Pakistani Christians Face Discrimination at Relief Camps

Christian Web News - In the northwestern Swat valley, more than 360,000 civilians have fled their homes this past week as Pakistan's army attacks Taliban strongholds in the area. As civilians flood into relief camps, Christians are claiming they are being discriminated against by the local authorities.

According to a Christian source, government-designated staffs at relief camps are denying Christians permission to register and the minority faces social ostracism, threats, and abuse.
Pakistan Christian Congress Chief, Dr. Nazir S Bhatti, said the registration process for Christians, Sikhs and Hindus at relief camps has been harsh and he called upon the Federal Minority Ministry to set up separate camps for the persecuted groups.

Bhatti, quoting a displaced Christian, Yousaf Masih said, “The staff on registration duty appointed by government is not permitting them in camps on a plea that Muslim displaced families cannot share food made for them which is prepared and distributed by them.”
According to Yousaf, Christians have been asked to set up tents and prepare food separately.
After being unable to access any relief camps, Yousaf and five other families finally ended up staying at a relative's house in Peshawar. The Christian explained that it was even difficult to talk to U.N. representatives due to the language barrier.

He said there are also hundreds of Christian families in Mangora city who are unable to flee due to expensive transport and erratic bus services.
Unfortunately, these instances come as no surprise since the Christian population in Pakistan already face severe persecution in the hands of Islamic fundamentalists, who routinely kidnap Christian girls, force conversion and sometimes burn their homes.

Bhatti has demanded that the government make special arrangements to pull Christians from Swat valley and set up camps for them. There are over 500,000 Christians in NWFP who are facing hardships and abuse, according to Bhatti.

He said Pakistan Christians fully support the military offensive against the Taliban extremism.

(Christian Web News)