Faith beyond suffering: Pakistan’s bishops on Ad limina

Over the past few days, the country’s bishops have been in the Vatican for a meeting with the Pope and the departments of the Roman Curia. The president of the Bishops’ Conference, Shukardin, told Vatican media: “He has given us a new vision and new hope for the future”. Evangelisation, poverty and a lack of educational opportunities are the main challenges.

Islamabad (AsiaNews) – This week, the Catholic bishops of Pakistan undertook their ad limina Apostolorum visit to the Vatican, the meeting that bishops from around the world hold collectively every five years with the Pope and the heads of the departments of the Roman Curia. The event provided an opportunity to express both hope and concern for the future of Christians in the country.

Speaking to Vatican media during the visit, Bishop Samson Shukardin of Hyderabad, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan, described the pilgrimage as a time of spiritual renewal and encouragement for the Church in Pakistan: “This visit is very important for us because, spiritually and physically, it has given us a new vision and a new hope for the future,” said Bishop Shukardin, adding that the discussions with Vatican officials had offered encouragement for the Church’s mission in Pakistan.

The bishop identified evangelisation, poverty and the lack of educational opportunities as the main challenges, whilst praising the resilience and faith of Pakistan’s Christian community. “Our people are still illiterate but strong in faith,” he commented. “They are poor but always ready to work hard.”

Christians constitute a small minority in Pakistan, a country with an overwhelming Muslim majority. Since the creation of the state in 1947, the Christian population has grown from around one million to the current estimate of 3–3.5 million people, although community leaders often argue that censuses underestimate minority figures.

Most Pakistani Christians are Catholic and Protestant, with large communities concentrated in Punjab and Karachi. Over the decades, the community has played a significant role in education, healthcare, nursing and social welfare through missionary schools, hospitals and charitable organisations. Despite this, many Christians still struggle to enjoy equal rights in society. “Many of our faithful do not receive equal rights,” commented Bishop Shukardin. “We have a major problem regarding cases of blasphemy. There are also forced conversions.”

Blasphemy laws in Pakistan date back to British colonial rule, but became much stricter during the Islamisation policies introduced by former military ruler Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq in the 1980s. Since then, blasphemy charges have risen sharply, often leading to communal tensions and violence. Although they apply to all citizens, religious minorities, including Christians, Hindus and Ahmadis, have often reported being disproportionately vulnerable to such charges.

According to the latest annual report published by the Centre for Social Justice, 344 new blasphemy cases were recorded in Pakistan in 2024. The report notes that 70% of those accused were Muslims, followed by Ahmadis, Hindus and Christians. Punjab recorded the highest number of cases, accounting for 62% of all reported incidents, with Sheikhupura and Lahore among the worst-affected districts. The report also states that since 1987, at least 2,793 people have been charged under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, whilst between 1994 and 2024, 104 extrajudicial killings linked to blasphemy charges were recorded.

Forced religious conversions also remain a serious concern for minority communities in Pakistan. Rights groups say that Hindu and Christian girls, many of whom are minors, are particularly vulnerable to abductions, coercive conversions and forced marriages. The Centre for Social Justice reported 421 cases of forced conversion between 2021 and 2024, including 282 cases involving Hindu girls and 137 Christian girls. According to the report, 71% of the victims were minors, whilst the province of Sindh accounted for nearly 69% of all reported cases.

Bishop Shukardin acknowledged that Christians in Pakistan sometimes face rejection and persecution because of their faith and their public witness. “Our Church is going through difficulties, but we hope that one day we will achieve equal rights in the country.”

Fr Rasheed Asi, director of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace of the Diocese of Faisalabad, commenting to AsiaNews on this visit to the Vatican by the Pakistani bishops, stated that the Catholic Bishops’ Conference has become the voice of the voiceless. Christians, along with other minorities, suffer and await the recognition of their fundamental human rights. For this reason, he concludes, “we must support our people through education, making them aware of their rights and strengthening them in the faith”.

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