Perhaps we are so disturbed, or punch-drunk on this Christmas, after a year of being battered by the grey shades of forced conversion, widespread persecution, racial inequalities, and economic disparities that we do not register how shocking this is. I have already shed enough tears this year. Therefore, I am not telling any lies to myself today. The Christians and other religious minorities stand on the brink of a no-hope from the system or chumocracies which is causing a robbery of resilience. Unfortunately, the very, outcome most governments promise would never occur. This year has exposed massive inequality to swallow our moral values, which cannot return to normal.
Once again, sleepy Christians will wake up Pakistan on Christmas day, amid growing violence, mass persecution and rampant discrimination. The volumes of racial and economic inequalities which have robbed the dreams of minorities throughout the ages, compelled me to speak out. Of course, we are understandably exhausted to agree that 2020 was a terrible year which has become the shared enemy of humanity. However, we are keeping the Christmas soul alive together despite how dismal the year’s been. The present calamities and pandemic outbreak suggest we must celebrate Christmas offering hope for those scarred by the harsh, conflicts that seem stronger than the yearning for peace. It is time for weapons to be still forever, and the communities to come close together to promote respect for religion or belief. In my opinion, the quality of governance and political culture did not prioritise the issues related to the religious minorities. The Pakistan fate rests now on the capacity to change than rebuilding its future on the flesh and bone of ethical decline.
For the families that I know, this Christmas is a time of loneliness while others languish in prisons, some are fighting hard to recover their stolen daughters, simply because they have chosen to follow their faith. On an individual level, the impact of the grey shades of anaemic rule of law can be profound. Building a fairer society will entail addressing the fundamental cause of social injustice, judicial independence, and civil liberties. Failed egalitarianism, or equalitarianism, along with the inefficient role of the governments have rewired the brains of minorities to stop dreaming for their better future. Sadly, the weight of the evidence about the maltreatment of minorities is overwhelming. Also, our politicians and ruling elites have repudiated what Jinnah stood for and they seem to be far from the Quaid’s vision, which was driven by the inner desire for diversity, cohesion, and inclusiveness. The work of our political engineers who mined a system of scattered grievances has forged a society which is less human and less tolerant. On the other hand, the persecution of people based on their faith or belief is a daily occurrence in many parts of Pakistan, and something that rarely makes the headlines.
In the struggle for Pakistan, the minorities especially Christians have played a decisive role and cooperated fully with our founding father. He told a delegation of the Christian Parliamentarians on 20th November 1942, if you help the Muslim League to make Pakistan, we will never forget your contribution after Pakistan comes into existence. The Christian community in India felt closer to the Muslim League than the Congress, for several reasons, mainly because as a representative of a minority community, the Muslim League understood the problems of the Christian community far better. The second important reason was the trust the Christians had in the personality and ability of Muhammad Ali Jinnah to look after the interests of minorities in Pakistan.
After the independence, the minorities played an unprecedented role in the armed forces and many other professions to rebuild Pakistan. The distinguished Pakistan Air Force pilots include Cecil Chaudhry, Peter O Reilly, Martyred Wing Commander Mervyn L Middlecoat, winning Sitara-e-Jurat twice and many others have won numerous awards for their bravery. In the field of education, colleges like FC, Murray, Gordon, and Edwardes College have produced thousands of outstanding individuals working both nationally and internationally. Moreover, in the medical field, at one time the Christian nurses monopolised the profession and advanced the medical profession to stand up on its feet. Similarly, in Judiciary the services of Chief Justice A R Cornelius, Chief Justice Rana Bhagwan Das, Justice Patel and Additional Registrar, Johnson Bernard are exceptional.
Unfortunately, the infinite ordeal of Christians and other minority groups is becoming worse every day simply because we have deviated from the vision of our founding father. No Christmas decorations can brighten the dim lives of Christians left homeless by the worst violence, parents whose daughters were forcefully abducted this year and innocent families torn apart on the account of racial wars. Despite looming fault lines of categorisation as well as the fatalism, minorities love for their country is growing to serve their nation selflessly.
Instead of longing for nature to have mercy, we should act collectively to restore Jinnah’s vision to alter the political rules that govern us. In the gloom of this terrible year, I am thankful to our minorities, for their commendable services in the armed forces, emergency services and in the fields of health and education. In different ways, this is likely a question we are all asking ourselves this Christmas. Whether we have experienced discrimination, intolerance or lost a loved one, it is an inescapable truth that has altered us all. But how? And when will we have answers to these serious questions – because certainly there will be a moment when we can scan our balance sheets and see in the credit column. In conclusion, the floating petals of Christmas hold an eternal message for all of us that darkest night holds the brightest stars.
