ICC Note:
Following a terrorist attack in Karachi that claimed the lives of over 40 Islmailis, a minority sect of Shia Muslims, Christian leaders have called on the government for better protection of religious minorities. Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan have become soft targets for terrorist operating in Pakistan. In March, Christians were attacked when suicide bombers attempted to bomb two churches in the Christian majority neighborhood of Youhanabad in Lahore. Will the government take positive action to protect religious minorities?
5/18/2015 Pakistan (UCAN) – The National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), the Catholic Church’s human rights body in Pakistan, has called for better protection of minority groups amid renewed threats against them by Islamist militants.
The demand comes days after 45 members of the minority Shia Ismaili community were massacred in a gun attack on a bus in Karachi, claimed by several Sunni groups, including Islamic State.
Ismailis are Shia Muslims who also revere Imam Ismail who died in 765 AD. They number about 15 million worldwide with about 500,000 living in Pakistan.
The militants responsible for last week’s bloodshed also threatened to launch more attacks on minorities, including Christians.
In a joint statement condemning the attack, Archbishop of Karachi Joseph Coutts and NCJP National Director Fr Saleh Diego said the May 13 “killing of innocent people on the basis of their faith is unacceptable.”
“We demand from both the federal government and provincial governments to take serious and effective measures to prevent such atrocities and also plead to increase security for all minority groups.”
The NCJP also held a special service at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in Karachi on Friday to express solidarity with the Ismaili community and pray for the victims.
Leaders of various religious groups, politicians and human rights campaigners attended the service.
Addressing the gathering, Archbishop Coutts said attempts were being made to create a rift among religious groups in Pakistan.
“Our aim should be to foil such attempts and bridge the distance between religious groups,” he said.
Fr Saleh Diego said murder of one human is equal to murdering the whole community. “We should demonstrate unity to raise our voice against atrocities being committed by militants in Pakistan,” he said.
“We want to give a message to terrorists that we all are Pakistanis and no force, no religious leader and no government can divide us.”
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