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Encyclopedia > Christianity in Pakistan

The adherents of Christianity are the largest religious minority community in Pakistan. Pakistan has a population of 162 million, of which 96.1% are Muslim. Christians account for 1.5%[1] of the population, or about 2.4 million people. Of these, 1,288,000 are Catholics., according to the sources cited in the Demographics of Pakistan. However, this number is debatable as Catholic Church's record of births contains higher figures than this. (The 1.5% figure mentioned here is at the lower end of a range of estimates that run as high as 5%. The figure normally quoted is around 2.5% (CIA World Factbook, Operation Mobilisation) or 3%. Population stats are said to be quite unreliable in Pakistan - partly due to corruption as they relate to voting and budget rights between provinces and interest groups, partly due to poor civil infrastructure.) Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... Demographics of Pakistan, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands. ...

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The exact introduction of Christianity to the South Asia is a debatable topic, with the Syrian Christian community in Kerala, South India being recorded as the earliest. Missionaries accompanied colonizing forces from Portugal, France and Great Britain, but in north western Ancient India, today's Pakistan, Christianity was mainly brought by the British rulers of India in the later 18th and 19th century. This is evidenced in cities established by the British, such as the port city of Karachi, where the majestic St. Patrick's Cathedral, Pakistan's largest church stands, and the churches in the city of Rawalpindi, where the British established a major military cantonment. Map of South Asia (see note on Kashmir). ... A Nasrani (also called as a Syrian - Malabar Christian) is a type of Christian from Kerala, South India who follows the earliest form of Christian-Jewish tradition of the early Christians. ... , Kerala ( ; Malayalam: കേരളം; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of southwestern India. ... A missionary is a propagator of religion, often an evangelist or other representative of a religious community who works among those outside of that community. ... Ancient India may refer to: The ancient History of India, which generally includes the ancient history of the whole Indian subcontinent (South Asia) Indus Valley Civilization — during the Bronze Age Vedic period — the period of Vedic Sanskrit, spanning the late Bronze Age and the earlier Iron Age Mahajanapadas — during the...   (Urdu: , Sindhi: ) is the largest city in Pakistan and is the provincial capital of Sindh province. ... Rawalpindi (Urdu: راولپنڈی) is a city in the Potwar Plateau near Pakistans capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. ...


The Europeans won small numbers of converts to Anglicanism, Methodism, the Lutheran Church and Catholicism from the native populations. Islam was very strong in the provinces of Punjab, Balochistan and the North West Frontier Province, but small native Christian communities were formed. The largest numbers came from resident officers of the British Army and the government. European and wealthy native Christians established colleges, churches, hospitals and schools in cities like Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar. There is a large Catholic Goan community in Karachi which was established when Karachi's infrastructure was developed by the British before World War II. Anglicanism commonly refers to the beliefs and practices of the Anglican Communion, the churches that are in full communion with the see of Canterbury. ... For other uses, see Methodism (disambiguation). ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      As a... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... This article is about the Pakistani province. ... Balochistan, or Ballsforchinstan, Balochi, Pashto, Urdu: بلوچستان) is a province in Pakistan, the largest in the country by geographical area. ... North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) is geographically the smallest of the four provinces of Pakistan. ...   (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور, pronounced ) is the capital of the province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. ...   (Urdu: پشاور; Pashto: پښور) literally means City on the Frontier in Persian and is known as Pekhawar in Pashto. ... For other uses, see Goa (disambiguation). ...   (Urdu: , Sindhi: ) is the largest city in Pakistan and is the provincial capital of Sindh province. ...


