Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Left Alone on The Road Less Traveled: Pakistani Christian From Thailand

Today where many population control campaigns are working in Pakistan, radicals’ of Islam take matters in their own hands and attempt to put a stop to these campaigns, saying it will reduce the Muslim population. These acts of sheer illiteracy have killed many Christians who unfortunately worked for the betterment of Pakistan and to earn a living
Asia bibi also became a victim of the Islamists. This Asia Bibi is not behind bars but is caged in a sweet jail after managed to escape Pakistan and flee to Thailand. People refuse to hear what she has to say just because she is not part of the world wide media like the Asia Bibi convicted of blasphemy. This woman’s only sin is for the consequences in Thailand is not getting killed, raped or committing blasphemy. She lost her husband in the run of convincing UNHCR for an asylum grant. Now a widow, left with two teenage sons and an incomplete dream of a peaceful life with her husband.
In an interview she speaks of her ordeal saying, “Muslims do no consider us good because some of us are not educated. Those who are domestic workers are called names. An uneducated person selling fruits does not know what is written on the paper he is selling his fruit on. If someone reads it they blame them for blasphemy.
I lived in Karachi, with my two sons. My husband was working in Dubai and I ran a clinic in Karachi. Life was going on very well but as the situation of Karachi is bad, I asked my husband to come back home. In 2012, some people came to my clinic demanding its closure. They attacked me and blamed me for selling free birth control medicine. God saved me. They threatened to kill my sons. The Father of the parish that I go to helped me in getting to Thailand to save my life and take refuge.
We had thought life would be better in Thailand. My elder son is working illegally to support us; he can’t even complete his education. We had an interview with UNO in 2013 and were denied asylum in 2014. My husband became extremely worried and fell ill. I did not have source to get a proper treatment done. I went to churches, to Asylum access centers and hospitals but no body listened to me. At last my husband died in 2015 and my children are orphans now.
There is no protection and no medication for us. We can not even afford food. The question of returning back is out of league. Still I continue to pray and hope that our extreme plight ends soon.”
The misuse of blasphemy law has forced many out of Pakistan and the dreams of a happy and peaceful life still lingers on in many hearts.

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