"Pakistan is now in the hands of the Taliban," said Fr. Bonnie Mendes, a priest of Faisalaba, to Agenzia Fides.
The outgoing head of the Asia branch of Caritas International said the terror group has become even stronger after the death of Bin Laden and now enjoys support from large segments of the population.
"The ordinary citizen, the average Muslim Pakistani, is very angry with the government, the United States and NATO, and this is why they look favorably on the actions of the Taliban groups," he said.
Instead of being discouraged or disheartened after Bin Laden's death, the Taliban was emboldened. Faced with a weak government and institutions that fail to react, "the Taliban are finding more and more space in society," he said. "Citizens criticize the government's attitude towards the U.S., NATO, towards intervention in Afghanistan, saying that the strategy has failed. The country, among other things, is shifting on a geopolitical and geostrategic level, seeking the alliance of China and Russia, and the axis with the U.S. could be under discussion. "
Extremism is taking hold without any forces capable of stopping it, he said, which leaves religious minorities, including Christians, "annihilated and reduced to silence."
The only good news for Christians in this uncertain time is that they are not the preferred target of pro-Taliban groups who are more focused on the military, Pakistani government headquarters and Nato offices instead.
Haroon Barkat Masih, director of the Mahsihi Foundation, which provides defense for persecuted religious minorities in Pakistan, is also concerned about the future of Christians in that country.
"In Pakistan, religious minorities - about 5 percent of the population - are victims of oppression by fundamentalist groups and their related political parties," Masih told Fides earlier this month.
"The Hindu and Christian communities, but also the Ahmadi (considered a Muslim sect) are strongly discriminated. I would also like to mention the abuse of the blasphemy law, which - under the pretext of defending the name of the Prophet Mohammed or the Koran - has become a tool to target religious minorities. "
The most famous case of the abuse of the blasphemy law concerns Asia Bibi, a young Christian mother who was sentenced to death over trumped-up charges of blasphemy. Even though her death sentence has not been carried out, she continues to languish in a Pakistani prison.
"For Christians (about 2 percent of the population), the choice is: to suffer, leave the country or die," Masih said. " Today Christians are under constant threat of death, undergo forced conversion to Islam, forced Muslim marriages, forced Islamic education and unwarranted removal of assets and property. It must be said that those who suffer most are the poorest and most marginalized populations, and their social status and lack of proper education prevents economic, social and cultural development. "
He added: "Pakistan after Bin Laden`s death has major challenges to face , and the international community can help keep attention focused on respect for human rights and religious freedom."
© All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly®/Women of Grace® http://www.womenofgrace.com
Pakistani Christians in Peril After Bin Laden Death
By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Already a persecuted minority in Pakistan, Christians in that country are suffering even more persecution after the killing of terror chief Osama Bin Laden as angry citizens are now turning toward the Taliban in greater numbers.
"Pakistan is now in the hands of the Taliban," said Fr. Bonnie Mendes, a priest of Faisalaba, to Agenzia Fides.
The outgoing head of the Asia branch of Caritas International said the terror group has become even stronger after the death of Bin Laden and now enjoys support from large segments of the population.
"The ordinary citizen, the average Muslim Pakistani, is very angry with the government, the United States and NATO, and this is why they look favorably on the actions of the Taliban groups," he said.
Instead of being discouraged or disheartened after Bin Laden's death, the Taliban was emboldened. Faced with a weak government and institutions that fail to react, "the Taliban are finding more and more space in society," he said. "Citizens criticize the government's attitude towards the U.S., NATO, towards intervention in Afghanistan, saying that the strategy has failed. The country, among other things, is shifting on a geopolitical and geostrategic level, seeking the alliance of China and Russia, and the axis with the U.S. could be under discussion. "
Extremism is taking hold without any forces capable of stopping it, he said, which leaves religious minorities, including Christians, "annihilated and reduced to silence."
The only good news for Christians in this uncertain time is that they are not the preferred target of pro-Taliban groups who are more focused on the military, Pakistani government headquarters and Nato offices instead.
