The Portal November 2018 | Page 20
THE
P RTAL
November 2018
Page 20
Aid to the Church in Need
Praying for Pakistan’s
suffering Church
Murcadha O’Flaherty reports
T
housands of people are praying for religious minorities in Pakistan – including imprisoned
Christian mother of five, Asia Bibi – suffering under the country’s blasphemy law. Catholic charity
Aid to the Church in Need is supporting Asia Bibi’s family and others in need through Pakistan’s National
Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP). Through the NCJP and other organisations ACN has helped
victims of blasphemy forced to go into hiding across the Muslim-majority country.
The charity brought Asia Bibi’s family
to the UK in mid-October. Asia Bibi’s
daughter Eisham Ashiq with her father,
Ashiq Masih spoke of their concerns
for her safe release. They also raised
awareness of the use of the death
penalty in blasphemy cases, which are
often brought against Christians and
members of other religious minorities in Pakistan.
At the time of writing this article, Pakistan’s Supreme
Court is reviewing Asia Bibi’s case. The country’s
blasphemy laws call for the death penalty or life
imprisonment after conviction for using derogatory
remarks against the Muslim Prophet Mohammad – a
charge denied by Asia Bibi. Reports note that extremist
groups in the country are primed to protest violently if
she is released by the courts. Father Emmanuel Yousaf,
NCJP’s national director, also came to Britain with
Asia Bibi’s family. Calling for prayers for the suffering
Church in Pakistan, Father Yousaf said: “Please join
with Christians and others worldwide praying for
Asia Bibi’s safe release and an end to persecution of
religious minorities in Pakistan.”
Helping isolated and poverty-stricken Christian
communities across Pakistan, ACN is rebuilding
churches attacked by extremists, or damaged in
suspicious circumstances. This support sends a signal
that the Christian communities are not going to be
forced out by acts of intimidation and violence. In
Muzaffarabad, in Pakistan’s northerly Kashmir district,
ACN helped fund the rebuilding of St Thomas’s
Church, which was burnt to ashes in an “unfortunate
incident”. Archbishop Joseph Arshad said: “A rapid
response will help us rebuild the church
and uphold the life of the community.
A new church will allow more people
to attend Mass and other celebrations
as well as community-based activities
taking place there.”
The charity has also provided 80,000
ACN Child’s Bibles in Pakistan’s main
language, Urdu, for young Christians.
With low literacy levels across the
country, especially among Christians
and other minorities, the 128-page Child’s Bible is a
crucial learning tool for families who cannot afford a
decent education for their children. Father Emmanuel
Asi, Executive Secretary of the Catholic Bible
Commission Pakistan, told the charity: “The Child’s
Bible is a gift presented to children at their Baptism or
Confirmation and it is used in Sunday School Ministry
and by religion teachers. It is thus highly welcomed in
Pakistan.”
Aid to the Church in Need - www.acnuk.org
contact: [email protected] or call 020 8642 8668
Both images © Weenson Oo/picture-u.net: Asia Bibi’s daughter
Eisham Ashiq with her father, Ashiq Masih (right) and Joseph Nadeem;
Father Emanuel Yousaf, National Director of Pakistan’s National
Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP)