Do you feel that inaction on the part of the government is deliberate? Do they acquiesce to what is going on?
I think the action on the part of the government has been dependent on various factors and one of them is that the influence of the various Islamic leaders has been so strong that the government shies away in recognising alternatives. The alternatives are there but those alternatives are not put into practice effectively.
There is real frustration, disappointment and sadness in the minority community. Why aren’t we being treated as responsible and faithful and committed citizens of the country?
Christians in India also protested against the violence against Pakistani Christians. Do you welcome that support?
We live in a situation where we cannot live only on political differences. We are a religious community. It is the same wherever there is violence against a religious community. In this particular case it is in Pakistan vis a vis Muslims. That means that Muslims all over the world should speak out against this irrespective of what the political disagreements and agreements are. We are one family of Christians, one body. The Muslims call it ‘ummah’, one family, one brotherhood. As the Christian ummah, Christians anywhere in the world have a right to express their concerns about how Christians in any part of the world are treated.
How has the Pakistani government responded to protests from church leaders about the treatment of the Christian community?
After the damage is done there are always political doctors who keep coming in with their balms and medicines to pacify the situation, which was again done in the recent situation of the violence in Punjab. The government has promised help and support and has given some money, which is of course a concern, but nevertheless still does not meet the needs of the people who have lost homes, animals and property and is, of course, no comparison to those who have died and been killed. Money does not replace that. And it doesn’t give us a sense of security. Will it happen again or will it not happen again? The government is not reassuring us meaningfully and effectively on the security of the religious minorities.
What happens when a First Instance Report is registered against the perpetrators with the police? Does anyone ever get brought to justice?
It depends on the nature of the FIR. There are certain FIRs in Pakistan about very small accusations and the police will just go and pick that person up. But then there are examples of serious allegations in an FIR where the perpetrators are scot free.
In the case of the misuse of the blasphemy law, the police shy away from arresting people who may be misusing the blasphemy law even if there is an FIR. But if there is an FIR that says Mr Samuel so and so or John so and so said something against Islam or the Prophet he would be immediately arrested.
