Philadelphia: Dr. Nazir S Bhatti, Editor of Pakistan Christian Post and President of Pakistan Christian Congress in a letter to President New York
In recent polls conducted by Pakistan Christian Post, 61% of our readers rejected interference of Muslim political leaders in affairs of Church of Pakistan. The 27% voted in favor of Muslims involvement in churches when 12% readers remained undecide
The Pakistan Christian Post initiated this poll for vote by general Christians on this issue when few months back Bishop Alexander Malik from Lahore wrote letter to Arch Bishop of Canterbury to contact MQM leader Altaf Hussiain in London to direct MQM Karachi Offices to press upon one group in Karachi Dioceses of Church of Pakistan to make way for his group to regain control of Bishop House, Churches and other properties.
No doubt, MQM is major political party of urban sindh and now governing province in collation with a Muslim League faction! No doubt, Altaf Hussain is also very powerful leader of Muslim group! Some Christians already invited MQM in affairs of Karachi YMCA and now this Muslim political group is in full control of this more than hundred years old Christian institution in the heart of Karachi city. Why MQM is sitting in YMCA Karachi?
The Karachi YMCA is very valuable property situated opposite Sindh Governor House. Many Muslim political groups in past have also attempted to occupy YMCA land. The very first attempt was made by PPP, when Mumtaz Bhutto was Chief Minister of Sindh province. He planned to utilize YMCA ground to build new Sindh Secretariat but Christians of Karachi lodged strong protest and PPP government failed to snatch YMCA land. The Muslim business community remained interested in Karachi YMCA land also. They planned to build shopping centers on YMCA ground and adjacent properties. They made very lucrative offers to Christian’s administration of YMCA but again same was foiled by the Christians who never appreciated any idea of Muslim interference in Christian establishments in Pakistan.
As result of MQM control over YMCA now! The YMCA actions are monitored by some Muslim leaders of MQM. The Annual General Body Meeting AGM has been not held from years. The YMCA social programmes are not properly underway. The YMCA matters have been pending under courts of law among MQM supported Christian leaders and Board of Directors. The MQM have no intention to leave premises of YMCA without handing over this establishment to their Christian supporters.
After the bad experience of Karachi YMCA , the call of Bishop Alxander Malik to involve MQM in the affairs of Church of Pakistan seems very surprising for Christians of Pakistan. There were some malpractices in Karachi YMCA and Board Of Directors was not functioning under article of association of YMCA but it was not valid reasons for one group of Christians to invite MQM in affairs of YMCA.
Now all Christians acknowledge the fact that Church of Pakistan affairs are not running satisfactory but Church of Pakistan is not a social establishment like YMCA. Its matter of belief and identity of Christians in Pakistan. The Christian religious leadership is supposed to sit on table and find solution of constitutional burdens to straighten affairs of Church of Pakistan.
All concerned Christians read this news in grief that Muslim political leaders to regain control of one church building at gunpoint in the vicinity of Azam Basti Mahmood Abad. It was learned that after letter of Bishop Malik to invite MQM in church affairs, the Pakistan Muslim League leaders gunned downed at church and fired hundreds of rounds of automatic fire weapons injuring many Christian. It’s for information that MQM and PML are governing Sindh province in coalition after elections of 2002.
The 61% of our voters reject Muslim political leaders interference in church affairs which means majority does not like churches under any political impression in Pakistan. Therefore we appeal all Muslim leaders and political groups not to interference in affairs of church establishments and also appeal Christian political and religious leaders to keep Christian establishments under their control to avoid any serious situation in future.
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