Religious persecution is not
the only reason which compels Pakistanis to seek asylum elsewhere. Many a time,
Pakistanis are forced to flee from their country because of their affiliation
or lack of the same thoughts. I always wonder was the country made only for
single Muslim school of thought, who always attack on other faiths and threaten
them to leave the country. No not, Pakistan is just as much a home to
Christians, Hindus, Ahmadis and Shias and nobody has right to expel anyone from
their homeland. However, expulsion continues to take place on gun point and
many a time over the lifeless bodies of loved ones. Infect we always think that
misfortune always falls on other people and somehow we always stay away from
such things until the violence strikes at our home.
I see many Pakistanis are
seeking asylum in foreign countries and most of them instigate violence
themselves and ignite the fury of others so that they can seek political or
religious asylum in foreign countries. Many Christian families are living in
UK, USA, Canada and other European countries. Seeking asylum is not easy and
people who say that people do it deliberately should go to see, where many
asylum seekers from different countries work day in and day out to feed their
families. Seeing their faces will make you understand that what they have
chosen has been the lesser of two evils as a last resort.
According to the sources,
around 8000 families are seeking asylum in Thailand, Srilanka, and Malaysia. Most
of the asylum seekers who leave Pakistan in hopes of a better and safer future
reached destitute or have meager funds which only last for a very small period
of time. Most of them have to accept odd jobs and work at less than minimum
wage until their resident status is approved by the immigration authorities. But
I don’t see any positive response from the authorities or UNHCR. Colombo
Gazette reported that there are around 600 Pakistani Christians are currently
seeking asylum in Sri Lanka.
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| Basharat Khakhor visiting UNHCR office in Thailand |
Many of the families have
sold their houses and lost their job in hopes of a better and safer future,
told Basharat Khokher after his visit to Thailand, Sri Lanka and Malaysia.
According to Basharat Khokhar some Human Right Champions are involved in human
trafficking on the name of asylum in different countries. He condemn this act
of Human Right Organization instead being supportive they are playing with
their future. He said he met with many families there and now some of them are
backing to rejoin their jobs, realizing the situation and bleak future.
He mentioned Pakistan European
Christian Association – PECA and few others, I tried to call on the given
number and have left massage but there is no response so far.
Nazir S Bhatti, President
Pakistan Christian Congress – PCC have expressed his concern over the
unprecedented delay shown by UNHCR offices in Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Thailand
in processing applications for thousands of Pakistani Christian asylum seekers.
The PCC chief appealed to UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon that cases of the Pakistani
Christians in these countries be considered on a priority bases for refugee status.
He said they are living in miserable human conditions for years and have been waiting
for their applications to be considered.
Refugees have no right to
work legally, and it is difficult to find employment, even in the informal
sector. Most urban refugees in Thailand live a precarious existence: unable to
work, often unable to send their children to school, they are typically
financially stressed, dependent on ad-hoc charity to survive, at risk of exploitation
and constantly worried about being arrested and indefinitely detained. Most of
them reached there with a genuine passport and tourist visa. They are usually
exhausted most of their savings to come to Thailand. Once their tourist visas
expire, under Thai law, they are considered illegal migrants. As a result, they
are at constant risk of arrest and extort refugees and then release them, but
arrest can also result in indefinite detention. Pakistani Christians often face
harassment and discrimination in churches from the Thai community. Many were
unaware how difficult conditions would be in Thailand before they came, often
having been misled by “agents or people-smugglers.”
Even if refugees obtain
refugee status, their chances of being resettled outside of Thailand are not
high, and they face serious ongoing protection problems while they remain in Thailand.
I left their shops and homes
with a very heavy heart, fervently praying that Pakistan would once again
become a tolerant and progressive society where people can enjoy equal rights.
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