” “Not only in India, but in Pakistan too "Christians live in fear and are the victims of religious persecution": it was stated to the Papal Organisation "Aiuto alla Chiesa che Soffre" (Acs) by father Emmanuel Asi, a Capuchin Franciscan friar, a parish priest in Lahore and the secretary of the Catholic Biblical Commission of Pakistan. "Even today says father Asi being a Christian in Pakistan means being a second-rate citizen, but despite this they are very proud of their religious belonging". In Pakistan, Christians often come from the most disadvantaged classes and whole families are forced to work for the big landowners. Not to mention that Christians cannot have access to some professions and even to job interviews. Inter-religious dialogue is also hindered by the Catholics being suspected of proselytism. Over the last two years, says Acs, in Pakistan there has been "a remarkable increase in the number of attacks against religious minorities" in the form of "fatwas" (verdicts passed by Islamic courts which however cans sentence to death non-Muslims too, editor’s note), abductions and attacks against places of worship. The worst means of religious persecution is still the so-called "blasphemy law", which punishes any offence against the Koran and the defamation of the prophet Muhammad with life imprisonment or death penalty.” “
