“Despite the current Covid-19 pandemic, which is posing its share of challenges in Pakistan, religious intolerance and discrimi-nation in recent months have increased”: is the complaint of the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), within the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
The statement sent to Agenzia Fides states: “Recently, Nadeem Joseph, a Chri-stian from Peshawar, and his mother-in-law Elizabeth Masih were brutally attacked by the Muslim Salman Khan and his sons a few days after Nadeem Joseph bought a house in the Colony in Peshawar, Pakistan on June 4, 2020, in a Muslim dominated neighbourhood and his neighbours did not tolerate the pre-sence of a non-Muslim in their neighbour-hood.” Police arrested several members of Salman Khan’s family in connection with the incident.

NCJP strongly condemns this act of violence. In a joint statement, Archbishop Joseph Arshad, Chairman of the Commi-ssion, National Director Fr Emmanuel Yousaf and Executive Director Cecil S. Chaudhry declare: “Pakistani society has become increasingly intolerant and living as a religious minority is becoming more and more difficult. There are many similar incidents that are not reported. Religious minorities continue to face discrimination as part of their daily lives,” it stresses, citing refusal to give food supplies or provide relief to non-Muslims during the pandemic, or that of poor personal protection for health workers, who are at the forefront. Bishops call on law enforcement agencies to do everything possible to catch the main culprit who brutally killed Nadeem Joseph and bring him to justice, noting the “clear violation of human rights” and “an act against the law that cannot go unpunished.”