A former member of the Punjab Assembly, Qasier Ifrahim Saroya, said, “I think the State feels its responsibility is to a certain group of citizens, and not for the others. This is simply a form of direct discrimination.”
“The effect of this attitude trickles down into many other manifestations of discrimination in Pakistani society and affects religious minorities in all spheres of their lives,” Saroya continued. “Pakistani society has accepted discrimination against religious minorities as a social norm. The government should amend this law and incorporate clear programs for Christian, Hindu, Sikh, and Ahmedi students.”
“Otherwise these changes will only further enhance a sense of deprivation and inferiority among non-Muslim students,” Saroya fears.
In some cases, non-Muslim students are given the choice to study ethics in place of Islam. Still, even though the students are presented with this choice, it if often not that simple to opt out of Islamic studies.
Anee Muskan, a 20-year-old student at the University of Lahore, said, “In college, I preferred to take Islam classes rather than Ethics classes. However, the Christian students who opted for Ethics were still required to sit in the classroom during the Islam classes, which they had supposedly opted out of.”
“They were not allowed to move out of the classroom,” Muskan continued. “Moreover, they were asked to prepare the lessons on Ethics on their own. Thus, they received the education of Islam, in spite of having chosen to study Ethics. This practice serves to make non-Muslim students believe their religions are lower than Islam. They find themselves belonging to a weaker status, as a direct result of not participating in the Islamic classes.”
The cultural norm of discrimination against religious minorities has permeated Pakistan’s legislative and educational systems. This cycle of intolerance will continue to increase hostility toward religious minorities who are labeled second-class citizens by legislation like the Compulsory Teaching of Holy Quran bill. Unless Pakistan is able to reform its educational system and teach its children the importance of tolerance and religious harmony, Pakistan will continue to be one of the most difficult places for Christians in the world.
For interviews with William Stark, Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org