2.5 million Christians have faced persecution in Pakistan
The foreign minister of Pakistan has dismissed accusations of Christian persecution in Pakistan. The minister claims that these are individual incidents which can be compared to knife crimes in the UK.
The foreign minister of Pakistan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, said that the reports of religious minorities being targeted in Pakistan did not mean that there was a trend[/tweetit] during his visit to Brussels. He went on to say that the recent claims of Christian persecution in Pakistan were an example of “western interests” which “want to paint Pakistan in a particular way.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Compares Christian Persecution to Knife Crimes in the UK[/tweetthis]
The comments made by Shah Mahmood Qureshi come after the case of Asia Bibi. Asia Bibi is a Pakistani Christian woman who spent eight years on death row over a charge of blasphemy which was later overturned. The charge was overturned before she could leave for Canada.
2.5 million Christians in Pakistan have been attacked or face persecution or under Pakistan’s laws on blasphemy. Qureshi said that “you can’t call this trend.” He went on to say that “individual incidents can be quoted anywhere. Minorities are even mistreated in Europe and in Britain.”
Qureshi elaborated by pointing to the UK’s problems, such as the stabbings of four people in four days, which proved fatal. He said that he could show examples of the rise in knife crime in Britain, which reflects an increased intolerance within a society that has been very tolerant and accommodating. Qureshi said that there are examples in Britain and in Pakistan.
However, he said that Christians are welcome in Pakistan. He went on to say that the community of Christians in Pakistan is a very responsible and positive community. He said that the country respects them and wants them to be present in the country. He added that Pakistan would do everything and is doing everything in its power to protect its Christians.
When asked about Brexit, Qureshi said that it wouldn’t help Britain. Over 1,500 people have been charged with blasphemy in Pakistan between 1987 and 2017. These people are mostly Christians or members of the Ahmadi Muslim minority.
Pakistani clown comparing London Crime is Christian Prosecution??? Is this guy on DRUGS….London Crime is through Poverty while Christian Bashing in Pakistan is Religious Extremism…
Pakistan plays down accusations of Christian persecution https://t.co/WhIaDtWKWJ— Rana Azeem (@RanaAze55651590) June 25, 2019
Qureshi said that nobody wanted any laws to be misused and that they were against the misuse of anything in Pakistan. When questioned about Pakistani women trafficked to China, he said that Pakistan would “never tolerate that.”