ECLJ Protecting Christian Cemetery in Pakistan from Illegal Possession by Muslims
On June 1, the Pakistan office of the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) obtained a temporary injunction against illegal possession of a Christian cemetery by Muslims. Christians and Muslims have separate cemeteries in Pakistan. Muslims have illegally occupied many Christian properties and is another example of the discrimination faced by Christians in this country.
Pandoki is a village in the suburbs of Lahore, Pakistan, mainly populated by Muslims, but about fifty Christian families have lived there for many generations. In Pandoki, Christians have maintained the cemetery since 1947, when Pakistan came into being. Since 1960, Muslims living around the cemetery have been encroaching on the land - taking more and more of the property.
In 2005, two Muslim brothers, Muhammad Ameen and Muhammad Yameen, purchased some residential property adjacent to the cemetery. On many occasions the two Muslim brothers, with intent to take the entire cemetery, prohibited Christians from burying their dead in the cemetery. Due to their poverty, lack of education, social status, and the level of corruption of Pakistani officials, Christians often do not have access to the authorities to stop persecution and discrimination against them.
On May 24, Ameen and Yameen and their armed accomplices barred local Christians from entering the cemetery to bury a body. They threatened to destroy the graves and convert the land into a residence, adding that the Christians could do nothing to stop them. The Christians were able to bury the body only after holding a protest, which prompted police officials to intervene. The Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) also arrived and instructed Christians to provide documents proving that the cemetery belonged to them. The DSP warned the Christians that he would file criminal charges against them if they were not able to provide such proof.
The ECLJ immediately filed for an injunction on behalf of the Christian residents.
The Civil Court in Lahore issued a temporary injunction in favor of the Christians until June 14, when the Court will hear the case on the merits.
We will update you on further developments.
