Country: Pakistan, Asia
Population: 196 million
State Religion: Islam
Officially known as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, it is unique among Muslim countries as being the only country to have been created in the name of Islam. It is currently estimated that 95.8% of the population are Muslims and less than 2.5% are Christians.
In areas such as Punjab, many people in bonded labour are Christians. Christian women in particular are generally forced into low-paid work (often domestic work or physical labour in, for example, brick kilns) and many reportedly suffer sexual and physical abuse from their employers. There are also a significant number of reports of Christian women being abducted and forcibly converted to Islam to marry Muslim men.
Pakistan's blasphemy laws are often used against religious minorities to settle personal scores. The death sentence has been given for blasphemy a number of times however, whilst this is still yet to result in following through with an execution, many Christians are known to be sitting on death row, languishing in jail, for blasphemy charges. These charges are largely influenced by growing support for more radical Islam where courtrooms are often packed with extremists pressurising judges to return a guilty verdict.
A prayer to pray:
Almighty God, who has taught us through your Son Jesus Christ that those who follow Him may be persecuted; strengthen, comfort and encourage all those who suffer harassment, violence, imprisonment and even death for being followers of Jesus. We pray for those who persecute your people; may their hearts be turned towards you through the faithful witness of those they persecute. Protect members of the families and church communities of those who are persecuted and bless the work and ministry of Release International and its partners as we support those who are suffering and seek to be a voice of persecuted Christians.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
For more information, visit www.opendoorsuk.org.
