ASIA/PAKISTAN - Breakdown of Christians in Pakistan

Rome (Agenzia Fides) - Of the population in Pakistan of 185 million inhabitants, 96% are Muslims, and 2% are Christians. Among these, Catholics are slightly more than one million. Christians, with Hindus and Sikhs (the remaining 2% of the population) live in a state of daily discrimination and social marginalisation.
Even before the partition between India and Pakistan (1947) - which gave birth to the nation – there were so-called “Dalits”, those outside the caste system according to the rigid social classification that exists in India. Their condition of subordination has not changed in the Republic of Pakistan. Religious minorities are discriminated against today in access to education, employment, and public office.
The Constitution of Pakistan written by the founder of the country, the Muslim Ali Jinnah, proclaimed the principle of equality of all citizens before the law, “without distinction of race or creed”. But since 1980, with the Government of dictator Zia-ul-Haq, the country has undergone a progressive Islamisation of society, law, politics, and education. In this context, the situation of minorities has deteriorated, mainly because of some measures such as the “blasphemy law” (Article 295b and 295c of the Penal Code) and the “Hudood Ordinances”, rules of criminal law based on Islamic law.
According to the 2009-2010 Report by the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace in Pakistan, currently “the trend of violent acts against religious minorities is growing”; the blasphemy law is Damocles' sword against minorities; freedom of religion “is reduced to a myth”, and “in the face of the Government's apathy, urgent action is needed to protect human rights.” Between 1987 (since it has been in force) and 2009, 1,032 people have been unjustly affected by the blasphemy law. Religious freedom has been gradually eroded: from 2005-2009 there are 622 registered cases - just the tip of the iceberg - of forced conversion from Christianity to Islam.
The Catholic Church has 7 Bishops (for six dioceses and an Apostolic Vicariate), 279 priests (including 127 religious priests), 76 men religious, 799 sisters, 53 lay missionaries and 702 catechists. The Church is very involved in schools and in social work, interreligious dialogue and in the defence of religious freedom and minority rights. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 2/3/2011)