Pakistan government discriminates against displaced Christians

(July 17, 2009) Christian refugees in Pakistan’s Swat valley and Malakand Division are not receiving refugee aid promised by the government, reported the Pakistan Christian Post, which called for treatment for the three million displaced persons without any discrimination. On July 13 Islamabad initiated proceedings for the return of internally displaced persons after the government claimed the army had successfully flushed out the Taliban from the northwest. To encourage a return to normalcy, the government decided to allocate Rs 25 thousand as compensation for families affected by the war. The Pakistan Christian Post pointed out that there were no significant records of Christians in government refugee camps. Only 60 families obtained refugee status from the government. They are registered at the Christian relief centre in Mardan, set up by the Church in Pakistan. But according to the Pakistan Christian Post, "thousands of Christians" who have been adopted by relatives and friends in the North West Frontier Province and Punjab, risk receiving no compensation. Nazir Bhatti, President of the Pakistan Christian Congress (PCC), has asked the government to "ensure compensation to the refugees of Christian faith", who have found accommodation with relatives. Caritas, the Catholic Church of Pakistan and other Christian organizations have begun fundraising and distribution of food and basic necessities for displaced persons, benefiting both Christians and Muslims.