Francesca Merlo, Linda Bordoni, Piotr Kowalczuk
Speaking to Vatican News, Naeem Yousaf Gill, executive director of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Pakistan, said that the incident in Karachi on July 9 showed how swift action and interreligious cooperation can help prevent tragedy. At the same time, he stated that Christians in Pakistan still feel vulnerable when blasphemy accusations arise.
Incident in Karachi
According to Director Gill, someone sent a desecrated page of the Holy Quran to a local shopkeeper along with photos of Christian Azeem Javed and his mother, residents of Qazafi colony in Karachi, who were allegedly responsible for the desecration. The message quickly spread throughout the area. Soon, an enraged crowd appeared outside their home. Gill explained that the situation was brought under control because “the government and administration took appropriate action and assured the protesters that the police would conduct a thorough investigation and identify the perpetrators.” As a result, “the protest was called off.”
Expression of solidarity
The intervention of Muslim religious leaders, students of Islamic seminaries, and local politicians in defense of the Christian family was, as Director Gill admitted, a joyful surprise: “It was met with great surprise and appreciation. Perhaps this event will gradually pave the way for building good relations between communities.” In his opinion, this is proof that “if the administration and religious leaders take reasonable and wise actions, incidents can be avoided,” although he warned that “a single incident cannot indicate an increase in respect for the law. It is too early for that.”
Blasphemy accusations
“The Christian community in Pakistan feels vulnerable,” Director Gill assessed. “When an accusation concerns one person, but the accused is a Christian, the entire community pays the price. It will take some time to rebuild community trust.”
The value of relationships
Naeem Yousaf Gill explained that the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace was able to react quickly to the growing tension in Karachi thanks to long-standing relationships with local communities. He emphasized that everything was thanks to a former Commission employee who is a neighbor of the family accused of blasphemy. When the crowd appeared, he notified the Commission’s coordinator, who immediately contacted local authorities and clergy. Director Gill added that the Commission had for many years “conducted seminars on interfaith harmony in the region” and “established good contacts with majority communities.” He assessed that this initiative played an important role in activating many honest people to protect the Christian community, and the entire episode in Karachi constitutes a concrete example of the importance of dialogue between faith communities: “Interreligious dialogue is of great importance. It should be continued. It will break down barriers.”
Preventing violence
Looking ahead, Gill called for greater public awareness to prevent blasphemy accusations from escalating into violence: “The government should launch an information campaign in every possible way, but such a campaign has never been initiated before.” He pointed out that “through textbooks, television series, and social media, people should be prepared to act reasonably in such situations.”
Catholics find it hard to live in Pakistan
However, he noted that many Christians in Pakistan continue to experience discrimination. “Catholics in Pakistan have a hard life. They face discrimination, humiliation, and hatred. They are still fighting for a dignified life.”