When political independence was won by the people of the South Asia in 1947, the organization and activities of the Christian community changed drastically. Christians in Punjab and Sindh had been quite active post 1945 in their support for Muhammad Ali Jinnah's Muslim League. Even before the final phase of the movement, leading Indian Christians like Pothan Joseph had rendered valuable services as journalists and propagandists of the Muslim League. Jinnah had repeatedly promised all citizens of Pakistan complete equality of citizenship, but this promise was not kept by his successors. Meanwhile a large body of lower caste Hindus converted to Christianity in 1947, increasing their population even further. Pakistan became an Islamic Republic in 1956, making Islam the source of legislation and cornerstone of the national identity, while paradoxically guaranteeing freedom of religion and equal citizenship to all citizens. In 1973, Islam became the official state religion further pushing Pakistan away from its stated goal of equality. Map of South Asia (see note on Kashmir). ... Punjab was a province of British India. ... Sindh (Sindhī: سنڌ, Urdū: سندھ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah (referred to in Pakistan as Quaid-e-Azam, or Great Leader, which is a legally defined title) (December 25, 1876 - September 11, 1948) was an Indian Muslim nationalist, who led the movement demanding a separate homeland for Muslims in... Year 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... An Islamic republic, in its modern context, has come to mean several different things, some contradictory to others. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ...


Christians have made immense contributions to the Pakistani national life. Pakistan's first non-Muslim and certainly most respected Chief Justice of Pakistan Supreme Court was Justice A. R. Cornelius. Pakistani Christians also distinguished themselves as great fighter pilots in the Pakistan Air Force. Notable amongst them are Cecil Chaudhry, Peter O'Reilly and Mervyn L Middlecoat. Christians have also contributed as educationists, doctors, lawyers and businessmen. One of Pakistan's greatest batsmen, Yousuf Youhana, was also Christian, but he recently willingly converted to Islam, taking upon the Islamic name Mohammad Yousuf. Alvin Robert Cornelius (born 1903), a Catholic, was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan from May 13, 1960 to February 29, 1968. ... The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) (Urdu: پاک فضائیہ, Pak Fazaya) is the Aviation branch of the Pakistan armed forces and is responsible for defending Pakistani air-space from intrusions. ... Peter OReilly, (27 March 1827 – 3 September 1905), was a prominent settler and official in the Colony of British Columbia, now a province of Canada who held a variety of positions, most notably as the head of a commission struck to revise and allocate Indian Reserves throughout the province. ... Yousuf Youhana (born August 27, 1974, Lahore, Punjab) is a Pakistani cricketer and member of the Pakistani national cricket team since 1998. ... Mohammad Yousuf (Urdu: محمد یوسف; formerly Yousuf Youhana, Urdu: یوسف یوحنا) (born 27 August 1974, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan) is a Pakistani cricketer who has been a member of the Pakistani national cricket team since 1998. ...


Apart from the Catholics, Christians of other denominations re-organized themselves, in India, into the Churches of North and South India respectively, and as the Church of Pakistan in 1948. Politically, groups like the Pakistan Christian Congress have arisen. The Church of Pakistan is a protestant united church in Pakistan, which is part of the Anglican Communion. ...


Community Issues

From 1947 to the mid-1970s, the governments of Pakistan were largely secular in policy and judgment. Even though non-Muslims were prohibited from holding the office of the president under the constitutions of 1956 and 1962, freedom of religion, assembly and press, with due discretion to Islam's stature for the majority population, was prevalent. From 1956 to 1978 Pakistan had a joint electorate system in place. Later Pakistan's constitution was amended to grant separate electorates to its religious minorities, for due representation in Pakistan's parliament. Joint electorate was reintroduced in 2002. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Year 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Also see: 2002 (number). ...


In 1971, East Pakistan became independent as Bangladesh, and a large chunk of Pakistan's Hindus and Christians were de-linked from Pakistan. Pakistan became a culturally monolithic, increasingly Islamic state, with smaller religious minorities than ever. Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. ... East Pakistan was a former province of Pakistan which existed between 1955 and 1971. ...


