KOENIGSTEIN, Germany, AUG. 21, 2008 (Zenit.org).- As Pakistan prepares for change after its president resigned, the director of a Salesian school in Lahore lamented that a new government will likely mean little improvement for the country's Christians.
Father Miguel Ruíz spoke to the Germany offices of Aid to the Church in Need about the continuing political instability in Pakistan, alleging that for the majority of Pakistanis, it "makes no difference anyway who is in power."
The situation of the Christians has rarely improved as a result of a change of government, he added.
Father Ruíz acknowledged that some things had bettered under President Pervez Musharraf, who stepped down to avoid impeachment. But the priest offered as an example of the continuing anti-Christian atmosphere that the president had been unable to change blasphemy laws, often used to bring Christians to court.
The Salesian suggested that the root of oppression against Christians is the poverty of the people.
The fact that Christians in Pakistan are looked upon as the lowest section of society is not the fault of Islam, he pointed out, and this situation is regarded by many Muslims as a leftover from the Hindu caste system. Prior to the independence of the state of Pakistan, many Muslims in India had themselves experienced being condemned to the lowest level of society and of suffering discrimination and contempt, Father Ruíz added.
During his visit to the international headquarters of Aid to the Church in Need, the Spanish Salesian lamented above all that Christian children in Pakistan have almost no access to education.
He explained that sometimes they cannot even be accepted into Church-run educational establishments because they cannot pass the entrance criteria set by the state, such as an adequate knowledge of English.
But Father Ruíz affirmed that he plans to continue to work with Pakistani youth, especially to teach them "love, tolerance and respect."
Christians in Pakistan make up only a tiny minority of around 1.5% in a population that is well over 90% Muslim.
ZE08082103 - 2008-08-21
Permalink: http://www.zenit.org/article-23428?l=english
Priest Doubts Pakistani Christians Will Get Better Deal
Says New Governments Rarely Bring Improvement
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