Pak does it officially: Razes 3 churches in Karachi

This is yet another example of systematic state persecution of minorities in Pakistan and how they are deprived of their rights in the country

The minorities in Pakistan face uneneding violence, intolerance and discrimination and with each passing day, more and more incidents of atrocities against them are being reported from across the country.

In a setback to the Christian community in Pakistan, the administration demolished three of the four churches along Karachi's Gujjar Nullah after Sunday service during an anti-encroachment drive, The Dawn reported.

This is yet another example of systematic state persecution of minorities in Pakistan and how they are deprived of their rights in the country.

According to The Dawn, St Joseph's Catholic Church is now the only church left in the Gujjar Nullah as the three Philadelphia Pentecostal Churches of the protestant Christian community have been demolished.

"There used to be over 150 people gathered here every Sunday and it would get difficult to accommodate them all. But now there are barely 20 or 30. It is more than just losing faith. The elderly are afraid of the remaining structure falling on them and most women don't come anymore due to lack of privacy after the facade was broken two weeks ago," said Rehana Sohail, a local.

Another local, Master Zohaib Javed said that the administration demolished their churches and a big part of the church's roof fell due to lack of support after the walls and pillars were broken down.

"We wanted to rebuild our church and raise a new wall in the front but then we were informed that Frontier Works Organisation people were also going to come for their own survey. This is how it has come under various surveys and new cuttings. Bit by bit it is vanishing," he said.

Zahid Farooq of the Urban Resource Centre (URC) told Dawn that the St Joseph's Catholic Church also used to be a space for meetings of area residents, most of whom are Christians.