With the governments of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Zia ul-Haq, more stringently Islamic laws transformed Pakistan. While conversion to other faiths than Islam is not prohibited by law, culture and social pressures prohibit such conversions. Extremely controversial were the blasphemy laws, which made it treacherous for non-Muslims to express themselves without coming off as un-Islamic. Zia also introduced the Shariat as a basis for lawmaking, reinforced by Nawaz Sharif in 1991. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (Urdu:ذوالفقار علی بھٹو) (January 5, 1928 – April 4, 1979) was a Pakistani politician who served as the President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973 and as the Prime Minister from 1973 to 1977. ... Gen. ... For the black metal band, see Blasphemy (band). ... Sharia (Arabic شريعة also Sharia, Shariah or Syariah) is traditional Islamic law. ... Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (Urdu: میاں محمد نواز شریف ) (born December 25, 1949 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan) is a Pakistani politician. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ...


The Muslims consider Christianity and Judaism as Ahl-e-Kitab People of the Book and have given them protected status. Jews, Christians and Muslims share common religious history and theology and this is clearly recognized by Pakistani Muslims. [citation needed] There is also a collection of Hadith called Sahih Muslim A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Persian: Mosalman or Mosalmon Urdu: مسلمان, Turkish: Müslüman, Albanian: Mysliman, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of the religion of Islam. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The term People of the Book (Hebrew עם הספר, Am HaSefer) is used in Judaism where it refers specifically to the Jewish people and the Torah. ...


The 1990s

In the 1990s, some Christians were arrested on charges of blasphemy, and for protesting that appeared to insult Islam. John Joseph, a bishop in Faisalabad committeed suicide to protest the execution of a Christian man on blasphemy charges. With the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Pakistan, nearby Afghanistan and Jammu and Kashmir, the popularity enjoyed by Osama Bin Laden, and with political extremist parties gaining more power, the freedom of religious minorities such as Christians is coming steadily under attack by extremists. John Joseph McGowan, better known only as John Joseph or as Bloodclot was the lead singer for the New York hardcore band Cro-Mags ont most of their releases and also sang for the bands Fearless Vampire Killers and Bloodclot!. The son of former Welter Weight boxer John Shorty McGowan...   (Urdu: فیصل آباد) is a city located in Punjab, Pakistan. ... Islamic fundamentalism is a term used to describe religious ideologies seen as advocating literalistic interpretations of the texts of Islam and of Sharia law. ... This article is about the area controlled by India. ... Osama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Laden (Arabic: ‎; born March 10, 1957[1]), most often mentioned as Osama bin Laden or Usama bin Laden, is a Saudi Arabian militant Islamist and is widely believed to be one of the founders of the organization called al-Qaeda. ...


Conversions and Violence

Christians are also the targets of Islamic missionaries seeking new converts to Islam. A greater problem, however, is the exploitation by Christian missionaries of the poor in Pakistan. There have been repeated cases of missionaries offering food and services to families, on the condition that they first accept Jesus Christ as their sole saviour. In 2005, Pakistan's most prominent Christian cricketer, Yousuf Youhana announced that he had converted to Islam, and changed his name to Mohammed Yousuf. This move changed his life, but estranged his parents and wider family, and became a hot topic of debate and controversy in Pakistan's media. The Hisba bill to be passed in the NWFP will make its government and legal system intensively and more rigorously Islamic, making it near impossible for minorities to obtain representation or justice- though fortunately this bill was blocked by the federal government as unconstitutional. Also after much debate, the column in the Pakistani passport demanding a declaration of the bearer's religious faith has been retained, to much protest by minorities who consider it profiling and vulnerability to targeting by extremists. Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... A cricketer is a term used to refer to a person who plays cricket. ... Yousuf Youhana (born August 27, 1974, Lahore, Punjab) is a Pakistani cricketer and member of the Pakistani national cricket team since 1998. ... Yousuf Youhana (born August 27, 1974, Lahore, Punjab) is a Pakistani cricketer and member of the Pakistani national cricket team since 1998. ... This page is a candidate to be copied to Wikisource. ... North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) is geographically the smallest of the four provinces of Pakistan. ... In computer science, performance analysis (also known as program analysis) is the gathering of a programs performance characteristics by measuring events happening in a computer system while running the program. ...


