The Pakistani Christian community's sense of being a beleaguered group must have been assuaged to some extent by President General Pervez Musharraf visit to the Lahore Diocese recently.
The president forcefully condemned the recent spate of attacks on Christian churches and institutions, which had left the community feeling unsafe and vulnerable. The attacks were attributed to militants who found Christian places of worship and learning a soft target on which to vent their anti-American anger.
In the present climate, it may not be immediately possible to undertake further bold political initiatives with regard to the minorities, such as ensuring greater representation for them in government, but the long-term goal of providing them with every opportunity available to other citizens should not be lost sight of.
This means looking at the problems
of the minorities in a wider perspective. Pakistan's minorities have demanded
no special privileges and no more than that they should be treated equally
in all secular matters. It is the duty of the state to ensure this. – Dawn