'Life Is Miserable in Pakistan' — Activist and Friend of Shahbaz Bhatti Says Blasphemy Laws, Anti-West Sentiment Provoke Christian Persecution
Former Pakistani Parliamentarian Issues 'SOS Call' for Governments, Christian Communities to Take Action
"We have a solid strategy in the field of education and economic stability and in evangelism. People can contact us. … Engage with us. We are not struggling for money, but we are struggling to glorify the name of God and for this we need too much resources of international community they have. Because they have the resources, they have the international influence on the Pakistani government." ...
"We have a road map on these three e's (education, economic stability and evangelism) and we want to share the road map next year. … All the people, those who are hearing my voice or reading my requests … contact us. We need your suggestions, we need your support, we need your spiritual prayers. We want spiritual prayer warriors who can pray for us, who can can spiritually strengthen us, who can morally, financially, educationally, in every way you can come and help us and engage with us for this road map."
CP asked Rafique to describe daily life for Christians in Pakistan:
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"We are considered to be a sweeping community Pakistan. We can be sweepers (cleaners), but we cannot be officers. All the key posts we are banned to acting, perform on the key posts. We couldn't get any proper jobs, proper opportunities to do our business, to do our jobs. Society's so biased, so discriminated at government level and at the public level. Our insignia in Pakistan as a Christian is a sweeping community, which harms us and lots of people, even though we are educated, some people they call us a sweeper, a sweeping community.
"So this is a challenge for international community, this is a challenge for us also that the majority community thinks that we are sweepers. I want to change my community in a revolutionary way from sweeper to bring them officer. We want to establish that the constitution which is biased, because we don't have right to be a president or the prime minister or judge of the high courts or any key posts. I want to see my people in that key post because as a citizen of the state, we pay equal utility bills, we pay equal our responsibilities. And if we pay equal utility bills and equal responsibilities, we have equal rights, we want equal rights. When state have given us a right, they are biased. And when they want to get the utility bills and other taxes, we are similar in that way.
"This is a big discrimination, you cannot see in any part of the world." ...
"Life is miserable in Pakistan. Every time we feel insecure and we psychological depression every time, wherever we are — either I am a parliamentarian, either I'm in office, either I'm in the market, I feel, due to religious extremism, I feel every time psychological depression."
On the threat of Islamic terrorism, Rafique said:
"Pakistan is the second biggest Islamic country, there (is) nuclear power, there are religious extremist organizations. From that religious extremism, from nuclear power, which is (also) a severe threat. ...This religious extremism is not only a threat to the Christian community. This also a threat to global peace. This is also a threat to the global Church and global Christian organizations." ...
"This is a big threat and I ask the international community, don't wait (and) let it become a Syria or Iraq. It will become (a Syria or Iraq), if you neglect them, if you never make precautionary measures...because all the extremist organizations, they are welcoming the ISIS and the Daesh in Pakistan. … This is also a severe threat to Pakistan."
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[Editor's Note: Discussions between Pervez Rafique and The Christian Post were held in person on Nov. 20, 2014, and over the phone on March 19, 2015. Transcripts of the discussions were edited for clarity ]