Haroon Barkat Masih, director of the Mahsihi Foundation, which provides defense for persecuted religious minorities in Pakistan, is also concerned about the future of Christians in that country.
"In Pakistan, religious minorities - about 5 percent of the population - are victims of oppression by fundamentalist groups and their related political parties," Masih told Fides earlier this month.
"The Hindu and Christian communities, but also the Ahmadi (considered a Muslim sect) are strongly discriminated. I would also like to mention the abuse of the blasphemy law, which - under the pretext of defending the name of the Prophet Mohammed or the Koran - has become a tool to target religious minorities. "
The most famous case of the abuse of the blasphemy law concerns Asia Bibi, a young Christian mother who was sentenced to death over trumped-up charges of blasphemy. Even though her death sentence has not been carried out, she continues to languish in a Pakistani prison.
"For Christians (about 2 percent of the population), the choice is: to suffer, leave the country or die," Masih said. " Today Christians are under constant threat of death, undergo forced conversion to Islam, forced Muslim marriages, forced Islamic education and unwarranted removal of assets and property. It must be said that those who suffer most are the poorest and most marginalized populations, and their social status and lack of proper education prevents economic, social and cultural development. "
He added: "Pakistan after Bin Laden`s death has major challenges to face , and the international community can help keep attention focused on respect for human rights and religious freedom."
© All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly®/Women of Grace® http://www.womenofgrace.com
"Pakistan is now in the hands of the Taliban," said Fr. Bonnie Mendes, a priest of Faisalaba, to Agenzia Fides.
The outgoing head of the Asia branch of Caritas International said the terror group has become even stronger after the death of Bin Laden and now enjoys support from large segments of the population.
"The ordinary citizen, the average Muslim Pakistani, is very angry with the government, the United States and NATO, and this is why they look favorably on the actions of the Taliban groups," he said.
Instead of being discouraged or disheartened after Bin Laden's death, the Taliban was emboldened. Faced with a weak government and institutions that fail to react, "the Taliban are finding more and more space in society," he said. "Citizens criticize the government's attitude towards the U.S., NATO, towards intervention in Afghanistan, saying that the strategy has failed. The country, among other things, is shifting on a geopolitical and geostrategic level, seeking the alliance of China and Russia, and the axis with the U.S. could be under discussion. "
Extremism is taking hold without any forces capable of stopping it, he said, which leaves religious minorities, including Christians, "annihilated and reduced to silence."
The only good news for Christians in this uncertain time is that they are not the preferred target of pro-Taliban groups who are more focused on the military, Pakistani government headquarters and Nato offices instead.
Haroon Barkat Masih, director of the Mahsihi Foundation, which provides defense for persecuted religious minorities in Pakistan, is also concerned about the future of Christians in that country.
"In Pakistan, religious minorities - about 5 percent of the population - are victims of oppression by fundamentalist groups and their related political parties," Masih told Fides earlier this month.
"The Hindu and Christian communities, but also the Ahmadi (considered a Muslim sect) are strongly discriminated. I would also like to mention the abuse of the blasphemy law, which - under the pretext of defending the name of the Prophet Mohammed or the Koran - has become a tool to target religious minorities. "
The most famous case of the abuse of the blasphemy law concerns Asia Bibi, a young Christian mother who was sentenced to death over trumped-up charges of blasphemy. Even though her death sentence has not been carried out, she continues to languish in a Pakistani prison.
"For Christians (about 2 percent of the population), the choice is: to suffer, leave the country or die," Masih said. " Today Christians are under constant threat of death, undergo forced conversion to Islam, forced Muslim marriages, forced Islamic education and unwarranted removal of assets and property. It must be said that those who suffer most are the poorest and most marginalized populations, and their social status and lack of proper education prevents economic, social and cultural development. "
He added: "Pakistan after Bin Laden`s death has major challenges to face , and the international community can help keep attention focused on respect for human rights and religious freedom."
© All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly®/Women of Grace® http://www.womenofgrace.com