Faisalabad Riots

The English Daily Telegraph published reports on November 14, 2005 claiming that Christian churches and schools (in the city of Faisalabad) have been destroyed "when Muslim preachers urged people to 'take revenge' after a Christian allegedly burnt pages of the Koran." This article deals with The Daily Telegraph in Britain, see The Daily Telegraph (Australia) for the Australian publication The Daily Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper founded in 1855. ...   (Urdu: فیصل آباد) is a city located in Punjab, Pakistan. ... The Quran (Arabic al-qurʾān أَلْقُرآن; also transliterated as Quran, Koran, and less commonly Alcoran) is the holy book of Islam. ...


The newspaper went on to say: "Hundreds of Christians fled the town as a crowd thousands strong, wielding axes and sticks, set fire to five churches, a dozen houses, three schools, a dispensary, a convent and two parsonages."


The incidents and the reports were published just as the English cricket team was touring Pakistan and preparing to play a test match in Faisalabad, a major city in the province of Punjab. The logo of the England Cricket Team which shows the three Lions of England below a five-pointed crown The England cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales, operating under the auspices of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). ... For the womens version of the game, see Womens Test cricket. ...   (Urdu: فیصل آباد) is a city located in Punjab, Pakistan. ... This article is about the Pakistani province. ...


Persecution of Christians in Pakistan

Blasphemy Laws

In Pakistan, 1.5% of the population are Christian. Pakistani law mandates that any "blasphemies" of the Quran are to be met with punishment. On July 28, 1994, Amnesty International urged Pakistan's Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto to change the law because it was being used to terrorize religious minorities. She tried but was unsuccessful. However, she modified the laws to make them more moderate. Her changes were reversed by the Nawaz Sharif administration which was backed by Islamic Fundamentalists. is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Amnesty international Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization which defines its mission as to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience... Benazir Bhutto (Urdu: بینظیر بھٹو, IPA: ) (born 21 June 1953 in Karachi) is a Pakistani politician who became the first woman to lead a post-colonial Muslim state. ... Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (Urdu: میاں محمد نواز شریف ) (born December 25, 1949 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan) is a Pakistani politician. ... The phrase Islamic fundamentalism is primarily used in the West to describe Islamist groups. ...


Ayub Masih, a Christian, was convicted of blasphemy and sentenced to death in 1998. He was accused by a neighbor of stating that he supported British writer, Salman Rushdie, author of The Satanic Verses. Lower appeals courts upheld the conviction. However, before the Pakistan Supreme Court, his lawyer was able to prove that the accuser had used the conviction to force Masih's family off their land and then acquired control of the property. Masih has been released.[2] Ahmed Salman Rushdie KBE (Hindi: Urdu: سلمان رشدی; born 19 June 1947) is a British-Indian novelist and essayist. ... For the verses known as Satanic Verses, see Satanic Verses. ...


On September 22, 2006, a Pakistani Christian named Shahid Masih was arrested and jailed for allegedly violating Islamic "blasphemy laws" in Pakistan. He is presently held in confinement and has expressed fear of reprisals by Islamic Fundamentalists.[3] The phrase Islamic fundamentalism is primarily used in the West to describe Islamist groups. ...


