LAHORE (UCAN): “The Taliban retaking Kabul has many consequences for the Pakistani Church,” Camillian Father Mushtaq Anjum said on August 16.
Father Anjum feared that the return of the extremist group would embolden fundamentalist forces in Pakistan and that they would seek to avenge their losses of the past two decades and Pakistani Christians will suffer. There will be chaos, insecurity and misery in the aftermath of the Taliban’s rise.
Human rights activists expressed similar concerns as a Taliban official announced its intention to declare the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan—the name of the country under previous Taliban rule—from the presidential palace in Kabul
In 2001, some 15 churchgoers were killed by gunmen at St. Dominic Church in Bahawalpur, 500 kilometres south of Islamabad.
“Many people here think they are hitting America when they hit the Christians,” said Father Bonnie Mendes, former executive secretary of the Catholic bishops’ National Commission for Justice and Peace. But he did not think the Taliban taking over Afghanistan will make a difference to the Church in Pakistan.
Father Anjum, however, predicted increased intolerance against non-Muslims, including Christians. “Fundamentalism will rise. They will enforce their brand of Islam within Pakistan and, as always is the case, Pakistani Christians will bear the brunt of it all,” he added.
In July, a post on YouTube claimed that the Taliban had captured the Landi Kotal Church near the Torkham border crossing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, by forcing the pastor and other staff to vacate it.
However, the pastor, Amir William, said, “I strongly reject this news. The Taliban have not occupied our church. We are completely secured in the cantonment area. The army cooperates with us and takes care of our needs.”
He further requested the media to avoid reporting without confirming the facts. “The erroneous reports worry the church, damage the reputation of the institution and harm interfaith harmony. Kindly avoid false news.”
