Life is not easy for Christians in Pakistan. Many are economically marginalised, struggling to find work, at the mercy of those who wish to make life difficult for them. And they tend to experience an increase in adversity during periods of celebration.
This includes Christmas.
In some parts of Pakistan, Christians will be asked by their neighbours not to light their homes with decorations. Others who decide to invest in a tree may be asked to take them down by those who don’t want such symbols of Christianity in their community. Sometimes, neighbours will even forcibly remove decorations from the outside of Christian houses themselves.
And it is not just at home that Christians find themselves under pressure; the workplace is often hostile too. While 25 December is a national holiday in Pakistan, as it coincides with the birthday of the nation’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Christians are also entitled to take an optional national holiday on the 26th to celebrate Christmas. However, workers must declare if they wish to take it and, despite this right being enshrined in national legislation, employers often refuse to grant them leave.
It hasn’t always been like this. Pressure on Christians in Pakistan became notably more pronounced in the late 1980s. As the government fought the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, a wave of Muslim militarism filtered down into textbooks in the form of hate material and bias, sowing seeds of intolerance.
Religious minorities who had played integral roles in the nation’s development found themselves increasingly marginalized. Chapters celebrating Christian heroes were removed, erasing their contributions from how children learn about their country’s national experience. Despite the presence of over four million Christians in the country, textbooks instead propagated the idea that Pakistan was an Islamic nation solely for Muslims, leaving subsequent generations with no awareness of the Christian or other minority communities living alongside them.
Today, conservative right-wing extremist groups and clerics preach against the celebration of Christmas, labelling it as un-Islamic. This extremist influence on the national consciousness is a concerning issue. However, it is not limited to the extreme right; the radicalization of Muslims has become increasingly widespread across various social divides, including a previously significant rural-urban divide – where the most radical ideas used to be constrained to the countryside, their proponents can now be found in Pakistan’s towns and cities too.
This increase in extremism and hate over the past ten years has been catalysed by the advent of social media. Platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) allow such messages to spread rapidly, with little capacity to control or curtail their growth. In addition, social media has become a breeding ground for hate as mob attacks and violence against places of worship are often triggered by online calls for action. While the Shia and Ahmadiyya communities have tended to be the primary target of such mob attacks, the escalating polarization and frequency of these incidents have left Christians increasingly vigilant this Christmas season.
But it is not only adults who face repercussions for what they believe; Christian children encounter more friction for their family’s religious identity around Christmas time too, with those as young as seven or eight having their lives made more difficult by teachers and classmates alike.
They experience isolation and are the targets of derogatory comments. In some cases, Muslim children refuse to interact with Christian classmates, having been told by their parents to not share meals, drinks or even Christmas greetings with them. In such situations, families are often reluctant to have their children stand up to such comments due to the fear of repercussions from the community.
In rural settings, some even face limited options for enjoying a nice lunch or Christmas dinner out; there have been reports of Christians having their plates and glasses smashed after use by waiters who – like those children told not to share glasses with their classmates in school – deem the Christian minority to be unclean. In some cases they have even been asked to pay for the breakages. It feels a far cry from a season of joy and hope.
With such obstacles to contend with and the increase in incidents on their minds, many Christians in Pakistan opt for safer alternatives, like celebrating Christmas with their church or at parks or zoos. However, even these venues have not escaped pressure, especially not at times of celebration; on Easter Sunday 2016, for example, a suicide bombing at a park frequented by the local Christian population left 16 dead. The attack was claimed by a splinter group of the Pakistani Taliban, who specified that they had intentionally targeted Christians.
Christmas is the time when we remember the hope that came into the world when Jesus was born. It’s the season when we’re reminded that we long for his return, for all things to be made right again.
This Christmas, take a moment to stand with our fellow Christians in Pakistan. Pray that they may find strength, hope and joy in celebrating the birth of the Saviour of the world over 2000 years ago. As we do our Christmas shopping, or visit markets, or see family and friends at church, let’s remember those unable to mark the occasion openly. Let’s remember those celebrating in silence.
By CSW’s Advocacy Intern Jonathan Downing