious tolerance, eliminate religious extremism, and ensure religious freedom and security.

Source: Asia News

Photo: Wikimedia

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