Attacks on Pakistani Christians by Islamists

On October 28, 2001 in Lahore, Pakistan, Islamic militants killed 15 Christians at a church. [citation needed]


On September 25, 2002, unidentified gunmen shot dead seven people at a Christian charity in Karachi's central business district. They entered the third-floor offices of the Institute for Peace and Justice (IPJ) and shot their victims in the head. All of the victims were Pakistani Christians. Karachi police chief Tariq Jamil said the victims had their hands tied and their mouths had been covered with tape. Pakistani Christians have alleged that they have "become increasingly victimised since the launch of the US-led international war on terror."[4]


In November 2005, 3,000 militant Islamists attacked Christians in Sangla Hill in Pakistan and destroyed Roman Catholic, Salvation Army and United Presbyterian churches. The attack was over allegations of violation of blasphemy laws by a Pakistani Christian named Yousaf Masih. The attacks were widely condemned by some political parties in Pakistan.[5] However, Pakistani Christians have expressed disappointment that they have not received justice. Samson Dilawar, a parish priest in Sangla Hill, has said that the police have not committed to trial any of the people who were arrested for committing the assaults, and that the Pakistani government did not inform the Christian community that a judicial inquiry was underway by a local judge. He continued to say that Muslim clerics "make hateful speeches about Christians" and "continue insulting Christians and our faith".[6] Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Shield of The Salvation Army The Salvation Army is a non-military evangelical Christian organisation. ... Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ...


In February 2006, churches and Christian schools were targeted in protests over the publications of the Jyllands-Posten cartoons in Denmark, leaving two elderly women injured and many homes and properties destroyed. Some of the mobs were stopped by police.[7] The Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy began after twelve editorial cartoons, most of which depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad, were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on 2005-09-30. ...


On June 5, 2006, a Pakistani Christian stonemason named Nasir Ashraf was working near Lahore when he drank water from a public facility using a glass chained to the facility. He was assaulted by Muslims for "Polluting the glass". A mob developed, who beat Ashraf, calling him a "Christian dog".Bystanders encouraged the beating, because it would be a "good" deed that would help them in heaven. Ashraf was eventually hospitalized[8][9].   (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور, pronounced ) is the capital of the province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. ...


On August 2006, a church and Christian homes were attacked in a village outside of Lahore, Pakistan in a land dispute. Three Christians were seriously injured and one missing after some 35 Muslims burned buildings, desecrated Bibles and attacked Christians.[10]   (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور, pronounced ) is the capital of the province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. ...


Based, in part, on such incidents, Pakistan was recommended by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in May 2006 to be designated as a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC) by the Department of State.[11] The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States government, equivalent to foreign ministries in other countries. ...


References

  1. ^ ReligiousTolerence.Org. Retrieved on 2007-05-31.
  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ [2]
  4. ^ [3]
  5. ^ [4]
  6. ^ [5]
  7. ^ [6]
  8. ^ Christian beaten for drinking water,Worldnet Daily
  9. ^ Christian attacked for polluting,Pakistan Christian Post
  10. ^ [7]
  11. ^ [8]

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 151st day of the year (152nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

Demographics of Pakistan, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands. ... Distribution of Christian population in different Indian states [1] Christianity is Indias third-largest religion, following Hinduism and Islam. ... // Introduction Christianism in the Indian subcontinent is almost as old as Christianity in its birthplace. ...

External Links


  Results from FactBites:
 
Christianity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2690 words)
Christianity is a monotheistic religion that recognizes Jesus Christ as its central figure and founder.
Some Christian traditions, such as those of the Baptists and the Churches of Christ, would accept these beliefs, but not the creed itself, since all creeds are regarded as unnecessary and even counter-productive in these circles.
Christianity teaches that it is impossible for people to completely reform themselves, but that moral and spiritual progress can only occur with God's help through the gift of the Holy Spirit, who dwells within all faithful believers.
Christianity in Pakistan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (941 words)
The adherents of Christianity are the largest religious minority community in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, numbering only around 3.5 million people, or 2.5% of Pakistan's entire population, according to the sources cited in the Demographics of Pakistan, although other sources claim lower.
The exact introduction of Christianity to the Indian subcontinent is a debatable topic, with the Syrian Christian community in Kerala, South India being recorded as the earliest.
In 1971, East Pakistan became independent as Bangladesh, and a large chunk of Pakistan's Hindus and Christians were de-linked from Pakistan.
  More results at FactBites »


 
 

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