ICC Note:

Activists continue to voice concerns about the safety and treatment of Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan. Social discrimination, physical assaults, and legal discrimination continually persecute Christians. Activists hope that international organizations like the United Nations will be able to pressure Pakistan to alter laws that contribute to persecution, like the blasphemy law.

3/15/2017 Pakistan (Financial Express) — Activists have raised concerns over the persecution of Christians in Pakistan saying the minority is facing social and economic deprivation in the country.  “Pakistani Christians are not equal even under the law so therefore the persecution starts right there as far as the law is concerned. There is social discrimination, job discrimination, social violence and the law enforcement agencies cannot save them because generally it becomes a very Islamic question,” Javaid Rahim Baksh, a Christian activist from Pakistan based in Canada, told ANI.

Baksh added that they are trying to bring the issue of persecution of Christians on international forums such as the United Nations so that the global leaders can come to their aid.  “If the issue of persecution of Christians is raised, (on international platform) may be there can be some negotiation with Pakistan. It would help the Christians be looked after, be legally protected which they can be if the law wants to do that. If they are declared persecuted the international community can come to their aid,” he said.   Another human rights activist from Pakistan, Naveed Walter, told ANI that minorities in Pakistan were particularly facing hardship and exploitation because of the strict blasphemy laws in the country.

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