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Monday, April 4, 2016

Live Your Life – Let Others Live Too

Shamim Masih

Shamim Masih considers himself a patriotic Pakistani. It often filters his eyes that the Pakistani government will someday protect the rights of all Pakistanis. That is “all” is in not just the Sunni Islamic majority but also religious minorities of which Shamim is a Christian. Many Christians in Pakistan look back and revere Pakistan’s founder - Mohammad Ali Jinnah – secularist minded Muslim who felt a Hindu dominated India would not be a fair place for Muslims to live in.

It is my sense that Shamim is realizing that an Islam dominated Pakistan will always be a raw deal for Pakistani Christians.

JRH 4/4/16
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Live Your Life – Let Others Live Too

By Shamim Masih
Sent: 4/3/2016 3:46 PM

ISLAMABAD: With all respect to Muslims …... Multiculturalism is failure. And that was the reason for Pakistan. There is no point when Muslims migrating to Western Nations and imposing them to accept them or otherwise call them as racists. Do Christians migrate to Muslims nations? Do they accept Christians at all? Simply, no ... But the fact is that Muslims do not let other religious minorities to live in their countries and to practice their religion freely. I am by birth Pakistani, not an immigrant; even before the partition [India/Pakistan partition 1947] my forefathers used to live in the same area called Punjab province. Somehow, in early 2000 we shifted to the Twin city (Islamabad/Rawalpindi) and settled living in rented houses, very obviously owned by Muslims.

[The best way to SUPPORT Shamim’s Christian advocacy in Pakistan is via Western Union sending money with this LINK to a Western Union agent in Islamabad. Shamim’s email is shamimpakistan@gmail.com, Include Shamim’s phone - +92-300-642-4560]

Pakistan has become a Sunni Muslims dominated country and this sick mind-set has changed the concept of the creation of the country. Founder of the country, Mohammad Ali Jinnah struggled for a country where all people can live peacefully. He clearly announced that every person is free to live his life. On 12 March, 1949, the second constituent assembly of Pakistan passed the Objective Resolution which was proposed by the first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan, proclaimed that the future constitution of Pakistan would not be modeled entirely on a European pattern, but on ideology and democratic faith of Islam. The legislative election in 1954 saw the Awami League coming to power and its leader Huseyn Suhrawardy becoming country’s first Bengali Prime Minister. Promulgation of constitution in 1956 leads Pakistan declaring itself Islamic Republic (official name) with the adoption of parliamentary democratic system of government.

Since then Islam phobia prevailed in the country and Mullahs are busy in spreading hate against other religions. Thousands of people have been either killed or sent to prisons saving Islam. Muslims believed that Islam is the only sacred religion and they are busy in saving it by killing others. Clerics are busy in giving fatwas and thus creating Mumtaz Qadris. [Blog Editor: Should be of interest – “Pakistan’s Islamic Religious Right Mobilizes Anew to Defend Blasphemy Laws and Try to Get Asia Bibi Hanged”]

Good Friday is a Christians’ ritual and its common practice that Christians gather for mass and worship God. Honestly speaking I am not too religious and do not attend church on a regular basis and on these types of occasions I usually worship at my home as I feel every man has his personal affiliation with his creator. There is more than one reason to it, as I am sick of so called pastors (religious businessmen) (will write on it later). So we, family members gathered for Good Friday service and started worshiping in our house. While the service was on someone knocked at the door, I went out to see and found the landlord there. He said that it’s not church and you are not allowed to say our prayer at home, if you want to [not] keep it [your home], continue [praying], better to leave the house. I explained to him that we did not invite others but [our] family members and [we are simply] praying on our religious event. But he was not satisfied and ordered us to leave the house. It’s not the first time, in June last year, when we gathered for my mother’s death anniversary, he disturbed our gathering.

Is this country made for Muslims only? Do we have no right to live our lives? Will justice be done? Is this a safe place for our children? I know that government issuing statements that minorities are given equal rights and some minority parliamentarians are doing the same. Some so-called patriotic [Pakistanis] claim try to show their loyalty by criticizing others. But my question is; where does a common Christian person stands? A major portion of Pakistani Christians are living below the poverty line and the same segment faces problems in everyday life.
    
Pakistan is a Muslim dominated country and Muslims have changed the societal culture by building mosques and madrassas on every corner but Christians are not allowed to build [Churches or pray in own homes]. In the capital, Islamabad only, there are hundreds mosques and madrassas are constructed illegally. The Founder of the nation, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, created this country and [proclaimed] given rights [for all religions]. But his successors have changed his ideology. These hardline clerics are defaming the face of Pakistan not we Christians…... 

Be Blessed,

Shamim Masih

Journalist, Blogger and Human Rights Activist
http://oiwerk.blogspot.com/

The best way to SUPPORT Shamim’s Christian advocacy in Pakistan is via Western Union sending money with this LINK to a Western Union agent in Islamabad. Shamim’s email is shamimpakistan@gmail.com, Include Shamim’s phone - +92-300-642-4560
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Edited by John R. Houk
All text enclosed by brackets are by the Editor. All links are by the Editor.


© Shamim Masih

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