Focusing on Marginalized Groups in Pakistan: A Case Study of Christian Minority in Lahore

Abstract

In today’s world, there is hardly any state which is perfectly homogeneous and
does not possess minorities of one type or other and Pakistan is also not an
exceptional state in this regard. Pakistani society is a pluralistic one where
citizenship is generally based on the principles of freedom of speech, thought
and action. There are some incidents of religious intolerance by extremist
elements in recent years that have attracted the attention of the writers to
investigate the status of the religious minorities in Pakistan. Though Pakistan is
an Islamic democratic state but its state and society provide religious freedom
to minorities as well. Therefore, religious minorities always played an important
role in its development, prosperity and solidarity without any religious
prejudice. The Christian community of Lahore is now several generations old,
although some have come from Muslims, Hindu or Sikh background.
Minorities in Lahore also participated a lot in the development of the city and
Christians being a largest minority of the city participated significantly in the
society. Missionaries pioneered the provision of health treatment and education
in a western style, not only during the Colonial period but after the partition
their contribution enhanced in these fields, in a specific Muslim society instead
being a minority of the city. It is imperative for decision makers in the country
to revisit Jinnah's vision of democratic, plural and tolerant Pakistan, which is
based on equal rights rooted in equal residency and similar rights of citizenship
and free of biases based in gender, dogma and caste. This ideal formed the
basis for the movement for Pakistan and still is adhered to an overwhelming
majority of the country’s populace. This study explores and analyzes the
contributions and role of Christian community living in Lahore, in various fields including health, education, public work, civil and military bureaucracy etc.
The prime object of the study is to highlight the efforts of Christian community
in the promotion of socio-economic life of the people residing in Lahore after
1947, which may remove many prejudices of the ignorant persons, about the
real contribution of the Christian community. Many historians, sociologists and
anthropologists have worked a lot on the conversion movements and rights of
Christian community in Pakistan, but no serious attempt has yet been made to
investigate their role for the promotion of interfaith dialogue, imparting liberal
education and health facilities after independence of Pakistan. Therefore, this
study by throwing light on the contribution of Christian community in different
walks of life in Lahore will fill a gap in the historical literature of Pakistani state
and society. It would be a ready reference for the further study and research by
other researchers. Therefore, it is of immense importance to understand the
status of religious minorities more specifically