Thousands of Christian Families Are Facing Eviction in This Muslim Country
Around 25,000 Christians living in Islamabad, Pakistan are facing sudden eviction after Islamic authorities ordered them to leave their homes within days.
According to a report from International Christian Concern, Christian families in the capital were recently informed that they must vacate the communities where they have lived for years.
Many of these families originally moved to Islamabad following the 2013 case involving Rimsha Masih. Masih, who was 14 years old at the time, was arrested after being accused of blasphemy for allegedly damaging pages of the Quran.
Two weeks after her arrest, the Muslim cleric who reported the incident was himself arrested after authorities alleged he had planted the pages in her bag. Masih was later cleared of the accusations.
International Christian Concern reported that because Masih was a Christian, the situation created serious threats against the broader Christian community. As a result, many Christian families were relocated to neighborhoods in Islamabad so they could live more safely.
Over the past decade, those families established homes and communities in the area. Now, however, they are being told to leave.
Pakistan’s Capital Development Authority claims the housing areas where the Christians live were not legally established.
International Christian Concern says the eviction order has raised significant concern among residents because no relocation plan, replacement land, or clear compensation has been offered. Christian residents have begun praying and protesting, urging the government to stop the removals until a fair solution is provided.
Many of the affected families come from low-income backgrounds. Some residents have stopped going to work because they fear their homes may be destroyed while they are away.
According to International Christian Concern, many of these Christians work in sanitation, domestic service, and other forms of day labor. Missing even a single day of work can be financially damaging, but many say the possibility of losing their homes is an even greater worry.
Pakistan is ranked eighth on Open Doors’ World Watch List for the persecution of Christians.
In addition to the current situation in Islamabad, Pakistan’s blasphemy laws have frequently been used against Christians. False accusations are not uncommon, and those convicted of blasphemy can face severe punishment, including the death penalty.
Christians in the country also face the ongoing threat of mob violence and often receive limited protection from authorities.
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