Pakistan Christians suffer social boycott after 'blasphemer' flees village

Chiqui Guyjoco Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Pakistani Christian villagers in a Muslim community are being forced to leave or convert to Islam and are unable to buy and sell food after a Christian accused of blasphemy fled the village.

Irfan Jamil, the bishop of Lahore, gestures during an interview with Reuters at his office in Lahore, Pakistan, March 29, 2016. | REUTERS/MOHSIN RAZA

"We get wheat grains as compensation for our hard labor, and it caters to our food needs for the rest of the year. Unfortunately, this incident has taken place just when wheat harvesting began in our village, and now the Muslims are punishing us by hiring Muslim laborers from other villages," Amir Yaqub, a Christian representative for Chak 44 village in Punjab Province's Mandi Bahauddin District, told Morning Star News.

He added that some local Muslim landowners are taking advantage of the situation so they can force the Christians out of the village and grab their homes. The Christians are also unable to buy basic everyday items from Muslim shopkeepers and are pressured to denounce their faith or leave. Only about 44 Christian families have remained in Chak 44 village where more than 22,000 residents are Muslim.

According to Barnabas Fund, the Center for Legal Aid, Assistance, and Settlement (CLAAS) is providing assistance to the remaining Christians in the village and has also requested the police to patrol the village until the situation returns to normal.

The tension in the community started soon after the incident on April 19 involving a 28-year-old rural health sweeper, Imran Masih, who was accused by Muslims of possessing a blasphemous video clip in his mobile phone. Yaqub explained that Masih would have been burned to death if he hadn't gone into hiding after the Fatwa was issued.

The village's mosque committee soon became involved in the incident where a committee member, Riaz Ahmed Dhadhra, suggested burning down the Christians' homes as a vengeance. The plan was only prevented when a police contingent arrived in the village.

Police inspector Zafar Iqbal informed Morning Star News that their investigation clearly revealed that there has been no incident of blasphemy.

"I have refused to register a case against Imran Masih and also warned the local Muslims and the mosque committee of stern legal action if they try to harm the Christians or their homes. I hope there will be no incident of violence in the village because of our intervention," Iqbal said.