Pakistan Christian leaders call for an end to Islamic tax

Christian leaders in Pakistan have come out strongly against the imposition of 'Jizya, or the Islamic tax' on Christians and other non-Muslims in Khyber Agency in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) on the border with Afghanistan.

Dr. Nazir S Bhatti, Chief of Pakistan Christian Congress PCC has urged government of Pakistan to take notice of collection of Jizia from Christians, Sikhs and Hindus in Khyber Agency.

"The Khyber Agency jurisdiction starts from out skirts of Peshawar City and imposition of protection tax or Jizia on minorities is serious threat to safety and security," Nazir Bhatti was quoted as saying by Pakistan Christian Post (PCP).

Pakistan's National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) also has condemned it because of its discriminatory nature and because it constitutes a direct threat to basic human rights.

Archbishop Lawrence John Saldanha, archbishop of Lahore, and Peter Jacob, NCJP executive secretary, have urged the federal and provincial governments in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) to do something to alleviate the plight of non-Muslim families forced to "hand over their hard earned bread and butter to the extremists," AsiaNews quoted them saying.

Early this month, Bara-based Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI, an Islamic militant group) has imposed jazia, an Islamic tax, to the non-Muslim communities, including Sikhs, Hindus and Christians living in Khyber Agency, a tribal agency of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) near Afghanistan's border and which is under the control of militants.

According to PCP, "Christians, Sikhs and Hindus living in Bara, Karamna, Chora, Zakhakhel. Landi Kotal and Tirah have started paying "Jizia" or protection tax from June 1, 2009, and those who are unable to pay are ordered to leave Khyber Agency by June 15, 2009."

Though the Religious Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti reacted to the appeals of Christian leaders by strongly condemning the demand on non-Muslims to pay the jizya, and said that it "is illegal, unethical and against the Constitution of Pakistan," the PCP learnt that the minority ministry of Pakistan is failed to resolve issue of residency or domicile certificate with Pakistan government to enable non-Muslim in FATA to enjoy rights as tribal inhabitants.

The Christians and Sikhs living in Khyber Agency from century are not treated as permanent residents of area and have to seek special permission from Tribal Elders Jirga to built any new home in area, it stated.

Nazir Bhatti also demanded government of Pakistan for urgent directives of issuance of domicile certificates to non-Muslims as proof or permanent resident like other areas of Pakistan.