The Pakistan government’s new approach to national harmony is a
“downgrade” for Christians and others concerned about religious freedom,
Bishop Joseph Coutts of Faisalabad has said.
The government has decided to create a Minister for National Harmony
who will look at the wider issue of social cohesion. It has appointed to
the post Akram Masih Gill, a Catholic who is the former Minister for
Minorities.
However, Bishop Coutts emphasized that Gill’s government rank is
below that of Shahbaz Bhatti, the Minister for Minorities whom Muslim
extremists assassinated in March.
The bishop, who is president of the
Pakistan Catholic bishops’ conference, noted that Bhatti’s cabinet-level
post had specific responsibilities for promoting the interests of
religious minorities while Gill’s non-cabinet position does not.
“For me, all this is a step down; it’s a certain downgrade concerning
the representation of minorities,” Bishop Coutts told ACN News.
He said the loss of a cabinet-rank minister could not be outweighed
by the appointment of Bhatti’s brother, Dr. Paul Bhatti, as minority
affairs’ advisor to Pakistan’s Prime Minister.
“It is true that with Mr. Gill’s appointment and that of Dr. Bhatti
there are two chances for the voice of minorities to be heard, but
neither will probably have the same impact as that of Shahbaz Bhatti as
federal minister,” the bishop said.
There is growing concern that the
growth of extremism is silencing Pakistan’s three million Christians as
well as Hindus, Sikhs and Shia Muslims.
One key issue is proposed changes to Pakistan’s controversial
blasphemy law.
The law has been widely abused.
It has helped inspire mob
violence in response to alleged offenses against Islam such as
disrespect to its Prophet Muhammad and to the defacing of paper
containing Quran verses.
After Minister Bhatti was killed, his assassin claimed he acted in response to the official’s criticism of the blasphemy laws.
The alleged assassin of Punjab governor Salman Taseer gave a similar
motive.
The governor had called for changes to the blasphemy law after
mounting outrage at the death sentence given to Asia Bibi, a 45-year-old
Christian mother of five.
Christians have been targeted for violence in Pakistan.
In the latest
suspected targeted killing, 38-year-old Arnold Archie Daas was gunned
down Aug. 6 in the Drigh Road Christian colony in the city of Karachi.
The Pakistan Christian Post reports that Muslim militants fled the scene
after they confirmed Daas’ wounds were fatal.