More on the persecution of Christians in Pakistan: “Many minorities give their children Islamic names so they will not be singled out as Christians and become potential targets for discrimination in primary or secondary schools or at the college level.”
Note that Bishop Samson does not refer to the possibility of these Christian children being bullied by their classmates; rather, he speaks of their becoming “potential targets for discrimination.” This makes it clear that the persecution is coming from the teachers and administrators, not the other students. This is yet another example of a phenomenon we have often noted: that in all too many countries today, officials who should be protecting Christians instead take the side of the persecutors.
For previous ChristianPersecution.com coverage of the persecution of Christians in Pakistan, see here.
“Christians in Pakistan ‘give children Islamic names to avoid abuse in school,’” by Fionn Shiner, ACNUK, October 4, 2019:
Religious bigotry in Pakistan schools is forcing Christian parents to give their children Islamic names – according to a bishop there.
Bishop Samson Shukardin of Hyderabad told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that Christian children and other faith minorities were using different names to prevent them from being subjected to abuse.
He said: “Many minorities give their children Islamic names so they will not be singled out as Christians and become potential targets for discrimination in primary or secondary schools or at the college level.
“In many cases, minority students do suffer abuse in public schools.”
Bishop Shukardin spoke out against textbooks in state-run schools, saying: “The minorities are considered infidels and they are depicted negatively in textbooks, which promote prejudices against minorities.
“The fundamentalists believe that Islam is the only complete religion – that salvation is only found in the Qur’an as the last holy book.”…
The bishop said: “Most of the minorities, and in particular Christians, are afraid of attacks and persecution.”…
Bishop Shukardin said: “If the West strikes against Muslims anywhere in the world, enraged fundamentalists in Pakistan often attack the churches.”…
The bishop said: “Muslims believe that converting one person to Islam earns them eternal life. If an initial effort fails, people turn to kidnapping.
“Kidnappings and forced marriages are most common in rural areas, where people have little education.”…
