ACN reaches out to Pakistan’s
Christians hit by Covid-19 crisis
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| Christians praying outside Lahore's Sacred Heart Cathedral on May 27, 2020 (AFP) |
In Pakistan, many poor Christians and members of religious
minorities continue to be denied food aid and basic necessities during the
Covid- 19 emergency.
By Robin Gomes
Some Muslim charities and mosques have denied their food aid
and emergency kits to Christians and members of minority communities.
Cecil Shane Chaudhry, the executive director of the National
Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops'
Conference (PCBC), made the observation to the international Catholic charity
and foundation, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
Discrimination against Christians
Chaudhry argued that with Covid-19, everyone is at risk
regardless of their religion. Hence, it is unjust that Christians and
other minorities be denied emergency aid, especially when they are among those
hardest hit.
The NCJP executive director urged the Pakistani government
to target aid to the most vulnerable and provide masks, gloves and other
protective equipment to health and domestic workers.
In the latest tally, nearly 66,500 cases of Covid-19
infection have been reported in Pakistan, with close to 1,400 deaths.
According to Chaudhry, many cases go unreported.
ACN approves grant for Pakistan
ACN International executive president, Thomas Heine-Geldern
lamented that “even during this global crisis, such minorities are being
clearly disadvantaged,” in Pakistan. ACN has taken action to provide food and
other Covid-19 emergency aid to more than 5,000 of the poorest families in
Pakistan. On 28 May, it approved a grant targeting the most vulnerable in
the capital, Islamabad, as well as in Rawalpindi, and the Dioceses of Lahore
and Faisalabad.
Vulnerable Christians
Heine-Geldern observed that Christians are among the poorest
and hardest hit by the lockdown in Pakistan. He said the emergency has
“deprived them of their already meagre livelihoods and forced them to live
through the crisis in extremely cramped and overcrowded conditions with a
minimum of resources.”
He said many Christians earn the lowest wages, working as
day labourers, domestic servants, cleaners or kitchen staff. “All these
areas of employment,” he said, “are precisely the ones that have been most
impacted by the economic shutdown.”
“Many Christian employees have been dismissed without notice
by families for whom they have worked for years.” The ACN Executive
President said these employers fear the poor may bring infection into their
homes.
Awareness creation, PPE, Mass stipends
In Faisalabad, the ACN emergency aid programme includes the
use of radio and social media to raise awareness of the risks of coronavirus
and ways to protect against it. ACN has planned to distribute facemasks
for the faithful in churches and equip priests, nuns, catechists, diocesan
staff and volunteers with personal protection equipment.
As part of its COVID-19 programme for Pakistan, ACN is
providing Mass stipends for 70 priests in the Archdiocese of Lahore, four
priests at the Redemptoris Mater Major Seminary, Karachi, and another four
priests at St Francis Xavier Seminary, Lahore.
ACN announced a €5 million COVID-19 emergency fund in
April. It recently approved grants providing emergency aid to more than
20,000 families in Syria.
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