Kamran Chaudhry

The Rev. Jadoon Masih had been in prison for a year. A group of Muslims accused him of having torn pages from the Koran. The judge: "The evidence is not valid". Lawyer: "He can celebrate Christmas with his family".

In Lahore catechists get the lowest salaries. Vocations are up compared to the past. Children who study in government schools are deprived of catechism. The faith should be promoted through social media.

More than 400 young people involved in songs, performances and dances. "Textbooks full of hate speech". The temptation of Islamic radicalism through online recruiters.

Communities already living in fear suffer discrimination. Activists and politicians complain that whilst the number of seats in national and provincial assemblies has increased, reserved minority seats have not. Catholic bishops note that the current electoral system does not represent their communities. One lawmaker complains that her fellow parliamentarians are indifferent to the issue.

The most urgent goal is the training of catechists, who are the vanguard of the mission of evangelisation. The Bishops’ Conference declares the ‘Year of the Eucharist’ for spiritual growth and inner renewal to serve and pray for Pakistan.

Safdar is a retired Captain and son-in-law of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He spoke against Ahmadi believers, who already are discriminated in Pakistan. A Muslim faithful: “An online petition will be launched.”

Choudry Naeem Shakir was 73 and had been ill for some time. He is one of the most illustrious socialist exponents in his country. Asia Bibi winner of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2017, but "she does not even know". Messages of condolence from Christians and Muslims.

The Rawadari Tehreek group condemns the attack on the Pir Rakhel Shah shrine, in Balochistan. Radicals are against ‘dhamal’, the whirling dance, because it provides an emotional outlet. For Sufi poet, “terrorism poses greater challenges to activists who cure the evils of society.”

Police removed a slogan under a billboard praising the Islamic Caliphate. Pakistani authorities have always denied the presence of the Islamic State group in the country. But for years, the terrorist programme has been taught in school. Religious parties make gains in by-election.

The ten-day mission involves the distribution of various items to a hundred families, moved by the need to help "Muslim brothers". Refugees “are ordinary, peace-loving people caught between rival groups."

Sharoon Masih was murdered by his classmates on the third day of school. For the National Commission for Justice and Peace, the boy’s murder is the fault of school authorities. His death was not the result of “a fight among teenagers, but in fact it was caused by intolerance, discrimination and inhuman attitude”.

Members of the Centre for Social Justice discussed the dangers of weapons proliferation. Pakistan was the tenth largest arms importer in the world in 2015. The "Kalashnikov culture" developed in the 1980s. In local textbooks, “army men are our only heroes.” Church security depends on youth-led security teams.